San Martin, Jose Maria

Born in a Creole family; He was the son of the conservative politician Joaquín de San Martin and ul-Ulloa , who was also head of El Salvador. As a child, his family moved to the city of Chalatenango , El Salvador . He began to study philosophy at the University of San Carlos , However, without having completed his studies, he left the university. In 1832, he was elected a member of El Salvador. In 1834, he joined the army assembled by his father (who then ruled El Salvador) to maintain independence from the SPCA , where at that time the liberal Francisco Morazán ruled. After the victory of Morazana, the San Martin family was exiled to Mexico.

Jose returned to El Salvador in 1840 and was drafted into the state army with the rank of lieutenant colonel. In 1842, he led an armed uprising against General Francisco Malespin , the warlord of the state. This uprising failed, and San Martin was exiled to Honduras.

He returned to Salvador in 1845. On May 16, 1846, President Eugenio Aguilar appointed him Minister of Finance and, at the same time, Minister of Defense. San Martin served until September 19, 1847. He was elected senator in 1850, was chairman of the convocation (1851-1853). He served as interim president of the country from January 30 to February 1, 1852. At the end of 1853 he was elected president of El Salvador , took office on February 15, 1854.

In April 1854 an earthquake occurred, which destroyed part of the capital of El Salvador - the city of San Salvador . The government decided to establish a new city with the same name - San Salvador (now Santa Tecla ).

San Martin returned to the post of finance minister in the government of Rafael Campo , between August 4 and October 8, 1856.

The former president died in Chalatenango , during a cholera epidemic .

• Roberto Molina y Morales (1970). Los Ministros de Hacienda 1838-1871, Colección Patricia, Tomo I. San Salvador, Ministerio de Hacienda de El Salvador.