Arturo Armando Molina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Arturo Armando Molina
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| 36th President of El Salvador | |
| In office July 1, 1972 – July 1, 1977 |
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| Vice President | Enrique Mayorga Rivas |
| Preceded by | Fidel Sánchez Hernández |
| Succeeded by | Carlos Humberto Romero |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 6, 1927 San Salvador, El Salvador |
| Died | July 18, 2021 (aged 93) California, USA |
| Political party | National Conciliation Party |
| Spouse | María Elena Contreras de Molina |
| Alma mater | Captain General Gerardo Barrios Military School |
| Profession | Military, politician |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  El Salvador |
| Branch/service | Salvadoran Army |
| Rank | Colonel |
Colonel Arturo Armando Molina Barraza (born August 6, 1927 – died July 19, 2021) was an important political and military leader in El Salvador. He served as the President of El Salvador from 1972 to 1977.
Contents
Who Was Arturo Molina?
Arturo Armando Molina was born in San Salvador, the capital city of El Salvador. He became a military officer and later entered politics. His time as president was a period of big changes and challenges for his country.
Early Life and Career
Arturo Molina grew up in El Salvador. He chose a career in the military, where he became a colonel. His military background prepared him for a life of leadership. He later joined the National Conciliation Party, a political group in El Salvador.
Time as President
Molina became president on July 1, 1972. He served for five years, until July 1, 1977. During his presidency, El Salvador faced several difficulties.
Challenges During His Presidency
One major challenge was the 1973 oil crisis. This global event caused the price of oil to rise sharply. This led to higher food prices in El Salvador. It also made it harder for farmers to produce enough food. These problems made the gap between rich and poor people even wider. Many people became unhappy with the situation.
To try and fix these problems, President Molina introduced new ideas. He suggested changes to how land was owned. He wanted to share large land areas among the farmers who worked on them. This was called land reform.
Dealing with Disagreement
President Molina faced challenges from different groups. Some powerful families and military leaders did not trust him. Also, people who opposed his government felt he had unfairly won the election.
Molina tried to control the opposition. In 1972, the military took over the University of El Salvador. This was to stop protests there. He also used force to stop student protests. These protests happened after public money was used for the Miss Universe contest. His government also took strong actions against some religious leaders. This period saw a lot of tension and violence in the country.
Later Life
After his term ended in 1977, Arturo Molina left El Salvador. He returned to his home country in 1992. He passed away on July 18, 2021, in California, United States. He was 93 years old.
See also
In Spanish: Arturo Armando Molina para niños
