The rise of this elite began during the "Coffee Republic" era (1871–1927), following privatization reforms that abolished communal lands.

Death squads with names like Mano Blanca (White Hand) operate from the parking lots of oligarchic factories. Their victims are union organizers, literacy teachers, priests—anyone who whispers the word “land.” In 1980, assassins gunned down Archbishop Óscar Romero while he said mass. He had just written a letter to President Jimmy Carter begging him to stop military aid. The Fourteen’s allies in the military saw Romero as a threat.

By the early 20th century, coffee accounted for over 90% of El Salvador’s exports. Because coffee requires vast amounts of land to be profitable, ownership concentrated rapidly.