Former Salvadoran president Mauricio Funes passed away at the age of 65 in Nicaragua, where he was seeking asylum, due to his severe chronic illness, reported the Government of Nicaragua.
The Nicaraguan Executive indicated that Funes died as a result of his illness, having received the sacrament of extreme unction beforehand. Nicaraguan priest Antonio Castro Granados provided comfort to the former president and his family during this difficult time.
The Ministry of Health in Nicaragua had previously reported on Funes' delicate health situation, as he was being treated by various medical specialists. Despite efforts by doctors, the former president's health deteriorated, leading to his death.
Funes was sentenced in May of last year in El Salvador to 14 years in prison for crimes committed during his term from 2012 to 2014, amid a truce between gangs. This sentence was issued in absentia, making him the second Salvadoran former president to receive a prison sentence in the democratic era of the country.
The former president settled in Nicaragua in 2016 and obtained Nicaraguan nationality in 2019, which grants him protection against extradition according to the country's Constitution. Funes lived in Nicaragua with his family and received a salary from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Central American country.
According to the Attorney General's Office of El Salvador, during his term, Funes diverted funds to personal bank accounts, resulting in an amount exceeding 292 million dollars. Funes' naturalization in Nicaragua was officially confirmed in the Official Gazette of the country, extending to his close family members as well.
The death of Mauricio Funes has caused shock in Nicaragua and El Salvador, where he is remembered for his presidential term and the events that marked his administration.
