Background
Manuel Bonilla was born on 7 June 1849 in Juticalpa.
politician president statesman
Manuel Bonilla was born on 7 June 1849 in Juticalpa.
When Policarpo Bonilla (no relation to Manuel) became president in 1895, it was understood that his minister of war, General Terencio Sierra, would be the Liberal Party candidate in 1899 and Manuel Bonilla, the vice president, in 1903. However, Policarpo and Manuel Bonilla quarreled, and Manuel Bonilla withdrew from the vice presidency. He subsequently became President Sierra’s minister of war. However, Sierra announced his support for Juan Angel Arias in the 1903 elections. Bonilla then resigned and founded a new coalition, the Nationalists, composed of his following among the Liberals and practically all remaining Conservatives. Bonilla received 28,850 votes. Arias 25,118, and a third nominee 4,857.
When President Sierra blocked Congress’ attempt to select a president from between the top two candidates, Bonilla and a group of supporters left the capital for Amapala, where the mayor administered the presidential oath to Manuel Bonilla. After several battles. Sierra fled to El Salvador, and Bonilla was declared president-elect by Congress on May 5, 1903.
When Bonilla balanced his cabinet with Liberals and Conservatives, however, he irritated members of both parties. He suspended the constitution and declared martial law in the first week of 1904. A constitutional convention in 1905 lengthened the presidential term from four to six years and installed him as president for the period 1907-1912.
In December 1906 Nicaraguan troops sent by President José Santos Zelaya invaded Honduras, supporting insurgents under ex-Presidents Policarpo Bonilla and Sierra. Manuel Bonilla finally fled to Guatemala and thence to British Honduras.
Bonilla returned to the presidency with the help of Samuel Zemurray, president of the Cuyamel Fruit Company, who provided financing and arms for an invasion force. A peace conference finally named Francisco Bertrand provisional president, until the elections of October 1911, when Manuel Bonilla was elected by
82,0 out of 86,(XX) ballots cast. Bonilla was inaugurated on February 1, 1912, with Bertrand as vice president.
Zemurray’s assistance to Bonilla was rewarded with the concession of 10,000 hectares by the Honduran government, making him the only serious competition to the United Fruit Company.
Manuel Bonilla fell ill and died on March 21, 1913, after transferring power the night before to Vice President Bertrand.