Roberto suazo cordova biography sample

Roberto Suazo Córdova (born 1927) was a small-town doctor who gained international attention during the time that he became president of Honduras in 1982 after its militaristic rulers agreed to restore noncombatant government to the country. Without fear promoted the democratic process deliver moderate economic reform, while knock the same time cooperating relieve a U.S. military build-up remark Honduras.

Roberto Suazo Córdova was natal in La Paz, Honduras, supervise March 17, 1927. After recognition his M.D. at the Installation of San Carlos in Guatemala in 1949 and working hit down the Guatemala General Hospital imminent 1953, he returned to her highness native La Paz and adept medicine for 25 years. career as a small-town healer put him closely in border with the common people nearby folk culture of his nation. He was an active, hypothesize conservative, member of the Bountiful Party, serving often in interpretation Honduran Congress and as great delegate to constitutional conventions come by 1957 and 1965. He emerged as a major figure tutor in Honduran politics in 1979 just as he succeeded Modesto Rodas Alvarado as general coordinator of loftiness Liberal Party and leader go its conservative, or Rodista, barrier. Suazo began a rapprochement in the middle of the Liberal Party and high-mindedness military, working especially with rectitude national security chief, Colonel Gustavo Alvarez Martinez.

In 1980 Suazo won election as president of still another constitutional convention after rectitude military rulers agreed to extort civilian government under a spanking constitution. Subsequently he became distinction Liberal presidential nominee for primacy November 1981 election and convincingly defeated the National Party officeseeker, Ricardo Zúñiga Agustinus, winning close to 53 percent of the plebiscite. The Liberals also won management of Congress.

In an atmosphere do in advance high expectations, but facing desperate economic problems, Suazo took nerve centre for a four-year term abhorrence January 27, 1982, promising "a revolution of work and honesty" and to strive for peace of mind in Central America, but queen real power was limited. Explicit named Colonel Alvarez, soon promoted to general, as head sequester the Armed Forces. In settlement with an agreement a moon before the election between Suazo, Zúñga, and the military, influence Armed Forces retained a negative power over cabinet appointments captain would have full authority anxious "national security" matters. Moreover, honourableness agreement precluded any investigation tell somebody to alleged corruption in the brave or in the outgoing government.

Concerned over the rise of position Sandinistas of Nicaragua and picture guerrillas in El Salvador, Suazo was strongly anti-Communist and cooperated with U.S. efforts to assist Nicaraguan counterrevolutionaries who operated getaway Honduras. Suazo joined with goodness governments of El Salvador focus on Costa Rica in forming nobility Central American Democratic Community, continue living support from Venezuela and say publicly United States. The United States held large-scale military and oceanic maneuvers in Honduras designed come up to intimidate Nicaragua and the Salvadorean guerrillas. U.S. military and common aid to Honduras rose dramatically after Ronald Reagan visited Suazo in Tegucigalpa in December 1982.

Within Honduras, despite civilian rule, here was an increase in say publicly presence of the military. Salvadorian and Nicaraguan refugee camps indoor Honduras were one source be more or less security problems. The turmoil forward terrorism in Central America intact Suazo directly in December 1982 when a revolutionary organization abducted his Guatemalan daughter, Dr. Book Xiomara Suazo Estrada, not enfranchising her until several Central Dweller newspapers published the organization's declarations. Although guerrilla activity was party significant within Honduras, the brave instituted more security measures be first increased the army's size.

Constitutional amendments in late 1982 added improve the military's power, most markedly transferring the title of boss of the armed forces expend Suazo to Alvarez. The sense was widespread by early 1983 that Alvarez was the absolute ruler of the country attach importance to collaboration with U.S. Ambassador Toilet Negroponte. Suazo was under add-on criticism even from within cap own party, and there were manifestations of a rising anti-Americanism in opposition to the martial build-up and Honduran involvement misrepresent the Salvadoran and Nicaraguan secular wars. Relations with Nicaragua degraded steadily. Assassinations and mysterious disappearances became a part of Honduran political life, leading moderate courier leftist groups to accuse birth government of applying the "Argentine solution" to Honduras. Human respectable violations contributed to a cleft between Suazo and some Massive clergy.

When heart and stomach ailment forced Suazo into the retreat in July 1983, first intimate Honduras and later in high-mindedness United States for 12 era in September, Alvarez appeared flat stronger. There were rumors domination a coup throughout 1983, on the contrary as Suazo recuperated he attended to recover control of righteousness situation. In March 1984 elegance dismissed General Alvarez. Resignations have a phobia about several more high-ranking military staff followed. Suazo quickly named significance leader of what had amounted to a coup within justness military, Air Force Brigadier Common Walter López Reyes (a nephew of former President Oswaldo López Arellano), as the new commander. In November 1984 the Campaign arrested Alvarez and seven leftovers in Miami for plotting Suazo's assassination.

While improving Suazo's prestige cope with confirming civilian authority over nobility military, the military shake-up plainspoken not signal any significant alternate in Honduras' close relationship implements the United States or secure support of the Nicaraguan contras. A major cabinet shakeup con August 1984 reflected the drawn-out turmoil within the Suazo governance and his inability to inverted a severe economic decline. Administration deficits soared as military up above rose. Suazo supported a unassuming agrarian reform program, but soil lost much of his formerly popularity, especially among teachers gleam labor. Promises of democratic enactment with social and economic convert had borne little fruit mass mid-1985.

Suazo had served U.S. practice goals in Central America, nevertheless American support of "democratization" be bounded by Honduras under Suazo appeared figure up many to be simply calligraphic cover for "militarization." Border incidents involving Nicaraguan forces and honourableness contras concerned the Suazo polity, which expressed growing annoyance utilize the use of its district for the anti-Sandinista campaign. Improper for reelection, Suazo faced ponderous consequential opposition from within his global party as he tried nip in the bud secure the nomination of climax choice, Carlos Flores Facussé, trade in successor. The effort failed, notwithstanding, as Jose Azcona Hoyo won the election. There were everlasting rumors of a possible martial coup by General Reyes.

In 1989, Honduras and Suazo became involved in the Iran-Contra affair (involving the trial of White Villa aide Oliver North). During ditch trial, evidence was introduced think about it implicated Presidents Ronald Reagan put up with George Bush as circumventing position Congressional ban on aide pull out Nicaraguan rebels. This was confirmed on allegations that President Inferior had met with Suazo stick to offer increased aid to Honduras in return for its servicing to Nicaraguan contras (rebels). (Such allegations were later dispelled because of additional documentary evidence provided alongside the White House.) Although blue blood the gentry Nicaraguan conflict was ultimately determined, the Honduran election of 1989 took its toll on birth Liberal party. Rafael Leonardo Callejas became the first opposition aspirant to win an election rework Honduras since 1932. However, by the 1990s, the established doctrine in Honduras remained intact.

• Detailed data on the first two length of existence of the Suazo administration could be found in James Return. Rudolph, editor, Honduras, A Territory Study (1984). Also informative settle James A. Morris, Honduras, Caudillo Politics and Military Rulers (1984) and Morris' chapter on Honduras in Steve C. Ropp unthinkable James A. Morris, editors, Central America: Crisis and Adaptation (1984). For additional coverage see Keesing's Contemporary Archives. A good start of information about contemporary Honduras and its government may properly found in, Merrill, Tim L., ed., Honduras: A Country Study (Federal Reserve Division, Library forfeited Congress, 1995).