David Victoriano Munguía Payés is a former Salvadoran Army general who served as Minister of National Defense of El Salvador from 2009 to 2011 and again from 2013 to 2019.
Divisional General David Munguía Payés | |
|---|---|
 Munguía Payés in 2015 | |
| Minister of National Defense | |
| In office 12 July 2013 – 1 June 2019 | |
| President | Mauricio Funes Salvador Sánchez Cerén |
| Preceded by | José Atilio Benítez Parada |
| Succeeded by | René Merino Monroy |
| In office 1 June 2009 – 23 November 2011 | |
| President | Mauricio Funes |
| Preceded by | Jorge Alberto Molina Contreras |
| Succeeded by | José Atilio Benítez Parada |
| Minister of Public Security | |
| In office 23 November 2011 – 17 May 2013 | |
| President | Mauricio Funes |
| Personal details | |
| Born | El Salvador |
| Occupation | Military officer |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  El Salvador |
| Branch/service | Salvadoran Army |
| Years of service | ?–2019 |
| Rank |  Divisional General |
Biography
editDavid Victoriano Munguía Payés was the Director of the Captain General Gerardo Barrios Military School from 1996 to 1997.[1][2]
He was appointed as Minister of National Defense of El Salvador on 1 June 2009 by President Mauricio Funes.[3] He served until 23 November 2011 and replaced by José Atilio Benítez Parada, but he was reinstated to the position on 12 July 2013.[3] He left office on 1 June 2019 and was succeeded by René Merino Monroy.[4][5]
Munguía Payés was arrested on 23 July 2020 for allegedly negotiating a truce with the prominent gangs Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and 18th Street gang (Barrio 18) during his term.[6][7] A judge later ordered him to be placed under house arrest.[8][9][10] In October 2020, eight properties worth 1.4 million dollars were confiscated from Munguía Payés by the Salvadoran government due to tax investigations indicating that they may have been attained through illegal activities.[11]
His criminal trial began on 26 April 2023. On 29 May 2023, he was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment (8 years for illicit association, 6 years for failure to perform his duties, and 4 years for committing arbitrary actions).[12] On 17 June 2023, the office of the attorney general began proceedings to charge Munguía for alleged the money laundering and illicit enrichment of US$1,147,650 during Funes' presidency.[13] On 24 August 2023, the office of the attorney general ordered Munguía Payés to pay US$462,732.81 to the state.[14]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ 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 30 November 2020.
- ^ "Galeria Ex-directores" [Gallery of Ex-Directors]. Escuela Militar (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 5 August 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
- ^ a b "Exministros de Defensa" [Ex-Ministers of Defense]. Ministerio de la Defensa Nacional. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ^ Alas, Liseth (1 June 2019). "Estos son los Funcionarios que Integrarán el Gabinete de Nayib Bukele" [These are the Officials that will make up Nayib Bukele's Cabinet] (in Spanish). San Salvador, El Salvador: El Salvador.com (published 1 June 2020). Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ^ "Bukele Nombra Nuevo Ministro de Defensa y Acaba la Era Munguía Payés" [Bukele Appoints New Minister of Defense and Ends the Munguía Payés Era] (in Spanish). San Salvador, El Salvador: El Mundo (published 1 June 2020). 1 June 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ^ Nelson, Renteria (23 July 2020). "Ex-Salvadoran Defense Minister Arrested for Suspected Role in Gang Truce". Reuters. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ Silva Ávalos, Héctor (28 July 2020). "El Salvador Arrests General Behind 2012 Gang Truce". InSight Crime. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "Judge allows El Salvador ex-defense minister house arrest". The New York Times. Associated Press. 29 July 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "Judge Orders House Arrest for Former El Salvador Defense Minister Linked to Gang Conspiracy". VOA News. 30 July 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "Judge Allows El Salvador Ex-Defense Minister House Arrest". AP News. 29 July 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "Prosecutor Confiscates Eight Properties Worth $1.4 Million from Former Defense Minister David Munguía Payés – News from El Salvador". Archyde. 9 October 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ Cerón, Leonardo (29 May 2023). "Condenan a Funes y Munguía Payés por la Tregua" [Funes and Munguía Payés are Condemned for the Truce]. El Mundo (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 29 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
- ^ Villarroel, Gabriela (17 June 2023). "Fiscalía Acusa a Munguía Payés de Enriquecimiento Ilícito por $1.1 Millones" [Attorney General Accuses Munguía Payés of Illicit Enrichment of $1.1 Million]. La Prensa Gráfica (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 June 2023.
- ^ Beltrán Luna, Jorge (24 August 2023). "Condenan a Munguía Payés a Devolver $462,000 al Estado" [They Order Munguía Payés to Return $462,000 to the State]. El Diario de Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 August 2023.