Roberto Suazo Córdova

Roberto Suazo Córdoba
Sketch of Roberto Suazo Córdova
President of Honduras
In office 27 January 1982 – 27 January 1986
Vice President	Marcelino Ponce Martínez
Preceded by	Policarpo Paz García (provisional)
Succeeded by	José Azcona del Hoyo
Personal details
Born	(1927-03-17) 17 March 1927 La Paz, La Paz, Honduras
Political party	Liberal Party of Honduras
Spouse	Aida Zacapa
Alma mater	University of San Carlos of Guatemala
Profession	Politician; surgeon; physician

Roberto Suazo Córdova (born 17 March 1927) is a former President of Honduras.

Presidency

Suazo Córdova won a clear majority as a member of the Liberal Party of Honduras and became president in January 1982. The Liberal victory surprised many who believed the armed forces would interfere in favor of its erstwhile National Party allies. Colonel Gustavo Álvarez Martínez became head of the armed forces. The Reagan administration put heavy pressure on Honduras to assist US efforts against the Nicaragua’s Sandinistas and El Salvador’s guerrillas operating in Honduras. A US military spokesman neatly summarized the US appraisal of the situation: “Honduras is the keystone to our policy down there.” Suazo and Alvarez accepted US troops on continuous “maneuvers,” the construction and expansion of military bases and facilities, and even US training of Salvadoran troops within Honduras. Honduras provided sanctuary and overt cooperation to the Contra army the United States was developing to attack Nicaragua’s Sandinista government. Honduras thus became the active ally of the US military strategy for Nicaragua and El Salvador.4 Wags described the country as an aircraft carrier—the “USS Honduras.” In exchange, Honduras received hundreds of millions of dollars in US assistance—especially military aid.