Francisco Flores Pérez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Francisco Flores Pérez
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| 39th President of El Salvador | |
| In office 1 June 1999 – 1 June 2004 |
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| Vice President | Carlos Quintanilla Schmidt |
| Preceded by | Armando Calderón Sol |
| Succeeded by | Elías Antonio Saca |
| President of the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador | |
| In office 1 May 1997 – 1998 |
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| Preceded by | Gloria Salguero Gross |
| Succeeded by | Juan Duch Martínez |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 October 1959 Santa Ana, El Salvador |
| Died | 30 January 2016 (aged 56) San Salvador, El Salvador |
| Political party | Nationalist Republican Alliance |
| Spouse | Lourdes Rodríguez de Flores |
| Children | Juan Marcos Gabriela |
Francisco Guillermo Flores Pérez (born October 17, 1959 – died January 30, 2016) was an important politician from El Salvador. He served as the President of El Salvador from June 1, 1999, to June 1, 2004. He was a member of the conservative Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) political party.
Before becoming president, Francisco Flores was a representative in the Legislative Assembly from 1994 to 1999. He even became the president of the Assembly from 1997 to 1999. He was born in Santa Ana. He started his political career during the time of President Alfredo Cristiani.
During his presidency, El Salvador worked very closely with the United States. One big change he made was adopting the U.S. dollar as El Salvador's official money. After his time as president, he tried to become the Secretary General of the Organization of American States, but he was not chosen.
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Early Life and Education
Francisco Flores was born on October 17, 1959, in Santa Ana, a city in El Salvador. His mother, Maria Leonor Pérez de Flores, studied cultures and folklore. His father, Ulises Flores, was an economist.
Flores went to the Escuela Americana El Salvador. He studied sociology at the University of Hartford. Then, he focused on political science at Amherst College in the United States. He also studied law, philosophy, and history at other famous universities like Harvard University and Trinity College, Oxford.
Political Journey
Francisco Flores began his political work in 1989. He served as a vice-minister for planning under President Alfredo Cristiani. Later, he helped the president as an advisor. He also worked on the government's plan to follow the peace agreements of January 1992. These agreements helped end the fighting with the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) group.
In 1994, Flores was elected to the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador. The new president, Armando Calderón Sol, then made him the Secretary of Information for the Presidency.
Leading the Legislative Assembly
In 1997, Flores became the President of the Legislative Assembly. During his time as president of the Assembly, a new law about telecommunications was passed. This law allowed the government-owned phone company, ANTEL, to be divided and sold to private companies. This change was supported by his party, ARENA, and others. The idea was to improve phone services across the country.
On March 29, 1998, ARENA announced that Flores would be their candidate for president. He was seen as a moderate leader within his party. At 37 years old, he was one of the youngest leaders in the Americas at that time.
Becoming President
Francisco Flores won the presidential election in March 1999. He became the third president in a row from the ARENA party. He took office on June 1, 1999, and served a five-year term. Another ARENA member, Elías Antonio Saca, became president after him in July 2004.
Presidency (1999–2004)
President Flores's government was known for its strong ties with the United States. El Salvador was a very steady ally of the U.S. in the region.
Key Decisions and Policies
One major decision was sending Salvadoran troops to Iraq to support U.S. forces. Another important achievement was negotiating a successful free-trade agreement between the United States and Central American countries. This agreement made it easier for these countries to trade with each other.
Perhaps the biggest change during his presidency was the switch from El Salvador's old money, the colón, to the U.S. dollar. This change, called "dollarization," was very debated. Supporters said it lowered interest rates and made trade easier. It also helped El Salvador connect more easily with the global market.
Challenges During His Term
During his time as president, El Salvador faced some challenges. The number of homicides (murders) increased. Also, two strong earthquakes hit the country in January and February 2001. President Flores had to lead the efforts to rebuild after these disasters.
Critics of his dollarization plan said it was done without enough public agreement. They also argued that even though it lowered interest rates, it caused prices to go up in the long run.
Later Life and Challenges
After his presidency, Francisco Flores showed interest in becoming the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS). He tried twice, but he did not get enough support from other countries. This was partly because some of his policies were seen as being too close to U.S. interests.
Later, Flores faced serious legal challenges. He was under investigation regarding money donated by Taiwan after the 2001 earthquakes. He was placed under house arrest in El Salvador in November 2014. A judge ordered him to stand trial in December 2015.
In October 2021, his name was mentioned in the Pandora Papers. This report linked him to several companies created in Panama and the British Virgin Islands.
Death
In early January 2016, Francisco Flores suffered a serious brain hemorrhage. He died on January 30, 2016, at the age of 56. He passed away in a hospital in San Salvador after emergency surgery.
Personal Life
Francisco Flores met his wife, Lourdes Rodríguez de Flores, when they were in high school. They had two children together, a son named Juan Marcos and a daughter named Gabriela.
Honours
Foreign honours
Monaco : Grand Cross of the Order of Grimaldi (July 20, 2001).
Images for kids
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Flores in May 2012
See also
In Spanish: Francisco Flores para niños
