He was overthrown in a military coup led by junior officers, and was forced to flee the country for Guatemala.

[3] Due to his admiration of British Labour policies, developed a reputation for being generous to his workers, paying them twice the average wage and offering them housing and medical care.

Government officials went to polling stations to instruct them to cast votes in favor of Meléndez first and Pío Romero Bosque (one of Quiñónez's allies) second.

While in exile, he raised an army numbering between 300 and 1,000 men, and in May 1920, he launched an invasion into northern El Salvador.

[11] Araujo assumed office on 1 March 1931; Brigadier General Maximiliano Hernández Martínez was his vice president.

[12] Alberto Masferrer had proposed a nine-point reform program of the country, based on which the president promised food, cloth, work and housing to every Salvadoran.

First, he married Dora Morton whom he met while studying in the United Kingdom; the couple had one daughter, Helen.