Former president of El Salvador, Mauricio Funes, dies

Funes assumed the presidency of El Salvador in 2009, accompanied by his then wife, the Brazilian Vanda Pignato. Photo: UN Media – the United Nations/Archive.

January 22, 2025 Time: 06:50

Funes died due to a serious chronic illness and was living in exile after being persecuted by the Salvadoran authorities.

The Nicaraguan Ministry of Health reported that this Tuesday night the former president of El Salvador, Mauricio Funes Cartagena (2009-2014), who was in exile in this Central American nation, died.

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The Nicaraguan Health Ministry reported that the death of the former Salvadoran president occurred at 9:35 p.m. local time (03:35 GMT on Wednesday).

Funes died due to a serious chronic illness and was living in exile after being persecuted by the Salvadoran authorities, who accused him of embezzlement, illicit enrichment and bribery.

He was granted political asylum in Nicaragua in 2016, a decision made by President Daniel Ortega due to the imminent risk to his life in his native country.

In addition to the aforementioned accusations, Funes also faced charges related to improving conditions for gang leaders in prisons.

Funes assumed the presidency of El Salvador in 2009, accompanied by his then wife, the Brazilian Vanda Pignato, who was also a representative of Lula da Silva's Workers' Party in Central America.