Carlos Roberto Reina
Encyclopedia
Carlos Roberto Reina Idiáquez (March 13, 1926 - August 19, 2003) was a politician of the Liberal Party of Honduras
, and President
of Honduras
from January 27, 1994 to January 27, 1998.
He was born in the city of Comayagüela
, Honduras
. His wife, Bessy Watson, was an American citizen with whom he had two daughters. He completed university studies in the National Autonomous University of Honduras
where he earned a bachelor's degree
in Juridical and Social Sciences
. Later, Reina continued his postgraduate studies in the cities of London and Paris.
Throughout his long political career Reina held a number of political governmental and international jobs, including judge in the court of Tegucigalpa, peace member of the international court of The Hague
, Ambassador of Honduras
to France, and president of the Central Executive Council (CCE) of the Liberal Party
, among other important positions.
Reina was arrested several times for his political activities in opposition to the military governments during his younger years. The first time was in 1944 for protesting against dictator Tiburcio Carías
. Later in the 1960s he was sent to prison twice by General
Oswaldo López
, who had taken over the Honduran government through the use of military force. This led Reina to become a fierce defender of human rights
throughout the rest of his life. In 1979 he was nominated president of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights of the Organization of American States
.
Reina's socialist sympathies led him to develop a close friendship with Cuban dictator Fidel Castro
, which motivated him to travel to Cuba
often.
(PLH, Partido liberal de Honduras), after defeating Oswaldo Ramos, the candidate of the National Party of Honduras
with 56 % of the vote. He was accompanied by his vice presidential candidate: retired General Walter López, the politician Juan de la Cruz Avelar and the lady Guadalupe Jerezano Mejía.
On January 27, 1994 Reina replaced president Rafael Leonardo Callejas. Reina inherited a relatively difficult economic situation from the existing nationalist administration. Foreign debt weighed heavily on the economy of the country: debt service represented 40% of Honduran exports. Even though approximately 700 million dollars were condoned to Honduras
, the debt 'was' still higher than that it had been at the beginnings of 1990.
In his first presidential speech Reina launched his moral
revolution
: " I pledge my word of honor before God, before the people and before history, that we will go forward in this enterprise that we have imposed upon ourselves. We will defeat corruption; we will give currency to social liberalism. We will see the moral revolution to its end." The issue of whether his plan was a success or a failure is still highly controversial.
One of Carlos Roberto Reina's main objectives during his government was the reform of the Armed Forces
. His reforms were mostly realized by the end of his first year in office. The first one was the total transfer of all power in hands of military men to civilian authorities, followed by the abolition of compulsory military service in the country. These and other reforms to the military are also controversial to the ruling elites, they believed it fomented gangs, by eliminating a source of employment and education for young men.
(Parlacén), where he remained until October 28, 1999. Finally on August 19, 2003, Carlos Roberto Reina committed suicide from a gunshot at the age of 77. It is presumed that his suicide was the result of an unbearable disease, from which the ex-president had been suffering for some time
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...
, and President
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....
of Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
from January 27, 1994 to January 27, 1998.
He was born in the city of Comayagüela
Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa , and commonly referred as Tegus , is the capital of Honduras and seat of government of the Republic, along with its twin sister Comayagüela. Founded on September 29, 1578 by the Spanish, it became the country's capital on October 30, 1880 under President Marco Aurelio Soto...
, Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
. His wife, Bessy Watson, was an American citizen with whom he had two daughters. He completed university studies in the National Autonomous University of Honduras
National Autonomous University of Honduras
The National Autonomous University of Honduras is the national public university of Honduras. It was founded in 1847 and has many campuses throughout the country.-Autonomy:...
where he earned a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in Juridical and Social Sciences
Social sciences
Social science is the field of study concerned with society. "Social science" is commonly used as an umbrella term to refer to a plurality of fields outside of the natural sciences usually exclusive of the administrative or managerial sciences...
. Later, Reina continued his postgraduate studies in the cities of London and Paris.
Throughout his long political career Reina held a number of political governmental and international jobs, including judge in the court of Tegucigalpa, peace member of the international court of The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, Ambassador of Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
to France, and president of the Central Executive Council (CCE) of the Liberal Party
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...
, among other important positions.
Reina was arrested several times for his political activities in opposition to the military governments during his younger years. The first time was in 1944 for protesting against dictator Tiburcio Carías
Tiburcio Carías Andino
Tiburcio Carías Andino was a Honduran military man with a reputation as a strongman. He founded the National Party of Honduras in 1918, and was President of Honduras twice with the first term beginning in April 1924....
. Later in the 1960s he was sent to prison twice by General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Oswaldo López
Oswaldo López Arellano
Oswaldo Enrique López Arellano was a two-time President of Honduras, first from 1963 to 1971 and again from 1972 to 1975. He gained power both times via military force....
, who had taken over the Honduran government through the use of military force. This led Reina to become a fierce defender of human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
throughout the rest of his life. In 1979 he was nominated president of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights of the Organization of American States
Organization of American States
The Organization of American States is a regional international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States...
.
Reina's socialist sympathies led him to develop a close friendship with Cuban dictator Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
, which motivated him to travel to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
often.
President
Carlos Reina became president in November 1993, with the Liberal Party of HondurasLiberal 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, Partido liberal de Honduras), after defeating Oswaldo Ramos, the candidate of 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...
with 56 % of the vote. He was accompanied by his vice presidential candidate: retired General Walter López, the politician Juan de la Cruz Avelar and the lady Guadalupe Jerezano Mejía.
On January 27, 1994 Reina replaced president Rafael Leonardo Callejas. Reina inherited a relatively difficult economic situation from the existing nationalist administration. Foreign debt weighed heavily on the economy of the country: debt service represented 40% of Honduran exports. Even though approximately 700 million dollars were condoned to Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
, the debt 'was' still higher than that it had been at the beginnings of 1990.
In his first presidential speech Reina launched his moral
Moral
A moral is a message conveyed or a lesson to be learned from a story or event. The moral may be left to the hearer, reader or viewer to determine for themselves, or may be explicitly encapsulated in a maxim...
revolution
Revolution
A revolution is a fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time.Aristotle described two types of political revolution:...
: " I pledge my word of honor before God, before the people and before history, that we will go forward in this enterprise that we have imposed upon ourselves. We will defeat corruption; we will give currency to social liberalism. We will see the moral revolution to its end." The issue of whether his plan was a success or a failure is still highly controversial.
One of Carlos Roberto Reina's main objectives during his government was the reform of the Armed Forces
Armed Forces
Armed Forces is Elvis Costello's third album, his second with the Attractions, and the first to officially credit the Attractions on the cover. It was released in the UK by Radar Records and in the U.S. by Columbia in 1979...
. His reforms were mostly realized by the end of his first year in office. The first one was the total transfer of all power in hands of military men to civilian authorities, followed by the abolition of compulsory military service in the country. These and other reforms to the military are also controversial to the ruling elites, they believed it fomented gangs, by eliminating a source of employment and education for young men.
Reina's death
Carlos Roberto Reina finished his presidency on January 27, 1998. Later, in October 1998, Reina began his period as president of the Central American ParliamentCentral American Parliament
The Central American Parliament , also known as PARLACEN is a political institution devoted to the integration of the Central American countries. Its headquarters are in Guatemala City....
(Parlacén), where he remained until October 28, 1999. Finally on August 19, 2003, Carlos Roberto Reina committed suicide from a gunshot at the age of 77. It is presumed that his suicide was the result of an unbearable disease, from which the ex-president had been suffering for some time
External links
- Biography at CIDOB Foundation (Spanish)
- Posas, Mario.(1994),'Reina: "No prometo ríos de leche y miel."' www.envio.org http://www.envio.org.ni/articulo/833
- Fernandez Gomez, Cristina. (1997), 'Flores, del Partido Liberal, triunfa en los comicios hondureños.' www.elmundo.es http://www.elmundo.es/1997/12/02/internacional/02N0048.html