The Civic Directory (Spanish: Directorio Cívico) was a military junta which governed El Salvador from 2 to 4 December 1931.

[1] Of the six candidates, the military supported the candidacy of Doctor Alberto Gómez Zárate, who served as the minister of national defense from 1927 to 1930 during the presidency of Pío Romero Bosque.

[1][2] Gómez Zárate's primary opponent was Arturo Araujo, an engineer, coffee planter, and rancher of the Labor Party who promised agricultural reforms and the industrialization of the country.

[1] A third contender was General Maximiliano Hernández Martínez of the National Republican Party, although, he later ended his campaign to be the vice presidential candidate for Araujo.

[3] During his presidency, which began on 1 March 1931,[5] was faced by economic troubles due to the Great Depression, waning political support leading to social unrest, and over time, growing military disloyalty.