José Maximiliano Hernández Martínez y el etnocidio de 1932 en el Salvador

Abstract

The article analyzes the life and impact of Salvadoran dictator José Maximiliano Hernández Martínez, who ruled El Salvador from 1931 to 1944 after a coup d'état. During his term, he implemented harsh laws and promoted important infrastructure works. He founded the Banco Hipotecario and the Banco Central de Reserva, and built the Flor Blanca National Stadium. During a visit to San Salvador's military museum, the former presidential house and the Historic Center of El Salvador, details were revealed about Hernández Martínez, who left a dark mark on the memory of indigenous Salvadorans. His presidency included the 'Greatest Massacre in Latin America', where the indigenous population was brutally persecuted and annihilated. The article also discusses the ethnocide of 1932, the result of the repression of an indigenous and peasant uprising. Although Hernández Martínez eliminated the foreign debt, his self-proclamation as president in 1939 and the tax increase in 1943 generated discontent. He was overthrown in 1944 due to internal and external pressure. These events had a lasting impact on Salvadoran politics, economy and society.