Roberto Micheletti facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Roberto Micheletti
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| 36th President of Honduras |
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| In office June 28, 2009 – January 27, 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Manuel Zelaya |
| Succeeded by | Porfirio Lobo Sosa |
| President of the National Congress | |
| In office January 25, 2006 – June 28, 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Porfirio Lobo Sosa |
| Succeeded by | José Alfredo Saavedra (Acting) |
| Deputy of the Yoro Department | |
| In office January 25, 1982 – January 26, 2006 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Roberto Micheletti Baín
August 13, 1943 El Progreso, Yoro, Honduras |
| Political party | Liberal Party |
| Spouse | Siomara Girón |
| Children | 3 |
| Profession | Businessperson |
Roberto Micheletti Baín (born August 13, 1943) is a Honduran politician. He served as the interim, or temporary, 36th president of Honduras from June 28, 2009, to January 27, 2010. This happened after a major political event in Honduras in 2009.
During this time, the Honduran military removed President Manuel Zelaya from office. The country's National Congress then named Micheletti as the new president. He was next in line for the presidency according to the constitution. However, many countries and international groups did not officially recognize him as president.
Before becoming president, Micheletti was the leader of Honduras' National Congress. He had been a member of Congress since 1982. He is a member of the Liberal Party of Honduras.
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Early Life and Family
Roberto Micheletti was born on August 13, 1943. His birthplace was El Progreso, in the Yoro Department of Honduras. He was the eighth of nine children in his family.
His father, Umberto Micheletti, came from Italy. His mother, Donatella Bain Moya, was also born in El Progreso. Roberto Micheletti is married to Siomara Girón. They have three children together.
Political Journey
Micheletti's political journey began early. In 1963, he was part of the honor guard for President Ramón Villeda Morales. When the military removed President Villeda, Micheletti was arrested and jailed for 27 days.
In 1973, he moved to the United States. He lived in Tampa, Florida, and then in New Orleans, Louisiana, for two years. He returned to Honduras in 1976. While in the U.S., he finished high school and started his own business.
Serving in Congress
In 1982, Micheletti won a seat in the Honduran Congress. He held this position until June 2009. For a short time, he also managed Hondutel, which is Honduras' national telephone company.
In 1985, Micheletti was part of a group that wanted to change the National Congress into a special assembly. This idea was meant to let the president at the time, Roberto Suazo Córdova, run for re-election. However, most members of Congress did not support this idea, so it was dropped.
Micheletti tried twice to become his party's candidate for president. Both times, he did not win the internal election. The last time was in 2008, when Elvin Santos won the nomination for the 2009 presidential election.
Leading the National Congress
Micheletti served as the President of the National Congress of Honduras from January 25, 2006, to June 28, 2009. Even though he and Manuel Zelaya were from the same political party, they had disagreements before the political events of 2009.
Interim President of Honduras (2009-2010)
On June 28, 2009, the military arrested President Manuel Zelaya and sent him to Costa Rica. This happened after the Supreme Court had issued an arrest warrant for him.
After this, the National Congress of Honduras announced that President Zelaya had resigned. Zelaya later said he had not written any resignation letter. The Congress then voted to remove Zelaya from his position. They named Roberto Micheletti, who was the head of Congress, to finish the presidential term. This term was set to end on January 27, 2010.
The Honduran constitution stated that if the president was removed, the head of Congress would become the temporary head of state. This was because the Vice President, Elvin Ernesto Santos, had already resigned.
During Micheletti's time in office, there were protests both for and against his government. His government was supported by groups like the Unión Cívica Democrática. However, it was opposed by a group called the "Resistance."
Most international leaders did not support Micheletti's government. Many countries, including the United States and the European Union, condemned the removal of President Zelaya. They called for Zelaya to be returned to power. The Organization of American States (OAS) also stated it would only recognize Manuel Zelaya's government.
The President of Costa Rica, Óscar Arias, tried to help find a peaceful solution. He suggested a plan that included a unity government. Zelaya wanted to become president again, but Micheletti's group did not agree to this main point.
On July 27, 2009, Roberto Micheletti wrote a letter to the Wall Street Journal. In it, he explained why the Honduran government believed Zelaya's removal was justified. He said that the Supreme Court and most of Congress supported the decision. He also stated that it was not a "military coup" because the military was following orders from a civilian court.
In 2010, the U.S. Department of State released a report on human rights. It stated that on June 28, the military removed President Zelaya. It also noted that Micheletti became the leader of a temporary government. The report mentioned that there were some human rights concerns during this period.
An opinion poll taken in October 2009 showed that 48% of Hondurans thought Micheletti's performance was good or excellent. 50% thought it was bad or poor.
The 2009 Honduran general election happened as planned on November 29. Porfirio Lobo Sosa won the election and became president on January 27, 2010. He took over from Micheletti.
Special Status in Congress
In January 2010, the Honduran Congress gave Micheletti the special status of "legislator for life." This means he holds a permanent position in Congress. However, this status does not protect him from being charged with crimes.
Attack on His Daughter
On November 5, 2013, one of Micheletti's daughters was shot at while driving. She was not seriously hurt. She was with her driver and armed guards at the time.
See also
In Spanish: Roberto Micheletti para niños
- Adolfo Facussé, a well-known Honduran businessman who supported Roberto Micheletti.
Images for kids
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Roberto Micheletti
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A demonstrator enthusiastically supports Micheletti.
