A question of United Central America department divisions

I am working on a map of an alternate Greater Republic of Central America and am stuck between two ideas. I could simply have the republic consist of three divisions [El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras] or I could have the departments of those regions be the divisions.

I simply need advice on which would be more realistic.
 
In Central America it was Guatemala that was the political center of what was the Captaincy General of Guatemala.

One possible divergence point is that instead of Central America annexing itself to Mexico as they did after their independence they could have stayed independent which would result in a smaller Mexico.

There was a Guatemalan attempt to reunite the Central American republic by liberal President Justo Rufino Barrios "El Reformador" (the reformer), that ended with his murky death in the battle of Chalcuapa in El Salvador.

There is quite a bit of uncertainty as to where the bullet that killed him came from. There are some claims that he was shot in the back. Given that he had made enough enemies within and outside Guatemala it may well have been a succesful assassination.

If he had not died and had succeeded in his reunification attempt by defeating both the Salvadoran and Honduran forces he would have had to deal with president Porfirio Diaz of Mexico. Who was planning on invading Guatemala because he was worried by the potential threat the growing power that a Central America unified by Justo Rufino Barrios would represent.
 
You could have new large provinces. With it you can defuse political rivalries or keep them divided or promote them.

My take:

For Nicaragua
*East Nicaragua or Pacific. - OTL depts North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region and South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region
*Leon (around the city of Leon) - OTL depts León Department, Estelí, Chinandega, Madriz, Nueva Segovia,
*Managua (the area of MAnagua including the shores of the Lake) - OTL depts Río San Juan, Rivas, Masaya, Managua, Carazo
*Matagalpa - the rest of the depts not included above.

For El Salvador
*West-Central (Occidental) San Salvador (OTL depts from La Paz, Cuscatlán, Libertad and all the depts. to the west)
*East. Capital San Miguel. (OTL depts from San Vicente to La Union)
*Ïnterior - OTL depts of Chalatenango, Cabañas and Morazan and the northern tip of San Miguel

For Honduras:
*Caribe: OTL depts Colon, Olancho and Gracias de Dios
*Montañas (Mountains) Capital Tegucigalpa: OTL depts of El Paraiso, Choluteca, Valle, Francisco Morazan, La Paz, Comayagua
*Occidente (West) Capital San Pedro Sula: OTL depts Atlantida, Cortes, Santa Barbara, and the rest not included.
 
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