El Salvador

1982. From 1982 on, the island nation’s heavy dependency on oil triggered serious problems and generated instability. Such outside hardships as worldwide recession and plummeting oil prices, as well as internal trouble like the shrinking domestic demand for fuel and gas, competition by major refineries set up along the U.S. southern and eastern coasts and across-the-board production decrease, combined to make a dent in the country’s economic and social stability.

1982. Elections for the National Assembly are held

1981. Tensions along the Nicaraguan border soar as a result of military clashes between the Sandinista army and the contras. Honduras condemns the French-Mexican declaration of support to El Salvador’s left-wing guerrillas. On November 29, the candidate of the Liberal Party, Roberto Suazo Cordoba, is elected president and is sworn in on January 27, 1982.

Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero is murdered by right-wing groups.

On October 30, Honduras and El Salvador resume full-out relations after signing the Lima Peace Treaty that put an end to an 11-year war

1980. An integrated Land Reform Plan, as well as the nationalization process of banks and the foreign trade is announced. Christian-Democrat Napoleon Duarte is elected interim president on December 13

1979. A moderate military junta overthrows General Romero from power

1977. General Carlos Humberto Romero is elected president