Start date January 13, 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.
Whilst Arajuo obtained a pluraity of the votes, he had failed to secure a majority. However, the newly elected Assembly consisted largely of Arajuo supporters, and when convenen on 12 February, allowed him to assume the presidency. 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.