Former President Mauricio Funes, who was elected as the first president from the leftist Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) party, pased away on January 21. Below, we share a translated statement from the Popular Rebellion and Resistance Bloc (BRP), commemorating his life and legacy as an investigative journalist and president of El Salvador from 2009-2014.

On the death of former President Mauricio Funes

The Popular Rebellion and Resistance Bloc mourns the death of former President Mauricio Funes and expresses its sincere condolences to his family for their loss.

We recognize the historical legacy of Funes as a journalist and as a head of state at the service of the working class, the excluded and impoverished population during decades of right-wing governments.

His government, which inherited a deep economic crisis from previous ARENA governments, created a social protection system comprised of more than 20 programs that benefited the lower income sectors. He also promoted a health reform that reduced maternal and infant mortality and the prices of 7,000 medicines, among many other achievements. As a result of this significant social investment, the poverty rate decreased from 40% to 32% of households.

Funes also promoted a system of social services for women through the equality and non-violence laws, the Ciudad Mujer program, as well as many other actions. He also supported youth, children and adolescents, the disabled and war veterans and other social sectors.

Funes halted ARENA's neoliberal agenda by promoting the creation of companies and public institutions such as BANDESAL, the National Drug Directorate, six branches of Ciudad Mujer, the National Center for Research in Social Sciences and Humanities, the National Council for the Comprehensive Care for Persons with Disabilities, among others.

During his administration, diplomatic relations with Cuba were established and the government of that sister country began to support education, health, sports and agriculture.

Mauricio Funes governed in favor of the majority of the population, exposed the corruption of the ARENA governments, and succeeded in having former president Francisco Flores, one of the main leaders of the embezzlement of the public treasury for his own benefit and that of the oligarchy, imprisoned.

For these and other reasons he was persecuted by the ARENA prosecutor and by a corrupt judiciary at the service of the oligarchy. But his legacy remains and it will be recognized by current and future generations.

The Bukele government, founded on illegality and repression, has reversed many of the achievements we have outlined. It has increased poverty and increased the wealth of millionaires, including the ruling family of businessmen. The country is suffering a historic setback. But the people will defeat this dictatorial regime and put the country back on the path of development, which Mauricio Funes worked for, especially during his presidential administration.

January 23, 2025