Carlos Roberto Flores facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carlos Flores
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| 33rd President of Honduras | |
| In office January 27, 1998 – January 27, 2002 |
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| Vice President |
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| Preceded by | Carlos Roberto Reina |
| Succeeded by | Ricardo Maduro |
| President of the National Congress | |
| In office January 25, 1994 – January 25, 1998 |
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| Preceded by | Rodolfo Irías Navas |
| Succeeded by | Rafael Pineda Ponce |
| Minister of the Presidency | |
| In office 1982–1984 |
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| President | Roberto Suazo Córdova |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Carlos Roberto Flores Facussé
March 10, 1950 Tegucigalpa, Honduras |
| Political party | Liberal Party of Honduras |
| Spouse | Mary Flake de Flores |
| Occupation | Politician, businessman |
Carlos Roberto Flores Facussé (born March 10, 1950) is a Honduran politician and businessman. He served as the 33rd President of Honduras from 1998 to 2002. Before becoming president, Flores was a key member of the Liberal Party. He also led the National Congress from 1994 to 1998.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Carlos Flores Facussé was born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. His father, Oscar Flores Midence, was a well-known Honduran journalist. His mother was Margarita Facussé de Flores. His family has Palestinian roots.
Carlos and his siblings, Oscar and Celsa, went to the American School of Tegucigalpa. After high school, he studied at Louisiana State University in the United States. He earned two degrees there: one in industrial engineering and another in international economics and finance.
After finishing his studies, Flores returned to Honduras. He started managing his family's newspaper, La Tribuna. He also joined various private and public groups, including the Honduran Central Bank.
Political Journey
In the 1970s, Carlos Flores became active in Honduran politics. He joined the Liberal Party. He was elected as a congressman for the department of Francisco Morazán. A department is like a province or state.
From 1982 to 1984, he served as the Minister of the Presidency. This was during the time when Roberto Suazo Córdova was president.
In 1989, Flores ran for president of Honduras. However, he lost the election to Rafael Leonardo Callejas. Callejas was the candidate from the National Party.
Leading the National Congress
In 1994, Carlos Flores was chosen to be the president of the National Congress. He held this important position until 1998.
Winning the Presidency
Carlos Flores ran for president again in the 1997 Honduran general election. This time, he won the election. He defeated Nora Melgar Castro, who was the candidate for the National Party. He officially became president of Honduras in January 1998.
President of Honduras (1998-2002)
During Carlos Flores' time as president, Honduras faced a huge challenge. In 1998, Hurricane Mitch hit the country. It was one of the worst natural disasters in many years. The hurricane caused thousands of deaths and badly damaged the country's economy.
President Flores asked for help from other countries and international groups. Many countries and organizations responded with strong support. The money and aid were used to rebuild Honduras' roads, bridges, and other important structures. It also helped the farming and business parts of the economy.
To help the economy recover, President Flores followed advice from groups like the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. He put in place strict financial rules. These included managing money carefully and selling some government-owned companies. For example, the airports and the national phone company, Hondutel, were privatized.
President Flores also worked to change the role of the military. He limited some of their powers and gave more control to the presidency.
In 1998, he created the Ministry of Public Security. This was part of a plan to fight crime in the country. The government wanted to deal with the rise of violent groups, like the Mara Salvatrucha. While these efforts were made, reports from human rights groups showed that violence against vulnerable young people remained a serious concern during his presidency.
Personal Life
Carlos Flores is married to Mary Flake de Flores. They met when they were both students at Louisiana State University. Their daughter, Mary Elizabeth Flores Flake, is a diplomat. She represents Honduras at the United Nations.
Images for kids
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Carlos Flores Facussé
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President Carlos Flores with U.S. President Bill Clinton
See also
In Spanish: Carlos Flores Facussé para niños
