Gustavo Adolfo López Davidson (1961 – 21 July 2022) was a Salvadoran politician and businessman who served as the leader of the Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) from August 2019 to February 2020.
Gustavo López Davidson | |
|---|---|
 López Davidson in c. 2019 | |
| Leader of the Nationalist Republican Alliance | |
| In office 25 August 2019 – 17 February 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Mauricio Interiano (es) |
| Succeeded by | Érick Salguero |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Gustavo Adolfo López Davidson 1961 El Salvador |
| Died | 21 July 2022 (aged 60–61) San Salvador, El Salvador |
| Cause of death | Suicide (gunshot wound) |
| Political party | Nationalist Republican Alliance |
| Occupation | Politician, businessman |
Biography
editGustavo Adolfo López Davidson[1] was born in 1961.[2]
López Davidson was the manager of Alquileres S.A. de C.V. (previously known as Centrum S.A. de C.V.) and the owner of Gun Mart, two companies which imports firearms into El Salvador. As a member of the right-wing Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA), he ran for mayor of Soyapango in 2003.[3] López Davidson sought to run as ARENA's candidate for president of El Salvador in the 2019 presidential election, but Carlos Calleja was ultimately selected as ARENA's candidate instead.[4]
From 25 August 2019 to 17 February 2020, López Davidson served as the leader of the Nationalist Executive Committee (COENA), the leading authority of the Nationalist Republican Alliance.[5][6] He first became a member of the committee in 2003.[3] He resigned amidst allegations of his involvement in arms trafficking.[6] In December 2019, the Nationalist Republican Alliance attempted to repeal the immunity of then Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele so that López Davidson could sue Bukele for defamation, as Bukele had publicly called López Davidson a "crook".[7]
On 9 August 2020, López Davidson was arrested by the National Civil Police (PNC) on charges of embezzlement, accused of having collected USD$2 million on old guns which he sold as "new" through Centrum S.A. de C.V.[7][8]
López Davidson committed suicide by a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his business in San Salvador on 21 July 2022.[2][9][10]
References
edit- ^ Orellana, Jessica; Rubio, Francisco (22 July 2022). "Fotos: Gustavo López Davidson, Empresario Hallado Muerto en un Hecho aún por Investigar" [Photos: Gustavo López Davidson, Businessman Found Dead in a Fact Still to be Investigated]. El Salvador.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ a b "Hallan Muerto a Empresario Gustavo López Davidson" [They Found Businessman Gustavo López Davidson Dead]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 21 July 2022. Archived from the original on 9 August 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
- ^ a b Rosales Martel, Metzi (10 March 2016). "In World's Most Violent Country, 30 New Firearms Registered Daily". InSight Crime. Archived from the original on 13 June 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
- ^ "López Davidson Anuncia Interés en Candidatura Presidencial de ARENA" [López Davidson Announces Interest in ARENA Candidacy for President]. La Prensa Gráfica (in Spanish). 29 September 2017. Archived from the original on 22 June 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
- ^ Hernández, Evelia (25 August 2019). "Gustavo López Davidson es el Nuevo Presidente de ARENA" [Gustavo López Davidson is the New President of ARENA]. El Salvador.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 August 2022.
- ^ a b Flores, Judith (17 February 2020). "Renuncia Presidente del Partido ARENA Tras Acusaciones por Tráfico de Armas" [The President of the ARENA Party Resigns Amidst Accusations of Arms Trafficking]. Diario Las Américas (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 23 November 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
- ^ a b Patricio, Miguel (17 August 2020). "Political Chaos Reigns in El Salvador". Courthouse News Service. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
- ^ "Gustavo López Davidson, Atilio Benítez y David Munguía Detenidos por Peculado en Caso de Armas" [Gustavo López Davidson, Atilio Benítez and David Munguía Detained in Peculation of Arms Case]. La Prensa Gráfica (in Spanish). 14 August 2020. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
- ^ "Fiscalía Reporta Suicidio del Empresario Gustavo López Davidson, Ex-Presidente del Partido ARENA" [Prosecutor's Office Reports Suicide of Businessman Gustavo López Davidson, Former President of the ARENA Party]. a Página (in Spanish). 21 July 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
- ^ "Prosecutor's Office Reports Suicide of Businessman Gustavo López Davidson, Former President of the ARENA Party". California 18. 21 July 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.