Jorge Meléndez

| alt = A black-and-white portrait photograph of Jorge Meléndez

| alt = A black-and-white portrait photograph of Jorge Meléndez

| caption = Meléndez in 1919

| caption = Meléndez in 1919

| order = 51st

| order = 23rd

| office = President of El Salvador

| office = President of El Salvador

| term_start = 1 March 1919

| term_start = 1 March 1919

}}

}}

'''Jorge Meléndez Ramírez''' (15 April 1871 – 22 November 1953) was a Salvadoran politician and businessman who served as [[President of El Salvador]] from 1919 to 1923. The presidency was the only political office Meléndez ever held. He was the younger brother of President [[Carlos Meléndez (politician)|Carlos Meléndez]].

'''Jorge Meléndez Ramírez''' (15 April 1871 – 22 November 1953) was a Salvadoran politician and businessman who served as the 23rd [[President of El Salvador]] from 1919 to 1923. The presidency was the only political office Meléndez ever held. He was the younger brother of President [[Carlos Meléndez (politician)|Carlos Meléndez]].

Meléndez became the [[1919 Salvadoran presidential election|1919 presidential candidate]] for the [[National Democratic Party (El Salvador)|National Democratic Party]] (PND) after Carlos resigned as President and the election's frontrunners, [[Alfonso Quiñónez Molina]] and Tomás Palomo, dropped out. Meléndez won the election with almost 97 percent of the vote and assumed office on 1 March 1919. During his presidency, the PND centralized power and monopolized local [[patronage]] networks. Meléndez suppressed several coups against his rule. He was succeeded in 1923 by Quiñónez, who had served as his [[Vice President of El Salvador|vice president]]. Meléndez's presidency was a part of the broader [[Meléndez–Quiñónez dynasty]] that ruled El Salvador from 1913 to 1927. Meléndez tried to overthrow President [[Pío Romero Bosque]] in 1927 as he attempted to curb the dynasty's influence, but the [[1927 Salvadoran coup attempt|coup failed]] and Meléndez left El Salvador for exile in Costa Rica.

Meléndez became the [[1919 Salvadoran presidential election|1919 presidential candidate]] for the [[National Democratic Party (El Salvador)|National Democratic Party]] (PND) after Carlos resigned as President and the election's frontrunners, [[Alfonso Quiñónez Molina]] and Tomás Palomo, dropped out. Meléndez won the election with almost 97 percent of the vote and assumed office on 1 March 1919. During his presidency, the PND centralized power and monopolized local [[patronage]] networks. Meléndez suppressed several coups against his rule. He was succeeded in 1923 by Quiñónez, who had served as his [[Vice President of El Salvador|vice president]]. Meléndez's presidency was a part of the broader [[Meléndez–Quiñónez dynasty]] that ruled El Salvador from 1913 to 1927. Meléndez tried to overthrow President [[Pío Romero Bosque]] in 1927 as he attempted to curb the dynasty's influence, but the [[1927 Salvadoran coup attempt|coup failed]] and Meléndez left El Salvador for exile in Costa Rica.