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🇸🇻 El Salvador

Republic, representative democracy, presidential systemElectoral autocracy

Nayib Bukele

President · 2,695 days in office

How the political system works in El Salvador

El Salvador is governed as a republic with a representative democracy, presidential system. Its president, Nayib Bukele, has led the country since Jun 1, 2019. El Salvador has had 43 presidents since 1839. Under the Regimes of the World classification, it counts as an electoral autocracy.

Tenure records

Recent presidents by days in office

Is a leader's tenure getting longer or shorter in El Salvador?

Across 60 completed terms, the average president of El Salvador has served 897 days (about 2.5 years). Terms are getting longer: the last five completed terms averaged 1,753 days.

All presidents of El Salvador

#	Name	Took office	Left office	Days
61	Nayib Bukele	Jun 1, 2019	Incumbent	2,695
60	Salvador Sánchez Cerén	Jun 1, 2014	Jun 1, 2019	1,826
59	Mauricio Funes	Jun 1, 2009	Jun 1, 2014	1,826
58	Antonio Saca	Jun 1, 2004	Jun 1, 2009	1,826
57	Francisco Flores	Jun 1, 1999	Jun 1, 2003	1,461
56	Armando Calderón Sol	Jun 1, 1994	Jun 1, 1999	1,826
55	Alfredo Cristiani	Jun 1, 1989	Jun 1, 1994	1,826
54	José Napoleón Duarte	Jun 1, 1984	Jun 1, 1989	1,826
53	Álvaro Magaña	May 2, 1982	Jun 1, 1984	761
52	Arturo Armando Molina	Jul 1, 1972	Jul 1, 1977	1,826
51	Fidel Sánchez Hernández	Jul 1, 1967	Oct 15, 1972	1,933
50	Andrés Ignacio Menéndez	May 9, 1944	Oct 21, 1944	165
49	Andrés Ignacio Menéndez	Aug 29, 1934	Mar 1, 1935	184
48	Andrés Ignacio Menéndez	Aug 8, 1934	Feb 1, 1935	177
47	Maximiliano Hernández Martínez	Dec 4, 1931	Aug 29, 1944	4,652
46	Arturo Araujo	Mar 1, 1931	Dec 2, 1931	276
45	Pío Romero Bosque	Mar 1, 1927	Mar 1, 1931	1,461
44	Alfonso Quiñónez Molina	Mar 1, 1923	Mar 1, 1927	1,461
43	Jorge Meléndez Ramírez	Mar 1, 1919	Mar 1, 1923	1,461
42	Alfonso Quiñónez Molina	Dec 21, 1918	Mar 1, 1919	70
41	Carlos Meléndez Ramírez	Mar 1, 1915	Dec 21, 1918	1,391
40	Alfonso Quiñónez Molina	Aug 29, 1914	Mar 1, 1915	184
39	Carlos Meléndez Ramírez	Feb 8, 1913	Aug 29, 1914	567
38	Manuel Enrique Araujo	Mar 1, 1911	Feb 8, 1913	710
37	Fernando Figueroa	Mar 1, 1907	Mar 1, 1911	1,461
36	Pedro José Escalón	Mar 1, 1903	Mar 1, 1907	1,461
35	Tomás Regalado	Nov 14, 1898	Mar 1, 1903	1,567
34	Rafael Antonio Gutiérrez	Mar 1, 1895	Nov 1, 1898	1,341
33	Rafael Antonio Gutiérrez	Jun 10, 1894	Mar 1, 1895	264
32	Carlos Ezeta	Jun 22, 1890	Jun 9, 1894	1,448
31	Francisco Menéndez Valdivieso	Jun 21, 1885	Jun 22, 1890	1,827
30	Fernando Figueroa	May 14, 1885	Jun 18, 1885	35
29	Rafael Zaldívar	May 1, 1876	Jun 21, 1885	3,338
28	Andrés del Valle	Feb 1, 1876	May 1, 1876	90
27	Santiago González	Apr 15, 1871	Feb 1, 1876	1,753
26	Francisco Dueñas Díaz	Oct 26, 1863	Apr 15, 1871	2,728
25	José María Peralta	Dec 16, 1860	Feb 7, 1861	53
24	Gerardo Barrios	Mar 12, 1859	Oct 26, 1863	1,689
23	José María Peralta	Feb 15, 1859	Mar 12, 1859	25
22	Joaquín Eufrasio Guzmán	Jan 24, 1859	Feb 15, 1859	22
21	Miguel Santín del Castillo	Feb 7, 1858	Jan 24, 1859	351
20	Lorenzo Zepeda	Feb 1, 1858	Feb 7, 1858	6
19	Rafael Campo	Feb 12, 1856	Feb 1, 1858	720
18	Francisco Dueñas Díaz	Feb 1, 1856	Feb 12, 1856	11
17	José María San Martín	Feb 15, 1854	Feb 1, 1856	716
16	Vicente Gómez	Feb 1, 1854	Feb 15, 1854	14
15	Francisco Dueñas Díaz	Feb 1, 1852	Feb 1, 1854	731
14	José María San Martín	Jan 30, 1852	Feb 1, 1852	2
13	Francisco Dueñas Díaz	May 13, 1851	Jan 30, 1852	262
12	José Félix Quirós	Mar 1, 1851	May 3, 1851	63
11	Doroteo Vasconcelos	Feb 4, 1850	Mar 1, 1851	390
10	Ramón Rodríguez	Feb 1, 1850	Feb 4, 1850	3
9	Doroteo Vasconcelos	Feb 7, 1848	Feb 1, 1850	725
8	José Félix Quirós	Feb 3, 1848	Feb 7, 1848	4
7	Fermín Palacios	Jul 12, 1846	Jul 21, 1846	9
6	Fermín Palacios	Feb 1, 1846	Feb 21, 1846	20
5	Fermín Palacios	Feb 16, 1845	Apr 25, 1845	68
4	Joaquín Eufrasio Guzmán	Feb 15, 1845	Feb 1, 1846	351
3	Francisco Malespín	Feb 7, 1844	Feb 15, 1845	374
2	Fermín Palacios	Feb 1, 1844	Feb 7, 1844	6
1	Francisco Morazán	Jul 11, 1839	Feb 16, 1840	220

Officeholder history via Wikidata. Multiple rows for one person indicate separate terms.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the President of El Salvador?

Nayib Bukele has been President of El Salvador since Jun 1, 2019.

How is the leader of El Salvador chosen?

El Salvador is governed as a republic with a representative democracy, presidential system. Its president, Nayib Bukele, has led the country since Jun 1, 2019. El Salvador has had 43 presidents since 1839. Under the Regimes of the World classification, it counts as an electoral autocracy.

Who is the longest-serving President of El Salvador?

Maximiliano Hernández Martínez, with 4,652 days in office.

Are leaders serving longer or shorter terms in El Salvador?

Across 60 completed terms, the average president of El Salvador has served 897 days (about 2.5 years). Terms are getting longer: the last five completed terms averaged 1,753 days.

Has El Salvador ever had a female president?

No. All 43 presidents of El Salvador to date have been men.