Nicolás Espinoza

General Nicolás Espinoza, Head of State of El Salvador (1835)

Nicolás Espinoza (sometimes Nicolás Espinosa) (November 1795, Tenancingo, Cuscatlán – March 1845, Nacaome, Honduras), general and licenciado, governed the State of El Salvador from April 10, 1835 to November 15, 1835. At the time, El Salvador was a constituent state of the Federal Republic of Central America.

Espinoza was vice-head of state of El Salvador under Licenciado José María Silva until Silva was replaced by Joaquín Escolán y Balibrera on March 2, 1835. Escolán served provisionally, and only briefly, until the elected head of state (Espinoza) took office. This occurred on April 10, 1835.

That April Espinoza reestablished the Intendencia General of the Treasury, granting the office judicial functions. In May he reestablished charity committees throughout the state. He also established the jury system for all criminal trials in the state.

By executive decree, the city of Santa Ana was named the capital of the Department of Sonsonate, to which a part of Metapán was added. On May 22, 1835, with the intention of establishing a federal district, the Legislative Assembly formed the Department of Cuscatlán from part of the area of the Department of San Salvador.

By a decree of May 7, 1835, Espinoza restored the separate command of the army by removing political control at the department level. On June 17, 1835, he ordered the sale of uncultivated lands at public auction. On the same day he restored the tobacco monopoly and issued regulations for it.

On November 15, 1835 he was replaced by Colonel Francisco Gómez, on the instructions of Francisco Morazán. He died in Honduras in 1845.

External links

• (Spanish) Short biography from the Salvadoran government web site

Heads of state of El Salvador
Federal Republic of Central America (1821–41)	Barriere Delgado Filisola Codallos Junta Consultiva Prado J. Rodríguez Prado J. V. Villacorta Prado Cornejo J. D. Villacorta Cornejo Morazán J. San Martín Prado J. San Martín C. Salazar G. Salazar Escolán Silva Espinoza F. Gómez Vigil T. Menéndez Vigil T. Menéndez Cañas Morazán Silva Cañas Ramírez
Republic of El Salvador (1841–1931)	Lindo Marín J. J. Guzmán Palacios Malespín J. E. Guzmán Palacios Aguilar Medina Quirós Vasconcelos R. Rodríguez Vasconcelos Quirós Dueñas J. M. San Martín Dueñas V. Gómez J. M. San Martín Dueñas Campo Zepeda Santín J. E. Guzmán Peralta Barrios Dueñas González del Valle Zaldívar F. Menéndez Ezeta Gutiérrez Regalado Escalón Figueroa M. Araujo C. Meléndez Quiñónez C. Meléndez Quiñónez J. Meléndez Quiñónez P. Romero A. Araujo
Military presidents (1931–1980)	Hernández Martínez A. Menéndez Hernández Martínez A. Menéndez Aguirre Castaneda Revolutionary Council Osorio Lemus Military junta Cordón Rivera Sánchez Hernández Molina C. Romero Revolutionary Government junta
Salvadoran Civil War (1980–1992)	Magaña Duarte Cristiani
Post-Civil War (since 1992)	Cristiani Calderón Sol Flores Saca Funes Cerén