Joaquín Valdés (22 September 1906 – 30 August 1957) was a Salvadoran military officer who served as the Minister of National Defense from 1931 to 1935 and as Co-chairman of the Civic Directory in December 1931.

On 2 December 1931, the Army staged a coup and deposed President Arturo Araujo.

[2] Valdés and Osmín Aguirre y Salinas appointed themselves as co-chairmen of the Civic Directory of El Salvador[3] The Civic Directory was dissolved on 4 December 1931 and handed the Presidency to former Vice President Brigadier General Maximiliano Hernández Martínez.

[3][4] Hernández Martínez appointed Joaquín Valdés to be his Minister of National Defense on 4 December 1931.

[1] He served until 1 March 1935 when he was replaced by Brigadier General Andrés Ignacio Menéndez.