Mauricio Funes, remembered as a figure of hope for a nation emerging from civil war, faced numerous legal troubles in his later years, culminating in a prison sentence for graft.
Former El Salvador President Mauricio Funes Passes Away at 65
Former El Salvador President Mauricio Funes Passes Away at 65
Mauricio Funes, a former television journalist and the first leftist leader of El Salvador, has died in Nicaragua after fleeing corruption allegations.
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Mauricio Funes, the former president of El Salvador, died on January 21 in Managua, Nicaragua, at the age of 65, as announced by Nicaragua's health ministry. His death comes after a series of health issues, which reportedly began following a heart attack on January 8. Funes, a former television journalist, was elected in 2009 and marked a significant shift in El Salvador's political landscape as the country's first modern-day leftist leader.
Funes was seen as a beacon of hope for a nation grappling with the aftermath of civil war, with promises to address crime and poverty. However, by 2016, after completing his term, he fled to Nicaragua amidst allegations of corruption involving the embezzlement of approximately $351 million from state funds.
In absentia convictions for his actions followed; in May 2023 he was sentenced to 14 years in prison due to his alleged dealings with criminal gangs, known locally as the Maras, trading safety for a reduction in the murder rate. More legal troubles continued, including a six-year sentence for tax evasion and an additional eight-year sentence related to a construction contract scandal. At the time of his death, Funes was under investigation in five different cases, castings shadows on a once-promising political career turned controversial legacy.
Mauricio Funes, the former president of El Salvador, died on January 21 in Managua, Nicaragua, at the age of 65, as announced by Nicaragua's health ministry. His death comes after a series of health issues, which reportedly began following a heart attack on January 8. Funes, a former television journalist, was elected in 2009 and marked a significant shift in El Salvador's political landscape as the country's first modern-day leftist leader.
Funes was seen as a beacon of hope for a nation grappling with the aftermath of civil war, with promises to address crime and poverty. However, by 2016, after completing his term, he fled to Nicaragua amidst allegations of corruption involving the embezzlement of approximately $351 million from state funds.
In absentia convictions for his actions followed; in May 2023 he was sentenced to 14 years in prison due to his alleged dealings with criminal gangs, known locally as the Maras, trading safety for a reduction in the murder rate. More legal troubles continued, including a six-year sentence for tax evasion and an additional eight-year sentence related to a construction contract scandal. At the time of his death, Funes was under investigation in five different cases, castings shadows on a once-promising political career turned controversial legacy.
