Ricardo Maduro
Encyclopedia
Ricardo Rodolfo Maduro Joest (born 20 April 1946 in Panama
) is a former President of Honduras
and Bank of Honduras chairman. Maduro graduated from The Lawrenceville School (where he was awarded the Lawrenceville Medal, Lawrenceville's highest award to alumni) and later Stanford University
. He was President between 27 January 2002, and 27 January 2006, representing the National Party of Honduras
(PNH).
(maras), and immediately brought troops out on to the streets of the large cities to accompany the local police. The PNH held National Congress passed laws making illicit association a crime, which have seen hundreds of gang members put behind bars.
In October 2002, he married the Spaniard Aguas Santas Ocaña Navarro
, whom he met when she was a member of the Spanish Embassy in Honduras. Shortly after leaving office, Maduro and Ocaña filed for divorce. She consequently moved to Nicaragua with her adoptive children to direct a non-profit organization devoted to children. Maduro remained in Tegucigalpa. Maduro's eldest son is a United States citizen and lives in the U.S.
On 1 May 2005 the plane Maduro was traveling in crashed into the Caribbean Sea off the shore of Tela
. Maduro, his daughter Lorena, and the pilot were reportedly not seriously injured and were rescued by local residents. Maduro was taken to a hospital in Comayagua
to recover.
On 27 November 2005 Maduro presided over a new set of presidential and general elections
which saw the official party lose the presidency to the Liberal Party of Honduras
(PLH) and its candidate Manuel Zelaya
. Zelaya succeeded Maduro on 27 January 2006.
He currently serves as President of Inversiones la Paz in Tegucigalpa, and is active in the education organization he created in honor of his son, the Fundacion para la Educacion Ricardo Ernesto Maduro Andreu.
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
) is a former President of Honduras
President of Honduras
This page lists the Presidents of Honduras.Colonial Honduras declared its independence from Spain on 15 September 1821. From 5 January 1822 to 1 July 1823, Honduras was part of the First Mexican Empire of Agustín de Iturbide....
and Bank of Honduras chairman. Maduro graduated from The Lawrenceville School (where he was awarded the Lawrenceville Medal, Lawrenceville's highest award to alumni) and later Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. He was President between 27 January 2002, and 27 January 2006, representing the National Party of Honduras
National Party of Honduras
The National Party is a centre-right conservative political party in Honduras and the main right-wing political party in the country. Founded in 1902 the PNH is identified with the color blue as its rival the Liberal Party of Honduras , is red. All the democratic elections in Honduras have been...
(PNH).
Life and career
Maduro's first marriage to Miriam Andréu produced three daughters and a son, Ricardo Ernesto, who was kidnapped at age 25 on 23 April 1997. Ricardo Ernesto's body was discovered two days later. His death inspired Maduro to aspire to the presidency and gave him the popularity that allowed him to first register and then be elected as a presidential candidate, in spite of a constitutional ban on those not born in Honduras from becoming President. This constitutional ban created great controversy before the 2001 elections. Having been chosen as the PNH candidate, he was eventually allowed to stand. In his campaign he promised to tackle crime and the gangMara Salvatrucha
Mara Salvatrucha is a transnational criminal gang that originated in Los Angeles and has spread to other parts of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Central America. The majority of the gang is ethnically composed of Central Americans and active in urban and suburban areas...
(maras), and immediately brought troops out on to the streets of the large cities to accompany the local police. The PNH held National Congress passed laws making illicit association a crime, which have seen hundreds of gang members put behind bars.
In October 2002, he married the Spaniard Aguas Santas Ocaña Navarro
Aguas Santas Ocaña Navarro
Aguas Santas Ocaña Navarro was the first lady of Honduras. Aguas Santas, her double given name, means "holy waters" in Spanish.-Marriage and first lady:...
, whom he met when she was a member of the Spanish Embassy in Honduras. Shortly after leaving office, Maduro and Ocaña filed for divorce. She consequently moved to Nicaragua with her adoptive children to direct a non-profit organization devoted to children. Maduro remained in Tegucigalpa. Maduro's eldest son is a United States citizen and lives in the U.S.
On 1 May 2005 the plane Maduro was traveling in crashed into the Caribbean Sea off the shore of Tela
Tela
Tela is a town in Honduras on the northern Caribbean coast. It is located in the department of Atlantida.-History:Tela was founded by the Spanish conquistador Cristóbal de Olid on 3 May 1524 near an indigenous town named Tehuacán, ruled by a cacique named Cucumba which had a very good source of...
. Maduro, his daughter Lorena, and the pilot were reportedly not seriously injured and were rescued by local residents. Maduro was taken to a hospital in Comayagua
Comayagua
Comayagua is a city in Honduras, some 80 km northwest of Tegucigalpa on the highway to San Pedro Sula at an elevation of 594 meters above sea level. In 2003 the estimated population was 60,000 people. It is the capital of the Comayagua department of Honduras. The city is noted for its wealth...
to recover.
On 27 November 2005 Maduro presided over a new set of presidential and general elections
Honduran general election, 2005
General elections were held in Honduras to elect the President of Honduras, Vice-President, and deputies to the National Congress of Honduras on 27 November, 2005. For the 2005 election the constitution was amended to create a single vice-president...
which saw the official party lose the presidency to the Liberal Party of Honduras
Liberal Party of Honduras
The Liberal Party of Honduras is a centre-left liberal political party in Honduras that was founded in 1891. The party is a member of the Liberal International...
(PLH) and its candidate Manuel Zelaya
Manuel Zelaya
José Manuel Zelaya Rosales is a politician who was President of Honduras from January 27, 2006 until June 28, 2009. The eldest son of a wealthy businessman, he inherited his father's nickname "Mel," and, before entering politics, was involved in his family's logging and timber businesses.Elected...
. Zelaya succeeded Maduro on 27 January 2006.
He currently serves as President of Inversiones la Paz in Tegucigalpa, and is active in the education organization he created in honor of his son, the Fundacion para la Educacion Ricardo Ernesto Maduro Andreu.
See also
- History of HondurasHistory of HondurasHonduras was already occupied by many indigenous peoples when the Spanish arrived in the 16th century. The western-central part of Honduras was inhabited by the Lencas, the central north coast by the Tol, the area east of Trujillo by the Pech and the Miskito and Sumo...
External links
- Biography at the Permanent Mission of the United Nations website.