8 Arab Presidents That Did Not Hold Office in the Arab World
BY: Diego Reyes/Contributing Writer
Arab have made enormous strides in their homeland, but ever since the first major waves of immigration in the late 1800s, Arabs have been landing all over the globe from the US to Europe to South America. Perhaps most notably, Arabs in South America have made their marks in the world, becoming doctors, business owners, professors, and national leaders. Here are 8 Arabs who have become presidents of their migrant nations that you may not have heard of before.
1. Julio César Turbay
Julio César Turbay, a lawyer of Lebanese ancestry, served as the 25th President of Colombia from 1978 to 1982. He also held the position of Foreign Minister and Ambassador to the United States.
2. Elías Antonio Saca
Antonio Saca, a politician of Palestinian origins, served as the President of El Salvador from 2004 to 2009. Although criticized for his lack of political experience, Saca still won the presidential election by huge numbers.
3. Jamil Mahuad
Jorge Mahuad, a lawyer, and politician of Lebanese descent served as the 51st President of Ecuador from August 10, 1998, to January 21, 2000. He initially ran for president in 1988 but lost until 10 years later when he ran again and won.
4. Carlos Saúl Menem
Carlos Saúl Menem, a politician of Syrian ancestry, served as President of Argentina from 1989 to 1999. He has been serving as a Senator for La Rioja Province since 2005.
5. Carlos Flores Facussé
Carlos Flores Facussé, a politician of Palestinian origins, served as the President of Honduras from January 1998 to January 2002. He also served as the President of the National Congress from January 1994 to January 1998.
6. Jacobo Majluta Azar
Elected as Vice President, Jacobo Majluta Azar, a politician of Lebanese descent, served as President of the Dominican Republic President for 42 days after the former president committed suicide. He served during the hardest time of Dominican Republic history, where the country faced a lot of power struggles.
7. Julio Teodoro Salem
Julio Teodoro Salem, a politician of Lebanese origins, was a member of Liberal Radical Party and elected to the Congress in 1934. He also served as minister of public works. Salem was Head of State of Ecuador from May 29, 1944, to May 31, 1944.8.
8. Michel Temer
Michel Temer, a lawyer, and politician of Lebanese descent is currently serving as the 37th President of Brazil. He took office on August 31, 2016, after the impeachment and removal of his predecessor, Dilma Rousseff. He served as Vice President beginning in 2011, and at 75 years old, is the oldest person to ever assume the president’s office.
