Carlos Roberto Flores

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Carlos Roberto Flores Facussé (b. 10 March 1950) was President of Honduras from 27 January 1998 to 27 January 2002. Carlos Roberto Flores Facussé was born 10 March 1950 in Honduras. He is son to Honduran journalist Oscar Flores Midence and Margarita Facusse de Flores. Mr. Flores has a sister, the artist, Celsa Flores, and both attended the American School in Tegucigalpa, where he enjoyed riding his white Arab stallion, Plata, on El Hatillo in the mountains above the city. Mr. Flores furthered his education at Louisiana State University (LSU), where he was a member of Phi Iota Alpha.^[1] He graduated with a degree in industrial engineering. He later completed a masters degree in International Economics and Finance at the same institution. While at LSU he met his future wife, Mary Flake, who is a native of the southern state. During this time, Carlos become notorious for his flamboyant dress sense, and his invention of the flores cuff and collar combination, a look that was regularly copied and even became regularly featured in fashion magazines during the late 1990s.

Soon after, he returned to Honduras where he began managing the family business and participating in private and public committees, such as the Honduran Central Bank and the Institute of Social Security. During the 70's, Flores became part of political life, joining Honduras' Liberal Party. He later became a congressman, representing the department (political division equivalent to a province) of Francisco Morazan. He served as Minister of the Presidency under the rule of liberal president Roberto Suazo Córdova from 1982 to 1984. In 1988 he ran for the presidency, eventually losing to his rival, Rafael Leonardo Callejas, a candidate of the opposing National Party. In 1994, Flores became president of the Congress, and only four years later won the presidency after competing with Nora Melgar Castro, opposing candidate of the National Party. He became president of Honduras from 1998-2002.

Carlos Flores' presidency was hit by one of the worst natural disasters to have affected Honduras in decades: Hurricane Mitch. Mitch left thousands dead and the national economy in shambles. It is estimated that it will take nearly two decades for Honduras to fully recover from such a severe blow to its feeble economy. After Mitch, president Flores engaged in soliciting international aid from several financial organizations and countries. The response was strong, and funds were directed at reinforcing Honduras' infrastructure, agricultural and industrial economic sectors. Flores also followed strict financial guidelines, imposed by the IMF and World Bank in order to reduce the high [inflation] threatening Honduras' monetary and economic system. President Flores also limited the power held by the military forces, forcing this institution to relinquish some power to the presidency. In 1998 the Ministry of Security was created for the purpose of combating a rising rate of criminality that had been threatening Honduras' weak social order.