STAMFORD — Saul Lopez is just an average Glenbrook resident in the city of Stamford. But in the small town of Monjas in Guatemala he has a different title: Mayor.

The 25-year resident of Stamford decided this year to try something drastic — running for mayor of his hometown of roughly 35,000 people. He did so hesitantly, knowing the challenges of living in a different city than the one he was seeking to oversee.

But in June, the 39-year-old surprisingly defeated two entrenched political parties that had controlled the local government for close to 30 years.

“We broke the chains in that moment,” he said, describing how he felt as he thwarted the two dominant parties. “We achieved it.”

Once he’s sworn in on Jan. 15, Lopez will move back to Monjas while his wife, three daughters and one son stay behind in Stamford. He said he plans to come back regularly to see his family during the four years of his term.

Getting to where he is has been a long and hard road for Lopez, who came to Stamford at the age of 12 in the early 1990s.

The young Lopez had the opportunity to go to city schools, but decided on his own to forego an education for the opportunity to work. He found odd jobs, including as a dishwasher in Stamford restaurants.

“We came from a town where you were working from the age of six or seven,” he said. “So, I wanted to work. I liked making my own money.”

As he got older, Lopez found a niche in the landscaping business. He eventually started Land Maintenance, which he still runs with his father and four brothers. His family will keep the business alive as Lopez serves his term.

Lopez knew the new job would be a major sacrifice, but he couldn’t say no to his hometown friends, who encouraged him to take on the challenge.

At first, however, he laughed it off.

“Candidate? Politician? Me?” he said, remembering his initial reaction.

But his friends insisted, believing he could lead the city.

Why did they choose him? Lopez doesn’t really know, but said he’s always wanted to help his fellow countrymen out and believes they saw in him someone with a good heart and good intentions.

He accepted, but with one condition.

“I wouldn’t do it as part of a political party, because I’m not a politician,” he said. “The only way I could represent them was by making the town independent from the politic system.”

So, he created a new party rooted in the community and called it the Comite Civico Monjeño, or Monjas Civic Committee.

During the campaign, he lived in the town for about three months, meeting residents and trying to persuade potential voters. His personable and down-to-earth demeanor helped him win over voters, many of whom were looking for a change.

His connections in Stamford and the surrounding area also helped him greatly, Lopez said.

According to the most recent census in 2010, there were 7,700 Guatemalans who called Stamford home, representing one of the 10 largest Guatemalan populations in the country. That figure has likely increased by a wide margin in the last decade. Lopez thinks Stamford’s current Guatemalan population is probably closer to 15,000.

His friend Lucas Romero, a Stamford resident from Peru who has served as a consultant to Lopez, said many local Guatemalans come from the Monjas region.

For Lopez, that connection helped him gain votes, as Monjeños living on the East Coast relayed their support for Lopez to family members and friends back home.

On election night, Lopez ended up with 4,200 votes. None of his opponents even reached 3,000 votes.

Now, his focus turns toward governing and implementing plans and projects to help his fellow countrymen.

One of his main missions will be improving drinking water in the community, a major health crisis in the entire country. The percentage of Guatemalans who have access to potable remains extremely low.

Monjas is no exception, Lopez said, as local rivers are contaminated.

He hopes to construct a new water processing plant to alleviate the problem.

Besides that, Lopez unveiled plans online to open a municipal pharmacy for low-income residents, as well as relocate the municipal dump since it’s currently close to schools, houses and the current water processing plant, which is only contributing to the poor water situation.

He also hopes to assist farmers in Monjas by creating opportunities for them to export their products. Currently, he said, they are limited to selling in local markets, which control prices. With a favorable climate that allows for growing all year, farmers in Monjas produce tomatoes, chili peppers, cucumbers, onions, sweet corn, green beans and green peas.

Lopez hopes that improving life for those in the town will encourage many to stay home and not search for a better life elsewhere.

“I’m sure that with these new opportunities, our friends and countrymen will not want to risk their lives coming here,” he said, referring to the United States border.

Accomplishing all of his goals will take money, however, which Lopez hopes to raise at least partially through his connections in Stamford and beyond.

He’s already met with Stamford Mayor David Martin and hopes to create a relationship between the two cities in the future.

In an emailed statement, Martin praised Lopez for his accomplishment.

“Stamford is fortunate to have people like Mr. Lopez living in our community,” he wrote. “I am confident that others will benefit from the experience he has had from living in Stamford.”

Lopez’ oldest daughter, Carmen Sofia, was so proud of her father, she wrote him a letter.

“He was not an Ivy League graduate at the top of his class but he did manage to start his own small business … hard work and determination does pay off eventually,” she wrote.

While Lopez abandoned his studies at an early age, he said he’d never tell his kids to do the same.

“I push them to keep studying so they can achieve what I wasn’t able to,” he said. ‘I don’t want them to let this opportunity pass them by.”

His studies came up during the campaign, as his opponents attacked him for his lack of formal education.

“I told my children, ‘Keep studying and become professionals so you don’t have to go through what I’m going through,’” Lopez said.

Carmen Sofia said saying goodbye to her father when he begins his term will be easier to accept because “he’s going with good intentions.”

“He’s going to help his community. … He’s making a sacrifice,” she said. “He’s an inspiration to me.”

ignacio.laguarda@hearstmediact.com