Antonio Saca President of El Salvador from 2004 to 2009. Date of Birth: 09.03.1965 Country: Salvador

1. Early Life and Career
2. Presidency
3. Political Ally
4. Succession and Aftermath
5. Personal Life and Corruption Charges

Early Life and Career

Antonio Saca was born to Palestinian Catholic emigrants from Bethlehem, who arrived in El Salvador in the early 20th century. Before entering politics, Saca was a successful businessman and sportscaster on the radio.

Presidency

Saca became President of El Salvador in 2004 as the candidate of the conservative National Republican Alliance (ARENA) party. He won the election with 57.7% of the vote, defeating leftist candidate Schafik Handal. As President, Saca pursued pro-free market and pro-American policies. At the request of former US President George W. Bush, he sent a small contingent of Salvadoran troops to Iraq.

Political Ally

Gloria Salguero Gross, a close political ally of Saca, was a co-founder of ARENA and close associate of Roberto d'Aubuisson.

Succession and Aftermath

In 2009, Mauricio Funes of the left-leaning Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) was elected President, ending nearly two decades of conservative ARENA rule. In 2010, nearly half of the 32 ARENA deputies in the Legislative Assembly joined the newly formed Gana party, a right-of-center group linked to Saca.

Personal Life and Corruption Charges

Saca married Ana Ligia Mixco Sol de Saca on August 11, 1989, and they had three children. On September 13, 2018, Saca was convicted of embezzling $300 million from the country's budget during his presidency and sentenced to 10 years in prison.