Carlos Roberto Flores

Carlos Flores
President of Honduras
In office 27 January 1998 – 27 January 2002
Preceded by	Carlos Roberto Reina
Succeeded by	Ricardo Maduro
President of the National Congress
In office 25 January 1994 – 25 January 1998
Preceded by	Rodolfo Irías Navas
Succeeded by	Rafael Pineda Ponce
Minister of the Presidency
In office 1982–1984
President	Roberto Suazo Córdova
Personal details
Born	Carlos Roberto Flores Facussé 10 March 1950 Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Political party	Liberal Party of Honduras
Spouse(s)	Mary Flake
Occupation	Politician, Businessman
Religion	Catholic

Carlos Roberto Flores Facussé (born 10 March 1950) was President of Honduras from 27 January 1998 to 27 January 2002 and President of the National Congress from 25 January 1994 to 25 January 1998.

Background

Flores Facussé is the son of Honduran journalist Oscar Flores Midence and Margarita Facussé de Flores, and is of Palestinian descent. He is the nephew of Miguel Facussé Barjum. His brother and sister, Oscar Flores and Celsa Flores, an artist, as well as himself attended the American School of Tegucigalpa. Mr. Flores furthered his education at Louisiana State University (LSU), where he graduated with a dual degree in industrial engineering and International Economics and Finance. He also became a member of Phi Iota Alpha.^[1] He met his future wife, Mary Flake, while at LSU.

Soon after completing his master's degree he returned to Honduras where he began managing the family business (the newspaper La Tribuna) and participating in private and public committees, including the Honduran Central Bank and the Institute of Social Security.

Political career

During the 1970s, Flores became involved in Honduran political life, joining the Liberal Party. He later became a congressman, representing the department (political division equivalent to a province) of Francisco Morazán. He served as Minister of the Presidency under the rule of Liberal president Roberto Suazo from 1982 to 1984.

In the Honduran general election, 1989 he ran for the presidency, eventually losing to his rival, Rafael Leonardo Callejas, the opposing candidate of the National Party.

In 1994, Flores became president of the National Congress, serving until 1998.

1997 Honduran general election

Flores won the Honduran general election, 1997, competing against Nora Melgar Castro, the opposing candidate of the National Party. He became president of Honduras from 1998-2002.

Presidency of Honduras

Carlos Flores with United States President Bill Clinton

During Carlos Flores' presidency, Honduras was struck by Hurricane Mitch, one of the worst natural disasters in decades. It caused thousands of deaths and left the national economy in shambles.

President Flores engaged in soliciting international aid from several financial institutions and countries. The response was strong, and funds were directed at reinforcing Honduras' infrastructure, and the agricultural and industrial economic sectors.

As recommended by the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, Flores imposed strict financial guidelines: deflationary monetary fund policies, fiscal austerity, and privatization of the airports and the national communications company Hondutel; the latter with mixed outcome.

He also limited the power held by the military forces, forcing this institution to relinquish some power to the presidency.

On 26 August 1998, Flores instituted the Ministry of Public Security under the provisions of the National Plan to combat crime and criminality. This was a response to the ominous growth of violent gangs, particularly the Mara Salvatrucha.

Government initiatives in this area did not produce significant results, and completely ignored murderous activity in the country, particularly the actions of a series of armed death squads that extrajudicially killed homeless children and adolescents living in the margins of society.^[2]

Reports from Human Rights Commission United Nations, the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras (CODEH) and other NGOs indicate that the casualties caused by such violence on children barely improved during the four years of Flores Presidency.

Footnotes

1. Byers, Paula Kay; Suzanne Michele Bourgoin (1998). Encyclopedia of World Biography. Farmington Hills, Michigan: Thomson Gale Publishing Company. ISBN 0-7876-2221-4.
2. Amnesty International. "Amnesty International 2000 Report - Honduras". Amnesty International 2000 Report - Honduras.

External links

• Extended biography of Carlos Roberto Flores at the Fundación CIDOB