Carlos Humberto Romero facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carlos Humberto Romero
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| 37th President of El Salvador | |
| In office 1 July 1977 – 15 October 1979 |
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| Vice President | Julio Ernesto Astacio |
| Preceded by | Arturo Armando Molina |
| Succeeded by | Revolutionary Government Junta Álvaro Magaña as President |
| Minister of National Defense | |
| In office 1 July 1972 – 1 July 1977 |
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| President | Arturo Armando Molina |
| Preceded by | Fidel Torres |
| Succeeded by | Federico Castillo Yanes |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Carlos Humberto Romero Mena
29 February 1924 Chalatenango, El Salvador |
| Died | 27 February 2017 (aged 92) San Salvador, El Salvador |
| Political party | National Conciliation Party |
| Spouse | Gloria Guerrero de Romero |
| Children | Four |
| Alma mater | Captain General Gerardo Barrios Military School |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  El Salvador |
| Branch/service | Salvadoran Army |
| Rank | General |
Carlos Humberto Romero (born February 29, 1924 – died February 27, 2017) was a general in the Salvadoran army and a politician. He was the President of El Salvador from July 1, 1977, until he was removed from power by a military coup on October 15, 1979.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Carlos Humberto Romero was born in Chalatenango, El Salvador, on February 29, 1924. He studied at the Captain General Gerardo Barrios Military School. This is a special school for future army officers. He also went to the Command and General Staff School. Romero even studied horse riding in Mexico to improve his military skills.
Military and Political Career
Romero was a member of the National Conciliation Party, a political group in El Salvador. Before becoming president, he served as the Minister of National Defense. He held this important position from 1972 to 1977.
In February 1977, Romero ran for president. He was the candidate for the National Conciliation Party. On February 24, the election council announced that he had won. He received 67.3% of the votes. Julio Ernesto Astacio was named Vice President. However, some opposition groups said there was a lot of fraud in the election. They claimed the voting was not fair. A few days later, on February 28, 1977, the military stopped a protest rally. This protest was held by groups who disagreed with the election results.
Presidency of El Salvador
General Romero officially became president on July 1, 1977. After the election, he declared a state of emergency for 30 days. This meant the government had special powers. His government was very traditional and strict.
During Romero's time as president, there was a lot of unrest and conflict in El Salvador. The country had big problems with poverty and inequality. Many people were unhappy with the government's actions. This led to many protests and rebellions. The government responded with strong actions against these groups. President Romero did try to spend more money on education. However, this did not make him popular with everyone.
There were many clashes between government forces and left-wing groups. Several religious leaders and members of worker and farmer groups lost their lives. Romero is also accused of being involved in a student incident on July 30, 1975. Left-wing armed groups fought back against the government's actions. This period of conflict caused a serious social crisis in the country.
End of His Presidency
Romero remained president until October 1979. On October 15, 1979, he was removed from power by a military coup. This coup was carried out by military officers and civilians who wanted reforms. The removal of President Romero was a major event. It led to the start of El Salvador's twelve-year civil war.
Later Life and Death
After being removed from office, Carlos Humberto Romero went to live in Guatemala. He lived there in exile for some time. Later, he returned to El Salvador. He passed away on February 27, 2017, at the age of 92. His death was due to natural causes.
Orders and Decorations
Carlos Humberto Romero received the Collar of the Order of Isabella the Catholic. This is a high honor given by Spain.
See also
In Spanish: Carlos Humberto Romero para niños
Images for kids
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Carlos Humberto Romero in 1977.
