Francisco Flores

Biography

Francisco Guillermo Flores Pérez (17 October 1959 – 30 January 2016) was a Salvadoran politician who was President of El Salvador from 1 June 1999 to 1 June 2004, representing the conservative Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA). Born in Santa Ana, he got an extensive education in the United States, attending Amherst College, University of Hartford, Howard University, and Harvard University. This international academic background influenced his pro-American foreign policy stance during his presidency.

Flores started his political career during Alfredo Cristiani's administration, holding various government roles before being elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1994. His political skills became clear when he was elected president of the Assembly in 1997, a job he held until 1999. This role gave him the experience and platform to successfully run for president.

As president, Flores implemented key economic changes, most notably adopting the U.S. dollar as El Salvador's official currency in 2001, replacing the colón. This dollarization policy was part of his broader plan to align El Salvador more closely with the United States both economically and politically. His administration also had to deal with major natural disasters, including devastating earthquakes in January and February 2001 that killed over 1,000 people and caused widespread destruction.

After leaving office in 2004, Flores stayed active in international politics, though he was unsuccessful in his bid to become Secretary General of the Organization of American States. However, his years after the presidency were troubled by corruption accusations. In May 2014, he was accused of embezzling US$15 million in aid money donated by Taiwan for earthquake relief efforts during his presidency. This made him the first former Salvadoran president to face indictment on corruption charges. He was put under house arrest but died in San Salvador on 30 January 2016, before his trial could be finished.