Manuel Enrique Araujo | |
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21st President of El Salvador | |
In office 1 March 1911 – 9 February 1913 | |
Vice President | Onofre Durán Santillana |
Preceded by | Fernando Figueroa |
Succeeded by | Carlos Meléndez (provisional) |
16th Vice President of El Salvador | |
In office 1 March 1907 – 1 March 1911 | |
President | Fernando Figueroa |
Preceded by | Calixto Velado Eduardo |
Succeeded by | Onofre Durán Santillana |
Mayor of San Salvador | |
In office 1880–1889 | |
Personal details | |
Born | 12 October 1865 Estanzuelas, El Salvador |
Died | 9 February 1913 San Salvador, El Salvador | (aged 47)
Manner of death | Assassination (stab wounds) |
Political party | Independent |
Spouse |
Hortensia Peralta Lagos
(m. 1887) |
Alma mater | University of El Salvador |
Occupation | Politician, physician |
Doctor Manuel Enrique Araujo (12 October 1865 – 9 February 1913) was a Salvadoran politician and physician who served as president of El Salvador from 1 March 1911 until his death on 9 February 1913 to his injuries sustained in an assassination attempt five days prior. Araujo is the only Salvadoran president to have been assassinated while in office.
Araujo studied medicine at the University of El Salvador and in Europe. He practiced medicine during the 1890s and 1900s, specializing in surgery. From 1880 to 1889, Araujo served as the mayor of San Salvador. In 1907, he was elected as Fernando Figueroa's vice president, serving from 1907 to 1911.
In 1911, Araujo was elected president in an election rigged in his favor. He was the first civilian president since Rafael Zaldívar was deposed by the military in 1885. During his presidency, Araujo established the National Guard, began the construction of the National Theater, implemented labor and tax reforms, and planned to implement further reforms.
On 4 February 1913, Araujo was attacked in San Salvador with machetes and a revolver. He survived the initial attack but died to his injuries five days later on 9 February 1913. The motives for his assassination were never determined. Araujo was succeeded by Carlos Meléndez who assumed the presidency in a provisional capacity. Meléndez and his family eventually formed a political dynasty which ruled El Salvador until 1927.