42 Facts About Manuel Zelaya

Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales was born on 20 September 1952 and is a Honduran politician who was President of Honduras from 27 January 2006 until his forcible removal in the 2009 coup d'etat, and who since January 2022 serves as the first First Gentleman of Honduras.

Manuel Zelaya is the eldest son of a wealthy businessman, and inherited his father's nickname "Mel".

Manuel Zelaya now represents Honduras as a deputy of the Central American Parliament.

Since January 1976 Manuel Zelaya has been married to Xiomara Castro, the current President of Honduras, elected in the 2021 general election.

Manuel Zelaya was born the eldest of four children in Juticalpa, Olancho.

Manuel Zelaya attended Nino Jesus de Praga y Luis Landa elementary school and the Instituto Salesiano San Miguel.

Manuel Zelaya began his university studies in civil engineering, but left in 1976 with 11 courses completed, for agriculture and the forestry sector.

Manuel Zelaya has engaged in business activities, including timber and cattle, handed down to him by his late father.

In 1987, Manuel Zelaya became manager of the Honduran Council of Private Enterprise, as well as of the National Association of Wood Processing Enterprises.

Manuel Zelaya's father got a 20-year prison sentence for his role in the 1975 Los Horcones massacre, which took place on the Manuel Zelaya family ranch, Los Horcones.

Manuel Zelaya joined the Liberal Party of Honduras, Partido Liberal de Honduras, in 1970 and became active a decade later.

Manuel Zelaya was a deputy in the National Congress for three consecutive times between 1985 and 1998.

Manuel Zelaya held many positions within the PLH and was Minister for Investment in charge of the Honduran Social Investment Fund in a previous PLH government.

On 22 July 2008, Manuel Zelaya sought to incorporate Honduras into ALBA, an international cooperation organization based on the idea of social, political, and economic integration in Latin America and the Caribbean.

On 24 May 2007, Manuel Zelaya ordered ten two-hour cadenas on all television and radio stations, "to counteract the misinformation of the news media".

The move, while legal, was fiercely criticized by the country's main journalists' union, and Manuel Zelaya was dubbed "authoritarian" by his opposition.

Manuel Zelaya appointed his nephew Marcelo Chimirri as General Manager of the state-owned telecom Hondutel.

Manuel Zelaya remains in prison on charges of abuse of authority and embezzlement, charges he denies.

President Manuel Zelaya came to international attention in June 2009 when he was overthrown in a military coup and forced into exile.

Manuel Zelaya proposed a national poll to gauge interest in constitutional change, which provoked a fierce reaction from opposition parties.

Manuel Zelaya denied that his motive was to stay in office, stating that he intended to step down in January 2010 as scheduled, noting that his successor would be elected at the same time the vote on whether to convene a constituent assembly would occur.

The Supreme Court's ruling was supported by Congress, the country's attorney general, top electoral body, and the country's human rights ombudsman, who all said that Manuel Zelaya violated the law.

In Honduras the military assists with election logistics; in late May 2009, Manuel Zelaya requested military help to distribute ballot boxes and other materials for the poll.

The Congress, the attorney general, and the top electoral tribunal declared Manuel Zelaya's proposed referendum illegal.

On 27 June and again on 30 June 2009, thousands of protesters opposed to Manuel Zelaya's impeachment marched through the capital city.

On 28 June 2009, the Supreme Court issued an order to detain President Manuel Zelaya, who was captured by the military.

Manuel Zelaya was then brought to the air force base Hernan Acosta Mejia, and taken into exile in Costa Rica, precipitating the 2009 Honduran constitutional crisis.

The decision to expatriate Manuel Zelaya was however taken by the military themselves, knowing full well that expatriation violated the constitution.

The military offered as justification that they exiled Manuel Zelaya "to avoid mob violence".

Manuel Zelaya identified the events as a coup and a kidnapping.

Manuel Zelaya announced that he would not recognize anyone named as his successor, and that he wanted to finish his term in office.

Manuel Zelaya stated that he would begin to meet with diplomats, and attended the Summit of Central American presidents held in Managua, Nicaragua, two days later.

Manuel Zelaya's wife, Xiomara Castro de Manuel Zelaya, charged that the exiling of her husband was a violation of the Honduran Constitution.

Manuel Zelaya said that to reach the embassy he travelled through mountains for fifteen hours, and took back roads to avoid checkpoints.

Manuel Zelaya did not state from which country he entered Honduras.

Michelletti initially denied that Manuel Zelaya had returned, but later admitted he had.

Shortly thereafter, Manuel Zelaya claimed that Israeli mercenaries had installed a mobile phone jammer.

On 29 October 2009, the government of "de facto" president Roberto Micheletti signed what United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called a "historic agreement" to let Manuel Zelaya serve the remaining three months of his term.

Barahona said it was time for Hondurans who support policies in favor of the poor and other themes that Manuel Zelaya espoused to shift their focus to the 2014 elections.

On 20 January 2010, the Dominican Republic and Honduran President-elect Lobo agreed to a deal that would allow Manuel Zelaya to be transported safely from the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa where he had been, to the Dominican Republic upon Lobo taking office on 27 January.

Manuel Zelaya left Honduras on 27 January 2010 for the Dominican Republic, along with his wife, two children, and President Fernandez of the Dominican Republic.

Manuel Zelaya gave a conciliatory speech that called for political reconciliation and increased democracy in the country.