Carlos Salazar Castro (1800 in San Salvador, El Salvador – July 23, 1867 in San José, Costa Rica) was a

Central American Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Cen ...

military officer and Liberal politician. Briefly in 1834 he was provisional president of El Salvador, and in 1839 he was provisional president of Guatemala. He was born in 1800 in El Salvador to Gregorio Salazar and Francisca Castro y Lara. His father was interim president of the

Federal Republic of Central America The Federal Republic of Central America ( es, República Federal de Centroamérica), originally named the United Provinces of Central America ( es, Provincias Unidas del Centro de América), and sometimes simply called Central America, in it ...

from September 16, 1834 to February 14, 1835. Salazar was sent at age 12 to Guatemala to study humanities at the Colegio Tridentino. He graduated from secondary school in 1817 and returned to El Salvador, where he dedicated himself to commerce and to tending the estates of his family. He also joined the independence movement. He was a deputy to the local congress in 1822. He fought alongside Liberal General

Francisco Morazán José Francisco Morazán Quesada (; born October 3, 1792 – September 15, 1842) was a Central American politician who served as president of the Federal Republic of Central America from 1830 to 1839. Before he was president of Central America h ...

in the Central American civil wars, becoming his lieutenant in 1832, in the deposition of the Salvadoran head of state, José María Cornejo. From June 23, 1834 to July 13, 1834 Salazar served as provisional head of state of El Salvador. On the latter date, the federal government took over direct control of the state, and Salazar's father, Gregorio Salazar, became acting chief of state. General Salazar (the son) again fought at the side of his friend and ally General Morazán in 1837, against the movement known as "The Moderates" (Los Moderados). He was decorated for his performance in this campaign. In 1839 he was the hero of the Battle of Villa Nueva (near

Guatemala City Guatemala City ( es, Ciudad de Guatemala), known locally as Guatemala or Guate, is the capital and largest city of Guatemala, and the most populous urban area in Central America. The city is located in the south-central part of the country, ne ...

), where Morazán's Liberals defeated the Conservatives under

Rafael Carrera José Rafael Carrera y Turcios (24 October 1814 – 14 April 1865) was the president of Guatemala from 1844 to 1848 and from 1851 until his death in 1865, after being appointed President for life in 1854. During his military career and presiden ...

and forced a (temporary) treaty of peace with him. He was secretary of the interior of the State of Guatemala in 1839 when the Liberals named him provisional president of the state to replace

Mariano Rivera Paz Mariano Rivera Paz (24 December 1804 – 26 February 1849) was Head of State of Guatemala and its first president. Biography Mariano Rivera Paz was born in Guatemala City and studied law in the Royal and Pontifical University of San Carl ...

. Salazar served in this capacity from January 30, 1839 to April 13, 1839, when Rivera returned to office. Carrera soon renewed the civil war. With the fall of General Morazán's federal regime in 1840, Salazar accompanied him to Costa Rica on Morazán's way into exile. Salazar stayed in Costa Rica when Morazán went to Colombia, and retired from politics. He opened a business in San José, and lived there until his death on July 23, 1867. In El Salvador he has been designated '' Benemérito de la Patria''. El Salvador repatriated his remains, which are now buried in a cemetery in San Salvador.

External links

Short biography from the Salvadoran government web site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Salazar Castro, Carlos 1800 births 1867 deaths People from San Salvador Presidents of El Salvador Presidents of Guatemala Rafael Carrera Burials in El Salvador