Funes, Mauricio

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Mauricio Funes (Carlos Mauricio Funes Cartagena), 1959–, Salvadoran journalist and politician, president of El Salvador (2009–14). A television reporter, he became known for his news reporting and analysis on El Salvador's long civil war and for his insightful interviews. A moderate leftist, Funes developed sympathy for many of the aims of the left-wing Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN). A news director from 1997, he was fired in 2005 as a result of his criticism of the conservative government. Subsequently more directly involved in politics, Funes became the FMLN's 2009 presidential candidate and won, becoming the country's first elected leftist leader.