Manuel Zelaya

José Manuel Zelaya Rosales (born 20 September 1952)[1] is a Honduran politician and businessman who served as the 35th president of Honduras from 2006 until his coup d'état in 2009. From 2022 to 2026, Zelaya was the first gentleman of Honduras during the presidency of his wife Xiomara Castro.

Manuel Zelaya
Zelaya en Brasil Agosto 2009.jpg
Zelaya in 2009
First Gentleman of Honduras
In role
27 January 2022 – 27 January 2026
PresidentXiomara Castro
Preceded byAna García Carías
(as first lady)
Succeeded byLissette del Cid
(as first lady)
35th President of Honduras
In office
27 January 2006 – 28 June 2009
Vice President
Preceded byRicardo Maduro
Succeeded byRoberto Micheletti[a]
Leader of Libre
Assumed office
26 June 2011
Preceded byParty established
Deputy of the Olancho Department
In office
25 January 2014 – 25 January 2018
In office
25 January 1986 – 25 January 1998
Personal details
Born
José Manuel Zelaya Rosales

20 September 1952 (aged 73)
Catacamas, Olancho, Honduras
Political partyLiberal Party (1970–2011)
LIBRE (2011–present)
Spouse(s)
(m. 1976)
Children4, including Xiomara
Alma materNational Autonomous University of Honduras (Incomplete)

On 28 June 2009, during the 2009 Honduran constitutional crisis,[2] he was captured by the military and sent to Costa Rica in a coup d'état.[3][4] On 21 September 2009 he returned to Honduras.[5] In 2010, he left Honduras for the Dominican Republic, an exile that lasted more than a year.[6]

He now represents Honduras as a deputy of the Central American Parliament.[7] Since January 1976, Zelaya has been married to Xiomara Castro de Zelaya, who was Honduras' first female president.[8][9]

Manuel Zelaya Media

Notes

  1. Manuel Zelaya was deposed on 28 June 2009 and the National Congress swore in Roberto Micheletti.

References