Events - Honduras

2009, Zelaya was deposed in a coup.

2007, President Zelaya made an official visit to Cuba. This resulted in a break of relations between Honduras and the USA.

2006, Manuel Zelaya, Liberal Party, won the Presidency in a bitterly-contested election. His opponent, Porfirio Lobo Sosa, had promised to restore the death penalty for convicted gang members.

1999, The Garifuna Amerindians and the English speaking Garifuna (Black) population jointly resisted a Constitutional Amendment allowing foreigners to buy land on the Caribbean coast, which was traditionally their communal lands.

1999, Honduras cememted its return to civilian rule by appointing a non-military Defence Minister.

1998, Honduras was devastated by Hurricane Mitch.3,600 people died and US$ 3 billion damage was done.

1995, The Honduran military denied human rights abuses charges.

1988, 12,000 Contra rebels entered Honduras, having been expelled by Nicaragua.

1984, Democracy returned to Honduras.

1980, The Liberal Party won elections,but General Gustavo Alvarez retained the real power. Trades Unionists were areested, and death squads operated; the military held joint manoeuvres with the USA.

30 October 1980, Honduras and El Salvador formally settled their boundary dispute.

22 April 1975, Oswaldo L�pez Arellano was removed from office as President of Honduras by order of the nation's high military council.

19 September 1974, Hurricane Fifi killed 8,000 in Honduras.

14 July 1969, Outbreak of the �Football War� between El Salvador and Honduras; hostilities lasted until 18 July 1969, and a ceasefire was negotiated on 20 July 1969 by the Organisation of American States. In 1969 wealthy landowners controlled most of the land in El Salvador, which resulted in the migration of many poor El Salvadoran labourers into Honduras, causing social tensions there. In 1969 Honduras decided to distribute land to its own poor, thereby evicting the Salvadoran migrants. El Salvador became concerned that the returning peasants would spark demands for land reform there too, Tensions between the two countries rose during the qualifying matches for the 1970 FIFA World Cup, Salvadoran troops attacked into Honduras. The troops were withdrawn in early August 1969, but a full peace treaty was not signed between the two combatants until 30 October 1980. The border essentially remained where it had been before the war. Both sides suffered around 2,000 casualties each.

3 October 1963, A further military coup in Honduras. Morales was deposed a second time. Colonel Osvaldo Lopez Arellano headed a new military regime; military rule lasted until 1981.

1954, President-elect Villeda Morales (Liberal Party) was deposed� in a military coup. He was relected in 1957, and served until 1963.

1932, The dictatorship of General� Tiburcio Carias Andino of the National Party of Honduras began. This regime lasted until 1949.

3 January 1932, Martial law was declared in Honduras to stop revolt by banana workers fired by United Fruit.

28 April 1924, The US sent troops to Honduras amidst electoral unrest.

11 February 1923, A US intervention army left Honduras.

11 February 1922. Honduras became an independent Republic.

19 July 1918, Honduras, rather belatedly, joined the Allied war effort and declared war on Germany.

9 January 1912, US Marines landed in Honduras to protect US property there.

29 October 1911, In Honduran Presidential elections, Bonilla was chosen.

2 August 1911, The Honduran civil war was inconclusive and both sides agreed to an armistice and elections to choose a new President.

1909, Manuel Bonilla, Conservative (1849-1913), former president f Honduras until 1907, now began a rebellion against Davila. Civil war began in Honduras.

Honduras-Nicaragua War 1906-7

11 April 1907, The surrender of Ampala, Honduras, in the war with Nicaragua, marked the end of hostilities. President Bonilla of Honduras took refuge on the US cruiser Chicago. Nicaragua now evacuated from Honduras and recognised the Miguel R Davila administration, in office from 1908.

18 March 1907, In Honduras, war broke out with Nicaragua; the battle of Namasigiue opened the war, and this was the first time machine guns were used in conflict in Central America.. Although El Salvador supported Honduras, Nicaragua gained the upper hand, occupied Tegucigalpa, and imposed a President of its choice, the Liberal, Miguel R Davila (died 1927).

1906, Honduran rebels attempted to overthrow President Bonilla, and received assistance from Liberal� President Zelaya (1853-1919) of� Nicaragua, who had been President since a succesfuol Liberal revolt in 1893. Honduran troops then pursued these rebels across the border into Nicaragua. Zelaya the n demanded reparations but Honduras refused to give any. See 18 March 1907.

1903, Manual Bonilla was elected President. An able, popular and experienced General, his rule proved to be stable and he maintained law and order. However as his term drew to a close, opposition Parties campaigned for his replacement, and these were supported by Nicaragua, giving cause for war, see 2.1907.

1871, War broke out with Guatemala.

1839, US coporations established large fruit plantations in Honduras, and dominated the economy.

1838, Honduras became fully independent, when the United Provinces of Central America Federation disintegrated.

1823, Honduras became part of the United Provinces of Central America.

1821, Honduras became independent from Spain as part of the Mexican Empire.

1539, Honduras was incorporated in the Captaincy-General of Guatemala.

1525, City of Puerto Cortes founded.

1524, First permanent settlement established in Honduras.

1502, Christopher Columbus first visited what is now Honduras.

For pre-Columban events, see Mayan history at Mexico timeline

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