Elías Antonio "Tony" Saca González (born 9 March 1965) is a Salvadoran politician who was President of El Salvador from 1 June 2004 to 1 June 2009. He is currently serving a minimum 10-year prison sentence on corruption charges.[1][2][3][4]
Antonio Saca | |
|---|---|
 Saca in 2004 | |
| 78th President of El Salvador | |
| In office 1 June 2004 – 1 June 2009 | |
| Vice President | Ana Vilma de Escobar |
| Preceded by | Francisco Flores |
| Succeeded by | Mauricio Funes |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Elías Antonio Saca González 9 March 1965 Santa Elena, Usulután, El Salvador |
| Political party | Nationalist Republican Alliance (until 2009) Unity Movement (2013–2014) |
| Spouse | |
| Alma mater | Central American University |
Early life
editBorn in Santa Elena, Usulutan, Saca is of Palestinian descent on his father's side, from a family of Catholic immigrants who arrived in El Salvador in the early 20th century from the town of Bethlehem. Saca's Muslim maternal grandfather, Musa Ali Saleh, changed his name to Moises Gonzalez.[5] Saca's maternal side is the Flores family.[citation needed]
Prior to becoming president, Saca was a broadcast journalist, specializing in sports radio and a prominent businessman. He attended the University of Central America. He is an outspoken Evangelical Protestant and has expressed his faith through his historic friendliness with Salvadoran and American Protestant churches.
Saca married Ana Ligia Mixco Sol de Saca on 11 August 1989.[6] The couple have three children, Gerardo Antonio, Jose Alejandro and Christian Eduardo.[6]
Presidency (2004-2009)
edit
On 21 March 2004, Saca was elected President of El Salvador, and on 1 June 2004 succeeded President Francisco Flores. Both Saca and Flores are members of the conservative Nationalist Republican Alliance party, generally known by its Spanish-language acronym ARENA. Like Flores, Saca was part of ARENA's moderate wing.
During the election campaign, some commentators criticized Saca's lack of political experience. In the election, Saca defeated leftist Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) candidate, Schafik Hándal, also of Arab descent. The election results were:
- Antonio Saca (ARENA) 57.7%
- Schafik Handal (FMLN) 35.6%
- Héctor Silva (CDU-PDC) 3.9%
- Others 2.8%
In August 2004, President of the Republic of China Chen Shui-bian awarded Saca the Order of Brilliant Jade with Grand Cordon.[7]
The ARENA party expelled Saca in December 2009 for his suspected involvement in getting certain ARENA legislators to defect to a new party, the Grand Alliance for National Unity,[8][failed verification] in cooperation with the ruling FMLN government.
Policies
editPresident Saca initiated the "Solidarian Network plan" in October 2005 with international aid from European countries such as Spain.[9] This plan was aimed at communities considered below the poverty line. A map of poor areas was developed, and financial aid in the amount of $15 to $20 per month per family was to be distributed in the designation areas. The plan was initiated in the Balsam Range municipalities (Cordillera del Balsamo), such as Jicalapa, in La Libertad department.
With his embracing of the free-market and pro-United States policies like those pursued by Flores, Saca was the clear favorite of the United States government in the 2004 presidential election[citation needed]. Saca was one of a few leaders in Latin America to send troops to Iraq, though he was the only one to maintain them on extended deployment.[10][11] El Salvador's military commitment in Iraq ended in early 2009.[12]
Many attribute Saca's pro-U.S. attitude to the fact that he was openly supported by members of the Republican Party and the George W. Bush Administration during his political campaign in the 2004 elections. In the opinion of many analysts, the U.S. right wing felt confident that Saca would head a conservative government in line with their interests.[13]
The FMLN accused the United States of intervening in the electoral process because several high-ranking officials warned that U.S. relations with El Salvador would be seriously threatened if Handal won the elections. This opinion was reinforced by the fact that ARENA assured that the United States could deport Salvadorans living there if the leftist candidate won.[14]
Allegations of corruption
editPresident Saca was the subject of widespread allegations of corruption. A secret cable from the American Embassy in San Salvador, made public by Wikileaks, cites lawmakers from Saca's own ARENA party and business figures as raising specific concerns about Saca abusing the power of the presidency for his own personal gain. Such corruption "went beyond the pale" even by Salvadoran standards. According to the cable: "While the Salvadoran public may be inured to self-serving behavior by politicians, many in ARENA believe that the brazen manner in which Saca and his people are widely perceived to have used their positions for personal enrichment went beyond the pale. ARENA deputy (and son of controversial ARENA founder) Roberto D'Aubuisson told Poloff that Saca “deliberately ignored” his Public Works Minister's government contract kickbacks scheme, even after the case was revealed in the press. Furthermore, considerable evidence exists, including from U.S. business sources, that the Saca administration pushed laws and selectively enforced regulations with the specific intent to benefit Saca's family business interests." [15]
The U.S. Embassy cable also made mention of Saca's multimillion-dollar mansion constructed during his presidency: "Saca also accumulated conspicuous assets – including a mansion in San Salvador and large landholdings in La Union that do not square with the investments and income he had prior to assuming the presidency."
Another classified U.S. Embassy cable reported that ARENA expelled Saca, "charging that he had misspent $219 million of unaccounted-for government funds, and citing improprieties in the 2008-2009 electoral process, claiming Saca had pressured mayors to vote for specified candidates under penalty of being excluded as ARENA municipal candidates." The ARENA leadership, according to the cable, "said Saca improperly transferred government funds to bolster his own image, despite funding shortages for public health and safety. Saca defended himself in a December 13 telephone interview with center-left online newspaper El Faro . . . . He also claimed the funding transfer was authorized by law."[16]
In the midst of a political campaign, the former president was sued on 21 October 2013 for corruption and money laundering.[17] On 7 March 2016, the El Salvador Supreme Court ordered Saca to stand trial for illegal enrichment.[18] On 12 September 2018, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison by a tribunal.[1]
2014 presidential election
editSaca was a candidate in the 2 February 2014 elections. Though he leans politically to the right, Saca and the deputies aligned with him have often allied with the FMLN in the National Assembly to vote against ARENA, offering Saca a degree of political influence.[19] He was running as part of a coalition of small parties called UNIDAD, which included groups from both the center-left and center-right, but was not expected to win. In fact, he lost.[citation needed]
Operation "Destape a la Corrupción"
editIn the night of Saturday, 29 October 2016, Saca, was captured on alleged corruption charges by the police; according to the Prosecutor, Saca has been arrested for alleged illicit enrichment, unlawful association, and money laundering. Julio Rank (ex-secretary of communications), Cesar Funes (ex-secretary of the youth), and four other former officials in his government were also arrested. Prosecutor has accused him and the others for diverting from the public coffers a total of $246 million.[20]
The initial hearing was held in the Fourth Court of Peace of San Salvador, in three sessions, one per day, resulting that on Saturday, 5 November, the Judge ordered the continuation of the process to the stage of investigation and the detention of those involved, including Saca.[citation needed]
Conviction and imprisonment
editOn 12 September 2018, Saca received a 10-year prison sentence after he pled guilty to embezzlement and money laundering charges involving more than $300 million of public funds.[1] On 18 September 2019, Saca received two more years in prison after pleading guilty to attempting to bribe a court employee with around $10,000 in exchange for information concerning a charge brought against him.[2][3] At the time of his second conviction, Saca was already serving his 10-year prison sentence.[1] The Salvadoran Supreme Court upheld Saca's 10-year prison sentence on 26 December 2019,[4] and also ordered him to return some $260 million that he embezzled.[4] The Supreme Court also upheld convictions against three former officials from Saca's inner circle and three his former presidential employees,[4] and also ordered them to return stolen money as well.[4] Saca's six co-defendants had received prison sentences ranging from 3 to 16 years.[1]
On 5 January 2021, both Saca and his wife Ana Ligia de Saca were convicted of illicit enrichment and were order to repay the Salvadoran government $4.4 million.[21] On 4 June 2021, Ana Ligia de Saca and her brother Oscar Edgardo Sol Mixco would be sentenced to 10 years in prison after being found guilty of money laundering and were ordered to repay $17.6 million to the Salvadoran government.[22]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e "Former El Salvador president sentenced to 10 years in prison". Reuters. 12 September 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Former El Salvador President Saca gets two-year prison term for bribery". Reuters. 19 September 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Jailed ex-president gets two more years for bribery". Al Jazeera. 20 September 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d e "El Salvador Upholds Sentence of Ex-President Tony Saca". U.S. News. Associated Press. 26 December 2019. Archived from the original on 27 December 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ Dellios, Hugh (21 March 2004). "El Salvador vote divides 2 Arab clans". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 9 October 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
- ^ a b Couto, Florencia (1 June 2004). "Una dama de primera". El Diario de Hoy (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 17 June 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
- ^ "Saca finaliza gira centrada en inversiones y marco de amistad". Nacíon (in Spanish). 15 August 2004. Retrieved 23 April 2020.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "El Salvador". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
- ^ http://www.lahora.com.gt/notas.php?key=35026&fch=2007-05-22[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Iraq Coalition Troops". Global Security. February 2007. Archived from the original on 15 October 2008. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ "Two Years of Ka-Saca in El Salvador". Upside Down World. 19 June 2006. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ Carney, Stephen A. (2011). "Allied Participation in Operation Iraqi Freedom" (PDF). U.S. Army Center of Military History. p. 58. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ "Diferencias con FMLN". El Diario de Hoy (in Spanish). 7 February 2004. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
- ^ Cruz Rojas, Álvaro. "Elecciones 2004: Amenazan con cancelar TPS si se elige a Handal". El Diario de Hoy (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 7 October 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
- ^ "Reorganizing Arena: The Partys Future After Avila's Defeat". United States Embassy San Salvador. 6 October 2009. 09SANSALVADOR947. Archived from the original on 3 June 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2010 – via cablegatesearch.net.
- ^ "ARENA Expels Former President Saca". United States Embassy San Salvador. 15 December 2009. 09SANSALVADOR1103. Archived from the original on 16 January 2013 – via cablegatesearch.net.
- ^ Meléndez, Cristian; Menjívar, Valeria; Santos, Jessel (22 October 2013). "Saca es demandado ante fiscalía por lavado de dinero". La Prensa Grafica (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 23 October 2013.
- ^ "Ex-president of El Salvador Saca set for graft trial". Reuters. 7 March 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ Thale, Geoff (29 January 2014). "Background Information on the Upcoming Elections in El Salvador". Washington Office on Latin America. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ "La maquinaria que ordeñó al Estado hasta los últimos días de la gestión Saca" (in Spanish). El Faro. 4 November 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ "Salvador court convicts ex-president of illicit enrichment". Associated Press. 5 January 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ^ "Court in El Salvador sentences former first lady to 10 years". Associated Press. 4 June 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
External links
edit- The Presidential website (in Spanish)
- Biography by CIDOB (in Spanish)
- President Bush Meets with President Saca of El Salvador