Captain General Gerardo Barrios Military School

Captain General Gerardo Barrios Military School Escuela Militar Capitán General Gerardo Barrios
The military school's exterior in 2021.
Location
Antiguo Cuscatlán, Santa Tecla, El Salvador
Coordinates	13°40′56″N 89°15′12″W
Information
School type	Military academy
Motto	Nuestra Divisa Es, Vencer O Morir (Our Motto Is, Win or Die)
Established	21 February 1868; 156 years ago (1868-02-21)
Founder	Francisco Dueñas
Status	Demolished
Closed	8 June 2022; 2 years ago (2022-06-08)
Gender	Coeducational
Enrollment	1,057[1] (2021)
Affiliation	Armed Forces of El Salvador
Website	escuelamilitar.mil.sv

The Captain General Gerardo Barrios Military School (Spanish: Escuela Militar Capitán General Gerardo Barrios), abbreviated as the EMCGGB, was a military academy in El Salvador. It was established in 1868 and is named after Captain General Gerardo Barrios who served as President of El Salvador from 1859 to 1863. It was located in Antiguo Cuscatlán, Santa Tecla, La Libertad. It was demolished in June 2022 to make way for the construction of the Estadio Nacional de El Salvador.

History

In 1867, a French military mission to El Salvador assisted President Francisco Dueñas in establishing a military academy for the country, which was opened on 21 February 1868 under the name Military College.^[2][3][4] The school was established in Antiguo Cuscatlán, Santa Tecla, La Libertad.^[3] Instructors at the military academy include military officers of Prussian, Chilean, American, and Salvadoran descent.^[4][5][6]

The name of the school was officially changed to the Captain General Gerardo Barrios Military School, after the President of El Salvador from 1859 to 1863, on 28 January 1927 by a presidential decree ordered by President Pío Romero Bosque.^[4][7] The name was again solidified by another presidential decree on 25 August 1965 by President General Julio Adalberto Rivera Carballo.^[4]A commemorative plaque was installed in 1982 that commemorated the class of 1936 which helped President General Maximiliano Hernández Martínez put down an indigenous and communist revolt in 1932.^[6] During the military dictatorship of 1931 to 1979, the school was referred to as the "School of the Presidents" since many presidents attended the military academy.^[6]

The school accepted more students than how many actually become military officers.^[6] Those who endured the exercises and practices of the school graduate and became officers.^[6][8] The first women began attending the school in 2000.^[9] On 30 November 2018, the Star of Captain General Gerardo Barrios was established and was awarded to military officers who graduate from the school.^[10] The school had a song called the "Himno de la EMCGGB" or "Hymn of the EMCGGB."^[11]

The Captain General Gerardo Barrios Military School was demolished in June 2022 to make way for the construction of the Estadio Nacional de El Salvador.^[12]

Notable alumni

Graduate cadets in 2018.

Presidents of El Salvador

• Salvador Castaneda Castro (1888–1965) – President of El Salvador (1945–1948) and Director of the Gerardo Barrios Military School (1930–1931)^[13][14]
• Arturo Armando Molina (1927–2021) – President of El Salvador (1972–1977)^[15]
• Óscar Osorio (1910–1969) – President of El Salvador (1950–1956) and member of the Revolutionary Council of Government (1948–1950)^[16]
• Julio Adalberto Rivera Carballo (1921–1973) – President of El Salvador (1962–1967)^[17]
• Carlos Humberto Romero (1924–2017) – President of El Salvador (1977–1979) and Minister of National Defense (1972–1977)^[18][19]

Ministers of National Defense

• Rafael Humberto Larios López (born 1937), Minister of National Defense (1989–1990)^[18][20]
• Juan Antonio Martínez Varela (1999–2004)^[18][21]
• René Merino Monroy (born 1963) – Minister of National Defense (2019–present)^[18][22]
• David Munguía Payés (birth unknown), Minister of National Defense (2009–2011, 2013–2019)^[14][18][23]
• René Emilio Ponce (1947–2011) – Minister of National Defense (1990–1993)^[24][18][25]

Other military personnel

• Guillermo Alfredo Benavides (birth unknown) – Director of the Gerardo Barrios Military School (1989–1990) and ordered the 1989 murders of Jesuits^[14][24][26]
• Mauricio Arriaza Chicas (1964–2024) – Director of the National Civil Police (2019–2024)^[27]
• Roberto D'Aubuisson (1943–1992) – Death squad leader, President of the Legislative Assembly, 1984 presidential candidate for the Nationalist Republican Alliance^[28][29]
• Jaime Abdul Gutiérrez (1936–2012) – Chairman of (1980), Vice President of (1980–1982), and member of (1979–1982) the Revolutionary Government Junta^[30]
• Juan Francisco Emilio Mena Sandoval (unknown), Military officer who lead a mutiny during the Final Offensive of 1981^[31]
• Domingo Monterrosa (1940–1984) – Ordered the El Mozote massacre^[32]
• Luis Parada (born 1960) – member of the National Directorate of Intelligence and 2024 presidential candidate for Nuestro Tiempo^[33]

Academy directors

Bosque (left), Castaneda (center), Munguía (right).

• Dr. Pío Romero Bosque, 1927^[14]
• General Ramón González Suvillaga, 1927–1930^[14]
• General Salvador Castaneda Castro, 1930–1931^[13][14]
• Lieutenant Colonel José Avendaño, 1931–1932^[14]
• Colonel José Antonio Lorenzana, 1932–1937^[14]
• Colonel Alfonso Marroquín, 1937–1938^[14]
• General Eberhardt Bohnstedt, 1938–1939 (Germany)^[14][34][35]
• Colonel Zorobabel Galeno, 1939–1940 (Chile)^[14]
• Lieutenant Colonel Robert L. Christian, 1941–1943 (United States)^[14]
• Colonel Rufus A. Byers, 1943–1946 (United States)^[14]
• Colonel John F. Schmelzer, 1946–1948 (United States)^[14]
• Colonel Henry C. Learnar, 1948–1949 (United States)^[14]
• Colonel Ramón A. Nadal, 1949–1953 (United States)^[14]
• Colonel Luis Lovo Castelar, 1953^[14]
• Colonel Antonio Valdéz, 1953–1955^[14]
• General Manuel de Jesús Córdova, 1956–1958^[14]
• Colonel Luis Roberto Flores, 1958–1960^[14]
• Colonel Francisco José Mijango, 1960–1961^[14]
• Colonel Carlos Guzmán Aguilar, 1961^[14]
• Colonel Rafael Cruz Garrido, 1961^[14]
• Lieutenant Colonel Oscar Rank Altamirano, 1961^[14]
• Colonel Mauricio Rivas Rodríguez, 1962–1963^[14]
• Colonel Carlos Amaya, 1963–1964^[14]
• Colonel Carlos Infante Guerra, 1964–1967^[14]
• Lieutenant Colonel José Fernando Sigui Olivares, 1967–1969^[14]
• Colonel Juan Antonio Martínez Varela, 1969–1971^[14]
• Lieutenant Colonel Agustín Martinez Varela, 1971–1972^[14]
• Colonel Julio González Palomo, 1972–1973^[14]
• Colonel José Luis Ramón Rosales, 1973–1976^[14]
• Colonel Anibal Velarde Figueroa, 1976–1977^[14]
• Colonel José Antonio Corleto, 1978^[14]
• Colonel Sócrates Roberto Echegoyén, 1979^[14]
• Colonel Rafael Humberto Larios, 1980–1983^[14]
• Colonel Luis Adalberto Landaverde, 1983^[14]
• Colonel Ricardo Antonio Castellanos, 1985–1986^[14]
• Colonel Jesús Gabriel Contreras, 1986–1987^[14]
• Colonel Oscar Edgardo Casanova Vejar, 1987–1989^[14]
• Colonel Guillermo Alfredo Benavides, 1989–1990^[14][24]
• Colonel Ricardo A. Casanova Sandoval, 1990–1992^[14]
• Colonel Julio César Grijalva, 1992^[14]
• Colonel Nelson Ivan Saldaña Araujo, 1993^[14]
• Colonel Alvaro Antonio Calderón Hurtado, 1993–1995^[14]
• Colonel David Munguía Payés, 1996–1997^[14][23]
• Colonel Luis Mario Aguilar Alfaro, 1998–1999^[14]
• Colonel Simón Alberto Molina Montoya, 2000^[14]
• Colonel Luis Mario Aguilar Alfaro, 2000–2001^[14]
• Colonel Ricardo Benjamín Abrego Abrego, 2002^[14]
• Colonel José Luis Alvarado Guevara, 2002^[14]
• Colonel Willian Igdalí Moreno Segovia, 2003–2004^[14]
• Colonel Julio Armando García Oliva, 2004–2005^[14]
• Colonel Roberto Edmundo Rodriguez Abrego, 2006–2007^[14]
• Colonel Roberto Artiga Chicas, 2007–2008^[14]
• Colonel Walter Mauricio Arévalo Gavidia, 2009^[14]
• Colonel Francisco E. Del Cid Díaz, 2010^[14]
• Colonel Julio Héctor Hidalgo Martínez, 2010–2012^[14]
• Colonel Félix Edgardo Núñez Escobar, 2012–2013^[14]
• Colonel Walter Jacobo Lovato Villatoro, 2014^[14]
• Colonel Carlos Alberto Ramírez Hernández, 2014^[14]
• Colonel José Roberto Saleh Orellana, 2014–2017^[14]
• Colonel Mario Ernesto Argueta Vásquez, 2017–2019^[14]
• Colonel Roberto Ulises Santos Romero, 2019^[14]
• Colonel Franklin Bladimir Gavarrete Galdámez, 2019–2022^[14]

Notable professors

• Maximiliano Hernández Martínez (1882–1966) – later President of El Salvador (1931–1934, 1935–1944)^[36]
• José Napoleón Duarte (1925–1990) – professor of mathematics, later President of El Salvador (1984–1989)^[37]

References

Citations

1. "Captain General Gerardo Barrios Military School". Global Program for Safer Schools (GPSS). Retrieved 15 April 2021.
2. "Evolution of the Military's Rile in Society and Government". Country Data. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
3. "Captain General Gerardo Barrios Military School". Military School Directory. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
4. "Historia" [History]. Escuela Militar (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 5 August 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
5. Bosch 1999, p. 12
6. Millman, Joel (10 December 1989). "El Salvador's Army: A Force Unto Itself". New York Times Magazine. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
7. "Presidentes de El Salvador – Capitán General Gerardo Barrios" [Presidents of El Salvador – Captain General Gerardo Barrios]. Casapres (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2 March 2009. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
8. Bosch 1999, pp. 3–4
9. Baires, Lorena (6 March 2020). "Salvadoran Armed Force Makes Progress on Gender Equality". Diágolo Digital Military Magazine. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
10. "Star Captain General Gerardo Barrios". Retrieved 15 April 2021.
11. "Himno de la EMCGGB" [Hymn of the EMCGGB]. Escuela Militar (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 5 August 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
12. "Inicia la demolición de la Escuela Militar Gerardo Barrios para la construcción del nuevo Estadio Nacional". La Prensa Gráfica (in Spanish). 8 June 2022. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
13. "Presidentes de El Salvador – General Salvador Castaneda Castro" [Presidents of El Salvador – General Salvador Castaneda Castro]. Casapres (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2 March 2009. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
14. "Galeria Ex-directores" [Gallery of Ex-Directors]. Escuela Militar (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 5 August 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
15. "Presidentes de El Salvador – Coronel Arturo Armando Molina" [Presidents of El Salvador – Colonel Arturo Armando Molina]. Casapres (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2 March 2009. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
16. "Presidentes de El Salvador – Teniente Coronel Óscar Osorio" [Presidents of El Salvador – Lieutenant Colonel Óscar Osorio]. Casapres (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2 March 2009. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
17. "Presidentes de El Salvador – Teniente Coronel Julio Adalberto Rivera" [Presidents of El Salvador – Lieutenant Colonel Julio Adalberto Rivera]. Casapres (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2 March 2009. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
18. "Exministros de Defense" [Ex-Ministers of Defense]. Ministerio de la Defensa Nacional (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
19. "Presidentes de El Salvador – General Carlos Humberto Romero" [Presidents of El Salvador – General Carlos Humberto Romero]. Casapres (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2 March 2009. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
20. Bosch 1999, p. 119
21. "General Juan Antonio Martínez Varela". fas.gob.sv (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 May 2021.
22. "01. – Vicealmirante René Francis Merino Monroy (Vigente)". Transparencia. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
23. Martínez, Óscar; Arauz, Sergio (27 March 2012). "Destituido Subdirector del OIE fue Nombrado Asesor de Ministro Munguía Payés" [Dismissed Deputy Director of the OIE, he was Appointed Advisor to Minister Munguía Payés] (in Spanish). El Faro. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
24. "Perpetrators". The Center for Justice & Accountability. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
25. Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada (1 December 1990). "El Salvador Armed Forces: Human Rights Abuses". Refworld. Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
26. "Guillermo Alfredo Benavides" (PDF). Central Intelligence Agency. November 1993. p. 1–2. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
27. "Arriaza Chicas Será el Nuevo Director de la PNC" [Arriaza Chicas Will Be the New Director of the PNC]. Diario1 (in Spanish). 2 June 2019. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
28. Farah, Douglas (23 February 1992). "D'Aubuisson: Death Comes to the Executioner". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
29. "El Salvador Elects new Leader of Assembly". The New York Times. 25 December 1983. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
30. Bosch 1999, p. 32
31. Bosch 1999, pp. 84–85
32. BBC Mundo (3 June 2019). "Nayib Bukele Asume en El Salvador: Quién era Domingo Monterrosa, el Militar Vinculado a la Masacre de El Mozote y Protagonista de la Primera Orden del Presidente Salvadoreño" [Nayib Bukele Assumes Power in El Salvador: Who Was Domingo Monterrosa, the Military Officer Link to the El Mozote Massace and the Protagonist of the Salvadoran President's First Order]. The New Yorker (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 6 June 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
33. "Luis Parada Renuncia a su Grado de Capitán del Ejército Tras Militarización de Asamblea" [Luis Parada Renounces His Rank of Captain in the Army After Militarization of the Assembly]. Contra Punto (in Spanish). 11 February 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
34. "Army Shifts in Salvador; German Officer Named to Direct Country's Military Academy". The New York Times. 25 April 1938. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
35. Carmelo Francisco esmeralda Astilla (1976). "The Martinez Era: Salvadoran-American Relations, 1931–1944". Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College. p. 161.
36. Grieb, Kenneth J. (1971). "The United States and the Rise of General Maximiliano Hernández Martínez". Journal of Latin American Studies. 3 (2). Cambridge University Press: 153. doi:10.1017/S0022216X00001425. ISSN 0022-216X. JSTOR 156558. OCLC 9983670644. S2CID 146607906.
37. "Presidentes de El Salvador – José Napoleón Duarte" [Presidents of El Salvador – José Napoleón Duarte]. Casapres (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2 March 2009. Retrieved 15 April 2021.

Bibliography

• Bosch, Brian J. (1999). The Salvadoran Officer Corps and the Final Offensive of 1981. Jefferson, North Carolina, and London: McFarland & Company Incorporated Publishers. ISBN 0-7864-0612-7.

External links

• Archived website