Paco Flores’ death and its impact on El Salvador

On January 30, former Salvadoran president Francisco “Paco” Flores passed away at age fifty-six in a private hospital in San Salvador. He had suffered a cerebral hemorrhage that left him in a coma with irreversible brain damage, which ultimately led to his death. The news of the former President’s passing has spurred varying reactions across El Salvador, from gratitude for his positive contributions to the country before and during his presidency to an unsatisfied sense of justice, as his death came in the midst of his unresolved corruption scandal.  

Flores was elected president of El Salvador in 1999. Before that, he had served as Vice Minister of the Presidency, Congressman for the Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA), and eventually as President of Congress. Flores’ administration (1999-2004) saw the dollarization of the Salvadoran currency, the promotion of free trade, and the strengthening of relations with the United States, exemplified by working in proximity with President George W. Bush to grant TPS (Temporary Protected Status) to thousands of Salvadorans after the 2001 earthquake.

At the time of his death, Flores was under house arrest, facing charges and awaiting trial for alleged misappropriation, money laundering, and illicit enrichment. Additionally, in 2013, hen-president and political opponent Mauricio Funes accused Flores of diverting $5 million to his personal account and $10 million to ARENA from Taiwanese government donations supposedly intended for the victims of the devastating earthquake in 2001. Although Flores claimed he was innocent, he did serve time in prison, where he was repeatedly denied due medical attention. According to his supporters, this deteriorated his health and ultimately caused his untimely death. Salvadoran authorities will decide what course the investigations will take in the coming days, though they are likely to continue to pursue civil litigation despite Flores’ death.