Aguilares, El Salvador

Aguilares is a municipality in the San Salvador department of El Salvador, located 33 km away from the city of San Salvador. The municipality measures 33.72 km² and as of 2006, had an estimated population of 73,300. Sugar cane cultivation is the major economic activity for the area.[citation needed]

Aguilares
Municipality
Flag of Aguilares
Official seal of Aguilares
Aguilares is located in El Salvador
Aguilares
Aguilares
Location in El Salvador
Coordinates: 13°57′N 89°11′W / 13.950°N 89.183°W / 13.950; -89.183
Country El Salvador
DepartmentSan Salvador Department
Area
 • Total
12.63 sq mi (32.72 km2)
Elevation
981 ft (299 m)
Population
 (2006)
 • Total
73,300
Time zoneUTC-6

The municipality is divided into five administrative divisions, called cantones: Florida, Las Tunas, Pinalitos, Pishishapa, and Los Mangos.[citation needed] It is bounded on the north by El Paisnal, on the east by Suchitoto (Cuscatlán Department) and Guazapa, to the south by Nejapa and Guazapa, and to the west by Quezaltepeque (La Libertad Department) and El Paisnal.

Toponymy

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The municipality was named in honor of Nicolás [es], Vicente [es], and Manuel Aguilar, leaders in the Salvadoran independence movement.[citation needed]

History

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In the 1970s, the associated Catholic parish of Aguilares was served by Rutilio Grande, a Jesuit priest and activist who was assassinated on the outskirts of town.[1] In 1979 or 1980, during the Salvadoran Civil War, the Salvadoran Army pillaged the town until its people retook it, depicted in Archbishop of San Salvador Óscar Romero's homily as images of the crucified Christ.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "The Catholic Transcript, Volume LXX, Number 13, 5 August 1977: The Catholic Transcript". The Catholic Transcript. 5 August 1977. p. 11.
  2. ^ Tomb, David (1 September 2021). "Chapter Ten Deepening the Commitment and Expanding the View". Latin American Liberation Theology (eBook ed.). Leiden: Brill Publishers. p. 277. ISBN 9789004496460.

13°57′N 89°11′W / 13.950°N 89.183°W / 13.950; -89.183