El Salvador in the early 1980s was a nation in turmoil. The country was in the midst of a bloody civil war that had erupted in 1980, pitting the right-wing government and its military forces against leftist guerrilla groups united under the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN). The conflict was driven by deep-seated issues such as poverty, inequality, and the concentration of land ownership in the hands of a few elites. The civil war led to widespread violence, human rights abuses, and a significant loss of life.

The political landscape of El Salvador was dominated by right-wing forces, with the military playing a central role in governance. For nearly five decades, the country had not seen a civilian president, and the military had maintained a strong grip on power. However, the ongoing civil war and pressure from both domestic and international actors, including the United States, created a push for political reforms and free elections as a means to bring stability to the country.

The 1984 election was a watershed moment for El Salvador. José Napoleón Duarte, representing the Christian Democratic Party (PDC), was considered a moderate politician who sought to bridge the divide between the left and the right. Duarte had long been involved in Salvadoran politics, having served as the mayor of San Salvador and as a member of the military-civilian junta that briefly governed the country in the early 1980s. His platform centered on democratic reforms, negotiations to end the civil war, and addressing the socio-economic issues that fueled the conflict.

Duarte’s chief rival in the election was Roberto d'Aubuisson, the leader of the right-wing Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA). D'Aubuisson was a controversial figure, widely believed to have ties to death squads responsible for numerous atrocities during the civil war. The election was fiercely contested, with Duarte ultimately winning 54 percent of the vote. His victory was significant not only because he was the first civilian leader in nearly 50 years but also because it represented a shift towards moderate civilian governance in a country long dominated by military and right-wing forces.

 

Upon taking office, Duarte faced enormous challenges. The civil war continued to rage, and despite his moderate stance, he struggled to bring an end to the conflict. His administration attempted to implement land reforms and other policies aimed at addressing the root causes of the war, but these efforts were often met with resistance from both the right and the left. Additionally, his government was heavily reliant on U.S. aid, which came with its own set of conditions and pressures.

Duarte’s presidency was marked by ongoing violence and instability, but it also set the stage for future democratic developments in El Salvador. His leadership represented a break from military rule and a step towards greater political pluralism, even though the civil war would not end until the signing of the peace accords in 1992.