Salvadoran general election, 1931

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General elections were held in El Salvador on 11 and 13 January 1931. Arturo Araujo won the presidential elections running on a Salvadoran Labor Party-National Republican Party ticket.

Background

Previous elections had usually seen the incumbents choosing their successors, allowing the oligarchy perpetual control of the country's politics. However, on this occasion Pío Romero Bosque failed to designate a successor, resulting in a wide variety of candidates.[1]

Whilst Arajuo obtained a pluraity of the votes, he had failed to secure a majority.[2] However, the newly elected Assembly consisted largely of Arajuo supporters, and when convenen on 12 February, allowed him to assume the presidency.[3] However, Araujo, a landowner with progressive ideals, had the misfortune of taking office in the midst of massive labor and student strikes. Martial law was declared, and soon the military, upset about not having received its pay and supported by the oligarchy, which distrusted Araujo, easily overthrew his government after nine months.[4]

Results

President

Candidate Party Votes %
Arturo AraujoSalvadoran Labor Party-National Republican Party106,77746.65
Alberto Gómez ZarateZaratista Party64,28028.09
Enrique CórdovaNational Development Party34,49915.07
Antonio Claramount LuceroProgressive Fraternal party18,39908.04
Miguel Tomás MolinaConstitutional Party4,91102.15
Invalid/blank votes -
Total228,866100
Source: Nohlen

Legislative

Party Votes % Seats
Salvadoran Labor Party
National Republican Party
Zaratista Party
National Development Party34,9603.760
Progressive Fraternal party
Constitutional Party
Invalid/blank votes --
Total 10042

References

  1. Grieb, Kenneth J (1971) "The United States and the rise of General Maximiliano Hernández Martínez" Journal of Latin American Studies 3, 2 p152
  2. Nohlen, D (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook Vol. 1 Oxford University Press, p287
  3. Grieb, p153
  4. Bland, Gary "Assessing the transition to democracy" in Tulchin, Joseph S. with Gary Bland (1992) Is there a transition to democracy in El Salvador? Boulder: Westview Press, p 166

Bibliography

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