Policarpo Bonilla facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Policarpo Bonilla
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| President of Honduras | |
| In office 1 February 1895 – 1 February 1899 |
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| Vice President | Manuel Bonilla |
| Preceded by | Domingo Vásquez |
| Succeeded by | Terencio Sierra |
| Dictator of Honduras | |
| In office 22 February 1894 – 1 February 1895 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 March 1858 Tegucigalpa |
| Died | 11 September 1926 (aged 68) New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Political party | Liberal Party of Honduras |
José Policarpo Bonilla Vasquez (1858–1926) was an important leader in Honduras. He first served as a leader with special powers (sometimes called a Dictator) from 1894 to 1895. After that, he was elected as the President and served from 1895 to 1899.
Contents
Life and Early Career
Policarpo Bonilla was born on March 17, 1858, in Tegucigalpa, which is the capital city of Honduras. His parents were Inocencio Bonilla and Juana Vasquez.
Becoming a Lawyer and Government Work
He studied hard and became a lawyer on March 17, 1878. After becoming a lawyer, he worked in the government of Marco Aurelio Soto, another important leader in Honduras.
Starting a Newspaper and a Political Party
Policarpo Bonilla was also interested in sharing information with the public. On October 31, 1890, he started his own newspaper called "El Bien Publico," which means "The Public Good." In February 1891, he helped create the Liberal Party of Honduras, a major political group in the country.
Rise to Power
In November 1891, Bonilla ran for president in the presidential elections, but he did not win that time.
Leading an Invasion
In December 1893, Policarpo Bonilla led a group of armed forces. They entered Honduras from Nicaragua, with help from Nicaragua's president, José Santos Zelaya. On December 24, he set up a new government in a place called Los Amates. The very next day, President Zelaya of Nicaragua officially recognized this new government.
Taking the Capital City
After several weeks of fighting, Bonilla's forces successfully took control of the capital city, Tegucigalpa, on February 22, 1894. Once the capital was secured, he was named president.
Presidency and New Constitution
As president, Policarpo Bonilla made important changes for Honduras.
Creating a New Constitution
In April 1894, Bonilla called for special elections to choose people for a Constituent Assembly. This assembly met on July 1 and worked on writing a brand new constitution for Honduras. A constitution is a set of rules that a country is governed by.
Key Changes in the New Constitution
The new constitution was officially put into effect on October 14. It included some important rules:
- It said that presidents could not run for re-election right after their term ended. This meant they could only serve one term at a time.
- It also allowed people to directly elect judges for the Supreme Court.
Election and End of Term
In the presidential elections held in December, Policarpo Bonilla was officially elected president. He won with a very high percentage of the votes. He served his full term as president until February 1, 1899. After his term ended, Terencio Sierra became the next president, winning the 1898 elections.
Later Life and Legacy
After his time as president, Policarpo Bonilla continued to be involved in public service.
Serving in Congress and as Governor
He became a representative in the National Congress, which is like the country's parliament. He also served as the governor of Tegucigalpa.
A Hero for Honduras
A writer named Rafael Heliodoro Valle described Policarpo Bonilla as "the hero who, by transforming Honduras, gave it a new conscience." This means Bonilla was seen as someone who brought big, positive changes to the country.
International Role
In 1919, Policarpo Bonilla represented Honduras at the Peace Conference of Versailles. This was a very important meeting where world leaders discussed peace after World War I.
Final Years and Party Unity
Policarpo Bonilla ran for president again in the 1924 elections. This caused some disagreements within the Liberal Party. He passed away in 1926. After his death, the Liberal Party came back together and chose Vicente Mejía Colindres as their candidate. Colindres then won the 1928 elections.
See also
- You can find more about Policarpo Bonilla in Spanish here: Policarpo Bonilla para niños
