Dionís Verinol Bagaría

In this Salvadoran name, the first or paternal surname is Verinol and the second or maternal surname is Bagaría.

Lieutenant Colonel Dionís Verinol Bagaría OSP HRLN
Verinol Bagaría in 2021
6th Speaker of the Tribunals Generals
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 January 2020
Preceded by	Llucià Panell Gacillas
Chairman of the Armed Forces Commission
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 January 2015
Preceded by	Jeremies Agudelo Horozco
Deputy of the Tribunals Generals
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 January 2000
Preceded by	Lluc Flor Albañil
Constituency	Nou Hondures 2nd
Personal details
Born	Dionís Emeric Verinol i Bagaría (1970-06-24) 24 June 1970 Besalú, Nou Hondures, El Salvador
Nationality	Salvadoran
Political party	Salvadoran Initiative
Spouse(s)	Adelaida Bolado Peris (m. 1998)
Children	4
Alma mater	University of Ciutat dels Àngels
Occupation	Politician, accountant, soldier
Military service
Allegiance	El Salvador
Branch/service	Salvadoran Air Force
Years of service	1989–1998 (active) 1998–2009 (reserve)
Rank	Lieutenant colonel
Unit	1st Logistics Wing
Battles/wars	Desert War (WIA)

Dionís Emeric Verinol i Bagaría OSP HRLN (born 24 June 1970), also known by his initials DVB, is a Salvadoran politician, accountant, and retired air force pilot who currently serves as the speaker of the Tribunals Generals, the unicameral legislature of El Salvador. He has been a deputy of the Tribunals Generals since 2000; he is a member of the Armed Forces Commission (which he has served as its chairman since 2015), the Noundurian Independence Commission, and the National Spending Commission, all of which he's been a member of since 2000.

Verinol Bagaría studied finance at the University of Ciutat dels Àngels and simultaneously trained to become a pilot in the Salvadoran Air Force. He served as an active duty in the air force from 1993 to 1998, during which, he operated various cargo missions both within El Salvador and to the Free Republic of Noundures, a Salisfordian breakaway state. In 1997, he survived a plane crash in Olèrdola, and in 1998, began working as a military accountant; he retired from military service in 2009 with the rank of lieutenant colonel. In 1999, as a member of the Salvadoran Initiative (the sole-legal political party in El Salvador), Verinol Bagaría was elected as a deputy of the Tribunals Generals to Nou Hondures' 2nd legislative district; he succeeded his second-cousin twice-removed, Lluc Flor Albañil, and became one of the legislature's youngest deputies.

Verinol Bagaría is a strong supporter and close ally of incumbent Salvadoran President Orlando Pareja Palau. Verinol Bagaría became one of Pareja Palau's closest allies during the 2000s and both supported each other's political agendas wherever possible. In 2015, Verinol Bagaría voted to elect Pareja Palau as the country's vice president, and in 2020, Verinol Bagaría voted to elect Pareja Palau as the country's president. Verinol Bagaría was subsequently elected as the speaker of the Tribunals Generals, the third most influential position in the Salvadoran government after the president and vice president (although he is commonly regarded as the second most powerful person in El Salvador after Pareja Palau), and he has since led the Tribunals Generals in support of Pareja Palau's presidential agendas.

Internationally, Verinol Bagaría is a controversial figure for many of his political positions and alleged involvement in illicit activities during his time in office; as a result, he has been sanctioned by many foreign governments. He has also promoted various conspiracy theories regarding ethnicity, politics, economics, climate change, medicine, and sports. Verinol Bagaría is unapologetic about many of his political positions which have been frequently described by journalists and foreign politicians as "extremist", "radical", and "imperialistic". He has been commonly described as far-right and a chauvinist. Despite this, Verinol Bagaría remains a popular political figure within El Salvador and is considered to be a potential candidate to succeed Pareja Palau as president.

Early life and education

Dionís Emeric Verinol i Bagaría was born on 24 June 1970 in Besalú, Nou Hondures, El Salvador. His father is Abelard Verinol Moragues, a businessman and retired Salvadoran Army soldier, and his mother is Hortènsia Bagaría Ricós, a lawyer. Verinol Bagaría has one older sister, Antònia, and two younger twin brothers, Nèstor and Malaquies. When Verinol Bagaría was young, he worked as a store clerk at Desgast Ràpid, military-specialized tailoring location his father owned and operated in Besalú.

Verinol Bagaría's father wanted him to pursue a military career, and Verinol Bagaría eventually decided to pursue a career in the Salvadoran Air Force. In 1988 at the age of 17, Verinol Bagaría earned his private pilot license. In 1989, Verinol Bagaría began attending the University of Ciutat dels Àngels where he studied finance and continued his pilot training. In 1990 earned his instrument certification, and in 1992, he graduated as a Bachelor of Science in Finance.

Military service

A Maroto Botín C-5, the aircraft type flown by Verinol Bagaría in the air force

While studying at the University of Ciutat dels Àngels, Verinol Bagaría underwent air force pilot training, and upon his graduation in 1992, he became a full-time air force pilot. As a pilot in the air force, he flew the Maroto Botín C-5 cargo aircraft. He flew the plane for five years from 1994 to 1998, during which, he flew transport missions to domestic destinations in El Salvador as well as transport missions to the self-declared Free Republic of Noundures, a Salisfordian breakaway state located north of El Salvador which was fighting a war of independence known as the Desert War. Verinol Bagaría self-reportedly flew "at least 40 or 50" to Noundures during his military service as a member of the 1st Logistics Wing.

On 6 April 1997, the Maroto Botín C-5 he was commanding was struck by a Salvadoran Air Force Maroto Botín FA-11 on takeoff roll while the Maroto Botín C-5 was crossing Runway 19 at Taxiway E at the Olérdola International Airport in Olèrdola, Noundures. Only 3 of the 18 people on board both aircraft survived, with Verinol Bagaría being among the survivors. Verinol Bagaría was evacuated to a military hospital in Olèrdola, then subsequently to Sonsochapan. The accident was ultimately deemed to be the result of air traffic controller error, as local control had cleared the FA-11 for takeoff while ground control had cleared the C-5 to cross the runway. After a few months recovering, Verinol Bagaría returned to flying the Maroto Botín C-5. He retired from active military service in 1998, upon which he was ceremonially promoted to the honorary rank of major.

After retiring as an active duty military pilot, Verinol Bagaría was allowed to continue working for the air force as an accountant. Rather than receiving an enlisted rank, he was allowed to maintain his honorary rank of major and became an air force reservist. He worked as an accountant for the air force until 2009 when he officially retired. He was ceremonially promoted to the honorary rank of lieutenant colonel. His promotions to major and lieutenant colonel were criticized by some Salvadoran politicians and military veterans, viewing the promotions as illegitimate.

Deputy of the Tribunals Generals

Election as a deputy

In December 1998, Lluc Flor Albañil, Verinol Bagaría's second-cousin once-removed, announced that he would retire as a deputy of the Tribunals Generals, the unicameral legislature of El Salvador, after serving four terms. Flor Albañil, who had been serving as a deputy from Nou Hondures' 2nd parliamentary district since 1980, expressed his desire to be succeeded by a family member, which would not be unusual in El Salvador as most deputies of the Tribunals Generals were elected through family ties or being close acquaintances. Shortly after Flor Albañil's announcement, Verinol Bagaría announced his intention to be elected as a deputy of the Tribunals Generals to succeed Flor Albañil, and in order to be eligible to seek the office, he became a member of the Salvadoran Initiative (INSAL) in January 1999; the Salvadoran Initiative is the only legal political party in El Salvador. Around the same time, Àlvar Berlinguer Floris, who was a second-cousin once-removed of Flor Albañil, also announced his intention to seek election to Nou Hondures' 2nd parliamentary district.

Verinol Bagaría and Berlinguer Floris contesting the same parliamentary district's deputy to the Tribunals Generals was only one of 19 legislative seats contested during the 1999 parliamentary election, as most of the 84 seats on the legislature go uncontested due to popular incumbents or newcomers being selected by their predecessor. Many local news outlets at the time believed that Verinol Bagaría would win, as despite Berlinguer Floris having more political experience, Verinol Bagaría was popular as a war hero for his service in the Desert War. On 1 December 1999 (election day), Verinol Bagaría defeated Berlinguer Floris with 76.76 percent of the vote, the eighth closest contested district that election cycle. Verinol Bagaría offered Berlinguer Floris to be his auxiliary deputy to the Tribunals Generals, which Berlinguer Floris accepted.

First term (2000–2005)

Verinol Bagaría officially assumed office as a deputy on 1 January 2000, becoming one of the youngest deputies at the age of 29. Upon assuming office, he partook in the election for the next president and vice president of El Salvador, as the country's president and vice president are both elected and appointed by the legislature. He voted with the unanimous consensus of the Tribunals Generals to appoint Isaac Viscarri Lleó (who had served as vice president from 1995 to 2000) as the president. Similarly, he voted with the unanimous consensus of the Tribunals Generals to appoint Enrique Juárez Calles as the vice president.

As a retired air force pilot and at the time registered air force reservist, Verinol Bagaría was automatically granted membership on the Tribunals Generals' Armed Forces Commission. The commission oversees the operations of the Salvadoran Armed Forces, recommends actions which should be taken regarding its structure and organization, decides on junior military officer promotions, and presents senior military officer promotions to the Tribunals Generals. Some members of the commission voiced their opposition to Verinol Bagaría's membership as the commission had previously granted him honorary promotion to the ranks of major which they viewed as illegitimate. The commission's chairman, Jaïr Casamitjana Marmol, did not hold such opposition to Verinol Bagaría's previous promotion, having voted in favor of Verinol Bagaría's honorary promotion, and allowed him to be a member of the commission. Verinol Bagaría was one of six majors on the Armed Forces Commission.

In addition to being a member of the Armed Forces Commission, he also became a member of the Noundurian Independence Commission, which advocates for the total independence of the Free Republic of Noundures from Salisford, and the National Spending Commission, which determines the national government's budget annually. His qualification to be a member of the Noundurian Independence Commission was his prior service during the Desert War as a C-5 pilot, and his qualifications to be a member of the National Spending Commission were his finance degree he earned at the University of Ciutat dels Àngels and his then ongoing service as an accountant within the air force. He was also a member of the Freshman Deputy Caucus, an unofficial legislative coalition in the Tribunals Generals composing of deputies who had just been elected to their first term on the legislature. At biannual meetings of the unofficial caucus, Verinol Bagaría formed alliances with other deputies such as former air force pilot Llorenç Carreres Querol, former police chief Pompeu Castelví Prunell, and author Orlando Pareja Palau, the latter of which he grew a close alliance with as both were some of the legislature's youngest members, with Pareja Palau being the Tribunals Generals' youngest member at the age of 25.

Third term (2010–2015)

Verinol Bagaría (left) with Teodor Sellees Alcobé (right) in 2014

Personal life

Family

Verinol Bagaría married Adelaida Bolado Peris in March 1998. The two had previously met as acquaintances at the University of Ciutat dels Àngels. Verinol Bagaría and Bolado Peris have four children: Pompeu (born 1999), Àïxa (born 2002), Mariana (born 2004), and Adalbert (born 2008). Pompeu is currently a Maroto Botín FA-13 fighter pilot in the Salvadoran Air Force and is expected to enter politics after his retirement from the military. Àïxa is studying law at the Antonio José Sáenz y Heredia University in San Romero, Creeperopolis, while Mariana is studying finance at the University of Ciutat dels Àngels; both Àïxa and Mariana have not disclosed wether or not they would enter politics. Of all Verinol Bagaría's children, Adalbert is the only one who is still under his immediate care and is expected to begin attending university in 2026.

Political views

Ultranationalism and irredentism

Dionís Verinol Bagaría Twitter @Dionis_SLV

Today, me and my colleagues in the Tribunals Generals voted to approve a bill to reduce the taxation rate on military veteran-owned small businesses.

Noundures must be liberated.

10 July 2014

Published works

During his studies at the University of Ciutat dels Àngels, Verinol Bagaría published one thesis regarding economics:

1. The Effects of Marxist and Socialist Economies on National Sustainability and International Cooperation: The Failure of Qarl Marx's Ideals in Terraconserva (1992, University of Ciutat dels Àngels; OCLC 9635053308)

Military ranks and promotions

Verinol Bagaría received the following ranks and promotions during his military service:

Insignia	Rank	Service branch	Date of promotion
	Sub-Lieutenant	Air Force	1 January 1993
	Lieutenant		1 January 1994
	Captain		6 February 1997
	Major (honorary promotion)		17 September 1998
	Lieutenant Colonel (honorary promotion)		23 June 2009

Awards and honors

Verinol Bagaría has received the following awards:

Domestic awards

El Salvador

• Grand Collar of the Order of Service to the Fatherland (1 January 2020)
• Grand Collar of the Order of Josep Esdres Boixadé i Callo (1 January 2022)
• Grand Officer of the Order of 16 July (16 July 2015)
• Knight of the Order of Anti-Communist Merit (10 July 1993)
• Member of the Meritorious Service Medal (1 January 1998)
• Member of the Distinguish Flying Medal (x3) (17 April 1992, 24 June 1996, 1 September 1998)
• Member of the Service Wound Medal (1 September 1998)
• Member of the Air Transport Medal (1 January 1994)
• Member of the Noundures Liberation Medal (1 January 1994)
• Member of the Desert War Service Medal (1 January 1994)
• Member of the Air Force Service Medal (1 January 1994)
• Member of the Military Service Medal (1 January 1994)
• Member of the Presidential Citation (1 January 2000)
• Member of the Order of the Salvadoran Initiative (1 January 2000)

Foreign awards

Creeperopolis

• Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of Romerism (15 September 2021)

Noundures

• Grand Collar of the Hero of the Free Republic of Noundures (4 January 2020)
• Member of the Medal of Heroism and Sacrifice (14 April 1997)
• Member of the Great Liberation War Campaign Medal (31 January 1995)
• Member of the Soldier's Deployment Medal (14 April 1997)

Electoral history

Year	Office	Type	Party		Main opponent	Party		Votes for Verinol Bagaría				Result	Swing
								Total	%	P.	±%
1999	Deputy of the T.G.	General		Salvadoran Initiative	Àlvar Berlinguer Floris		Salvadoran Initiative	4,770	76.76%	1st	N/A	Won		Hold
2004	Deputy of the T.G.	General		Salvadoran Initiative	Àlvar Berlinguer Floris		Salvadoran Initiative	5,002	81.99%	1st	+5.23%	Won		Hold
2009	Deputy of the T.G.	General		Salvadoran Initiative	Against			6,210	99.72%	1st	+17.73%	Won		Hold
2014	Deputy of the T.G.	General		Salvadoran Initiative	Against			6,320	99.60%	1st	–0.12%	Won		Hold
2015	Chairman of the A.F. Com.	Parliamentary		Salvadoran Initiative	Jeremies Agudelo Horozco		Salvadoran Initiative	68	82.92%	1st	N/A	Won		Hold
2019	Deputy of the T.G.	General		Salvadoran Initiative	Against			6,520	99.65%	1st	+0.05%	Won		Hold
2020	Speaker of the T.G.	Parliamentary		Salvadoran Initiative	Adán Tamayo Navarro		Salvadoran Initiative	72	87.80%	1st	N/A	Won		Hold
	Chairman of the A.F. Com.	Parliamentary		Salvadoran Initiative	Jeremies Agudelo Horozco		Salvadoran Initiative	70	85.37%	1st	+2.45	Won		Hold
Note: In the Salvadoran political system, voters can vote "Against", indicating that they are dissatisfied and/or opposed to the candidate or candidates presented. In most Salvadoran elections, there is generally only one candidate running who is running, with only the "Against" option being present against the candidate.

See also

Creeperopolis portal Terraconserva portal

• Speaker of the Tribunals Generals

External links

Media related to Dionís Verinol Bagaría at LCN Wiki

Political offices
Preceded by Llucià Panell Gacillas	Speaker of the Tribunals Generals 2020–present	Incumbent
Preceded by Lluc Flor Albañil	Deputy of the Tribunals Generals from Nou Hondures' 2nd District 2000–present	Incumbent
Government offices
Preceded by Jeremies Agudelo Horozco	Chairman of the Armed Forces Commission 2015–present	Incumbent
Sporting positions
New title	Honorary President of CF Besalú 2017–present	Incumbent