Mauricio Funes, Controversial Salvadoran Ex-President, Passes Away at 65

Mauricio Funes, renowned for his initial support, ultimately burdened by numerous legal issues after his presidency, has died, leaving a complicated legacy.

Mauricio Funes, the former president of El Salvador and a prominent television journalist, has died in Managua, Nicaragua, at the age of 65. His passing on January 21 was confirmed by Nicaragua’s health ministry due to “a grave chronic illness.” Reports from El Faro, a news outlet focused on both El Salvador and Costa Rica, indicated that Funes had recently been hospitalized following a heart attack he suffered on January 8.

Funes was perceived as a beacon of hope for the war-torn nation of El Salvador when he was elected as the first modern-day leftist president in 2009. He promised to address issues of crime and poverty that plagued the country. However, the sentiment surrounding his presidency shifted dramatically after he left office in 2014.

By 2016, Funes fled to Nicaragua amid investigations into alleged corruption, including the misappropriation of approximately $351 million in state funds during his administration. In absentia, he was convicted in May 2023, receiving a 14-year sentence for allowing powerful criminal gangs, known as the Maras, to thrive in exchange for a perceived reduction in violence. Following this, Funes faced additional legal troubles, including a six-year sentence for tax evasion totaling $85,000, and another eight-year term related to bribery in a construction contract.

At the time of his death, Funes was embroiled in five ongoing investigations, painting a stark contrast to the hopeful beginnings of his presidency and leaving a complex legacy behind in El Salvador.