History of El Salvador: From the Mayas to Bukele, 3000 Years of History

The Origins: Pre-Columbian Civilizations

Human history in El Salvador dates back more than 10,000 years. The first inhabitants, the Paleo-Indians, left traces of their passage including cave paintings in the Morazan region.

The Olmecs (2000 BC - 400 BC)

The Olmecs, considered the "mother civilization" of Mesoamerica, were the first to establish a significant presence in western El Salvador. They built pyramids and sculptures, some of which are still visible today.

The Mayan Empire (400 BC - 900 AD)

After the decline of the Olmecs, the Mayans dominated the region. They left a remarkable architectural heritage:

• Tazumal: The most famous Mayan site in El Salvador with its pyramid and ball court
• Joya de Ceren: UNESCO site nicknamed "the Pompeii of the Americas," a Mayan village preserved under volcanic ash
• Casa Blanca: Important Mayan ceremonial center
• Chalchuapa: Major urban center founded around 1200 BC

In the 5th century, the catastrophic eruption of the Ilopango volcano devastated the Mayan cities in the region, causing a massive exodus of the population.

The Pipils: The People of Cuzcatlan (11th century - 1524)

Around the 11th century, the Pipils, a Nahua people from central Mexico, migrated to El Salvador. They named their territory "Cuzcatlan" ("Land of Jewels" in Nahuatl), a name that remains a source of national pride for Salvadorans today.

The Pipils developed a sophisticated civilization:

• Mastery of irrigation and cacao agriculture
• Base-20 mathematical system including the concept of zero
• Advanced craftsmanship: pottery, weaving, gold and silver work
• Political organization into kingdoms (cacicazgos)

The Spanish Conquest (1524-1540)

In June 1524, conquistador Pedro de Alvarado led an army of 250 Spaniards and several thousand indigenous Guatemalan allies to conquer Cuzcatlan.

The Heroic Resistance of the Pipils

The Pipils, led by the legendary warrior Atlacatl, put up fierce resistance. At the Battle of Acajutla, they repelled the Spaniards and seriously wounded Alvarado, forcing him to retreat to Guatemala.

It took 15 years of war (1524-1539) for the Spaniards to finally subdue the Pipils. The smallpox epidemic, introduced by the Europeans, decimated the indigenous population: it is estimated to have dropped from 500,000 to 75,000 inhabitants in 50 years.

The Colonial Era (1540-1821)

Pedro de Alvarado named the territory "El Salvador" (The Savior) in honor of Jesus Christ. The city of San Salvador was founded in 1525. El Salvador became part of the Captaincy General of Guatemala.

The colonial period established a system of deep inequalities: 14 families of Spanish origin controlled the land and plantations (cotton, balsam, indigo), while the majority of the population worked for them.

Independence and the 19th Century

The First Cry of Independence (November 5, 1811)

The priest Jose Matias Delgado rang the bells of La Merced church in San Salvador, calling the people to proclaim independence. Although this first attempt failed, it marked the beginning of the independence movement.

Independence (1821)

On September 15, 1821, Central America declared its independence from Spain. El Salvador was the most enthusiastic country for total independence and refused to join the Mexican Empire of Agustin de Iturbide, even requesting annexation to the United States!

The Federal Republic of Central America (1823-1839)

In 1823, El Salvador joined the Federal Republic of Central America. The first president of this federation, Manuel Jose Arce, was Salvadoran, and San Salvador served as capital from 1834 to 1838. The federation dissolved in 1839 due to internal conflicts.

On February 18, 1841, El Salvador was officially recognized as an independent republic.

The Coffee Economy

In the late 19th century, coffee replaced indigo as the main export. The fertile lands from ancient volcanic eruptions, once left to indigenous communities, were confiscated to create plantations (fincas). A powerful oligarchy, known as the "Fourteen Families," controlled up to 60% of the land.

The Matanza of 1932

In January 1932, facing increasing economic exploitation and the military regime of General Maximiliano Hernandez Martinez, an uprising of indigenous peasants and communists broke out, led by Farabundo Marti.

The repression was of unprecedented violence: between 10,000 and 40,000 peasants were massacred in a few weeks. This event, known as "La Matanza" (the massacre), traumatized Salvadoran society for decades. Out of fear, many indigenous people abandoned their traditional clothing and language.

Military Dictatorships (1932-1979)

After La Matanza, El Salvador experienced nearly 50 years of successive military regimes, marked by fraudulent elections and constant repression. Inequalities persisted: the "Fourteen Families" and the military dominated the country while the majority remained landless.

In 1969, the brief "Football War" against Honduras displaced 300,000 Salvadorans and increased social tensions.

The Civil War (1979-1992)

The Salvadoran civil war remains one of the bloodiest conflicts in Latin America.

The Origins of the Conflict

On October 15, 1979, a coup overthrew the government. Facing increasing repression, five leftist guerrilla groups united on October 10, 1980 to form the FMLN (Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front), named in tribute to the 1932 leader.

The Assassination of Archbishop Romero

On March 24, 1980, Archbishop Oscar Romero, human rights defender and figure of liberation theology, was assassinated during mass. His funeral, which brought together 250,000 people, was attacked by snipers, killing between 30 and 50 people. This event radicalized the population.

12 Years of War

The conflict pitted the Salvadoran government, massively supported by the United States ($4.6 billion in aid), against the FMLN, supported by Cuba and the Soviet Union.

Atrocities were numerous, notably the El Mozote massacre (December 1981), where the Atlacatl battalion killed approximately 1,000 civilians, including many children.

The Tragic Toll

The Chapultepec Peace Accords (January 16, 1992)

Negotiations, mediated by the United Nations, led to the Chapultepec Accords, signed in Mexico. The FMLN laid down its arms and became a legal political party. The army was reformed and a national civilian police force was created.

The Democratic Transition (1992-2019)

After the war, two parties dominated political life:

• ARENA: Right-wing party, in power from 1989 to 2009
• FMLN: The former guerrilla turned left-wing party, in power from 2009 to 2019

Despite peace, the country was ravaged by gang violence (maras), notably MS-13 and Barrio 18. El Salvador became one of the most dangerous countries in the world with a homicide rate reaching 103 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2015.

The Bukele Era (2019 - present)

Nayib Bukele, a young entrepreneur of Palestinian origin born in 1981, won the presidential election on June 1, 2019 at only 37 years old, breaking the ARENA-FMLN duopoly with his party Nuevas Ideas.

The War Against Gangs

After a particularly bloody weekend in March 2022 (87 deaths), Bukele declared a state of exception, still in effect. Results:

• More than 85,000 arrests of suspected gang members
• Construction of CECOT, the largest prison in the Americas (40,000 capacity)
• Homicide rate dropped from 103/100,000 (2015) to less than 8/100,000 (2023)
• Approximately 90% popular approval for these measures

Bitcoin: A World First

In September 2021, El Salvador became the first country in the world to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender. The government now holds more than 6,000 bitcoins and plans to build "Bitcoin City," a city powered by geothermal energy from volcanoes.

Historic Re-election (2024)

Despite constitutional prohibition, Bukele was re-elected in February 2024 with more than 83% of the vote, becoming the most powerful president in modern Salvadoran history.

Summary Timeline

Visit the Historical Sites

To discover this rich history, here are the must-see sites:

• Joya de Ceren: UNESCO site, Mayan village preserved under ash
• Tazumal: Largest Mayan pyramid in El Salvador
• National Museum of Anthropology: San Salvador, pre-Columbian history
• San Salvador Cathedral: Tomb of Archbishop Romero
• Peace Monument: San Marcos, commemoration of the 1992 accords

The history of El Salvador is marked by the resilience of its people in the face of natural disasters, conquests, dictatorships, and wars. Today, the country is writing a new chapter, between security transformation and technological innovation.