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3mo ago

Former Salvadoran President Mauricio Funes Dies in Exile at 65

Funes, El Salvador's first leftist leader, passed away in Nicaragua, where he fled in 2016 to avoid corruption charges and prison sentences totaling over 26 years.

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Mauricio Funes, El Salvador's ex-president, died Tuesday at the age of 65 in Nicaragua, pictured in Managua in 2016 during an interview

Overview

  • Mauricio Funes, who served as president of El Salvador from 2009 to 2014, died on January 21, 2025, in Nicaragua due to a chronic illness, according to Nicaragua's health ministry.
  • Funes fled to Nicaragua in 2016 after being accused of embezzling $351 million and other corruption charges, later being granted asylum and citizenship by President Daniel Ortega's government.
  • He was convicted in absentia multiple times, including a 14-year sentence in 2023 for negotiating with criminal gangs during his presidency and an 8-year sentence for money laundering in 2024.
  • Before his political career, Funes was a prominent journalist and war correspondent, known for his work with CNN and his interviews with key figures during El Salvador's civil war.
  • Funes remained a polarizing figure, denying the corruption allegations as political persecution, while his presidency and subsequent exile drew criticism from both domestic and international observers.