Ciro Gomes vs Salvador Sanchez Ceren

Ciro Gomes was appointed Minister of Finance under President Itamar Franco. He oversaw the implementation of the Plano Real, the economic stabilization plan that ended hyperinflation and introduced a new currency, the real.

Ciro Gomes ran for President of Brazil in the 1998 election, finishing third with 11.0% of the vote. He ran on a left-wing platform but was defeated by Fernando Henrique Cardoso.

Ciro Gomes ran for President of Brazil in the 2002 election, finishing fourth with 12.0% of the vote. He ran as a left-wing candidate but was defeated by Luiz In

Ciro Gomes ran for President of Brazil in the 2018 election, finishing third with 12.5% of the vote. He ran on a left-wing platform but was defeated by Jair Bolsonaro.

Salvador Sanchez Ceren joined the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) as a guerrilla commander during the Salvadoran Civil War. He rose to become a top military leader, known for his role in the urban and rural insurgency.

As a senior FMLN commander, Sanchez Ceren was one of the signatories of the Chapultepec Peace Accords, which ended the civil war. He then transitioned to politics, becoming a leader of the FMLN party.

Sanchez Ceren won the presidential election as the FMLN candidate, defeating Norman Quijano of ARENA. He became the second consecutive leftist president, continuing the policies of his predecessor Mauricio Funes.

Sanchez Ceren's government pursued a controversial gang truce with the MS-13 and Barrio 18 gangs, which temporarily reduced homicides. However, the truce collapsed, and violence surged again, leading to criticism of his security strategy.

Sanchez Ceren continued social programs from the Funes era, including community health clinics, school feeding programs, and rural electrification. He also invested in infrastructure projects like roads and bridges.