Background
Juan Manuel Gálvez Durón was born in Tegucigalpa on 10 June 1887.
Juan Manuel Gálvez Durón was born in Tegucigalpa on 10 June 1887.
He traveled widely through Honduras by jeep and light airplane and enhanced his image as a “simple democratic citizen.”
In 1954 both Tiburcio Cartas and his former vice president, Abraham Williams Caldernó, sought the presidency. The reorganized Liberal Party nominated Ramón Villeda Morales. Although Villeda Morales and the Liberals won a plurality, there was no clear winner. Gálvez left the country suddenly on November 16 for medical treatment at Gorgas Hospital in Panama, turning the presidency over to Vice President Julio Lozano Dias.
Only the Liberal deputies showed up at Congress for selection of a president from the top two candidates. Lozano, basing his authority on a clause in the 1936 Constitution which covered this impasse, assumed dictatorial powers on December 5. Gálvez returned to Tegucigalpa two days later, but did not contest his fellow Nationalist’s assumption of dictatorial power. Later, Lozano appointed Gálvez president of the Supreme Court.
Subsequently, Gálvez continued to live his usual modest life, enjoying general respect and recognition.