Manuel José Arce

Manuel José Arce (1786-1847), first president (1825-1827) of the United Provinces of Central America, a federation formed by the five countries of that region. All five had refused annexation by Mexico after gaining independence from Spain. Arce was born in San Salvador. Twice imprisoned for insurrection against Spanish rule, Arce was appointed head of the Salvadoran army in 1821, and in 1825 he won the federation’s presidency. He ruled first with liberal, then conservative, support, but eventually alienated both sides and resigned in 1827. After a civil war within the federation, Francisco Morazán became federation president in 1830. Arce, who had fled to Mexico, led two unsuccessful revolts against Morazán’s government, in 1831 and 1833. After the collapse of the federation in 1840, Arce returned to El Salvador to run unsuccessfully for the presidency of that country. Exiled in 1843 for leading still another revolt, he finally returned to El Salvador in 1845.