Municipalities of El Salvador

This article needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (May 2024)

Municipio
Category	Second-level administrative division
Location	El Salvador
Found in	Departments
Government	Municipal Council

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Legislature Legislative Assembly President: Ernesto Castro
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The municipalities of El Salvador (Spanish: municipios) are the second-level administrative divisions within the Republic of El Salvador. These municipalities divide the country's departments and serve as the fundamental administrative units of local government.

Historically, El Salvador was divided into 262 municipalities, each with a local municipal council responsible for governance and community services. However, on 1 June 2023, President Nayib Bukele announced a proposal to reduce the number of municipalities to streamline administrative efficiency and reduce bureaucratic overhead. Bukele argued that the reduction would enable more effective public service delivery by consolidating local governments and resources.^[1]

The Legislative Assembly approved the proposal on 13 June 2023, reducing the number of municipalities from 262 to 44, a change that went into effect on 1 May 2024.^[2] This significant restructuring aimed to modernize local governance, with proponents claiming it would allow for better distribution of resources and improved access to public services across the nation. Opponents, however, raised concerns that it could diminish local representation and reduce citizen engagement with government.

The municipalities are governed under the Municipal Code, which was enacted on January 31, 1986. The code establishes each municipio as the primary unit of political administration in El Salvador, with a defined territory and political autonomy. According to this code, municipalities are responsible for various local government functions, including infrastructure maintenance, public health services, local education, and promoting community development.^[3] Each municipality operates with a municipal council, which is elected by the residents and functions as the local legislative body. The head of the council, typically a mayor, oversees the executive functions within the municipality.