In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Martínez and the second or maternal family name is Varela.
| General of AviationJuan Antonio Martínez Varela | |
|---|---|
 Martínez Varela (left) and Donald Rumsfeld (right). | |
| Minister of National Defense | |
| In office 1 January 1999 – 1 January 2004 | |
| President | Francisco Flores Pérez |
| Preceded by | Jaime Guzmán Morales |
| Succeeded by | Otto Alejandro Romero Orellana |
| Personal details | |
| Born | El Salvador |
| Political party | Independent |
| Alma mater | Captain General Gerardo Barrios Military School |
| Profession | Military |
| Signature | .png) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  El Salvador |
| Branch/service | Salvadoran Air Force |
| Years of service | 1975–2004 |
| Rank |  General of Aviation |
| Battles/wars | Salvadoran Civil War |
Juan Antonio Martínez Varela was a retired Salvadoran military officer who served as Minister of National Defense from 1999 until 2004.
Military career
Juan Antonio Martínez Varela graduated from the Captain General Gerardo Barrios Military School in December 2004 with the rank of Second Lieutenant in the Salvadoran Air Force. He was trained to be a pilot and a flight instructor in Texas, United States, and in Israel.
He served as Chief of the General Staff of the Salvadoran Air Force from June 1993 to June 1998. He also served as the Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces from June 1998 until June 1999. On 1 June 1999, he was appointed as Minister of National Defense of El Salvador by President Francisco Flores Pérez and he served until 1 June 2004.
Personal life
His father was Colonel Juan Antonio Martínez Varela who was the Director of the Captain General Gerardo Barrios Military School from 1969 to 1971, served as Minister of the Interior of El Salvador during the presidency of Alfredo Cristiani, and signed the Chapultepec Peace Accords in 1992.
He passed away on 23 February 2021.
Commands held
- Commander of the Combat Wing
- Chief of Operations of the Air General Staff
- Commander of the Aeronautical Military Training Center
- Commander of the Second Air Brigade
Awards and decorations
- Medal to the Combatant
- White Nun
References
- Martínez Varela, Juan Antonio (31 December 2003), No. 078 (in Spanish), Ministry of National Defense
- ^ "General Juan Antonio Martínez Varela". fas.gob.sv (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ "Fallece el Coronel Juan Antonio Martínez Varela, Exfuncionario de Gobierno y firmante de los Acuerdos de Paz" [Colonel Juan Antonio Martínez Varela, Former Government Official and Signatory of the Peace Accords, Dies]. ElSalvador.com (in Spanish). 23 February 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- ^ "Fallece Coronel Juan Antonio Martínez Varela, firmante de los Acuerdos de Paz" [Colonel Juan Antonio Martínez Varela, Signatory of the Peace Accords, Dies]. ContraPunto.com (in Spanish). 24 February 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- "Galeria Exministros" [Gallery of Ex-Ministers]. FuerzaArmada.gob.sv (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 6 October 2009. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
- "Galeria Ex-directores" [Gallery of Ex-Directors]. Escuela Militar (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 5 August 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
- "Fallece el coronel Juan Antonio Martinez Varela, exfuncionario de gobierno y firmante de los Acuerdos de Paz". Noticias de El Salvador - elsalvador.com (in Spanish). 23 February 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
