The National Congress (Spanish: Congreso Nacional) is the legislative branch of the government of Honduras.

National Congress of Honduras
Logo
Type
Type
Leadership
Luis Redondo (PSH)
since 25 January 2022
First Vice President
Hugo Noé Pino (LIBRE)
since 25 January 2022
General Secretary
Carlos Zelaya (LIBRE)
since 25 January 2022
Structure
Seats128
65 for a majority
Political groups
Government (42):
  •   LIBRE (40)
  •   PSH (1)
  •   PAC (1)

Opposition (81):

Independents (5):

Elections
Open list proportional representation
Last election
28 November 2021
Next election
30 November 2025
Meeting place
Legislative Palace, Tegucigalpa
Website
www.congresonacional.hn

Organization

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The Honduran Congress is a unicameral legislature. The nominal President of the National Congress of Honduras is currently Luis Redondo. Its members are 128 deputies, who are elected on a proportional representation basis, by department, to serve four-year terms.

Meeting place

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Congress meets in a purpose-built legislative palace (Palacio Legislativo) in the centre of Tegucigalpa. Of a modernist design, it is painted in an array of bright colours and rests on a series of concrete pillars that separate it from the ground. 14°06′14″N 87°12′18″W / 14.10375°N 87.20495°W / 14.10375; -87.20495

Directive

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2022–2026 legislative period

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The current directive of the National Congress for the period 2022–2026:[1]

2018–2022 legislative period

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The directive of the National Congress for the period 2018–2022:[2]

  • Mauricio Oliva (President) (PNH)
  • Antonio César Rivera (1st Vice-President) (PNH)
  • Denis Armando Castro (2nd Vice-President) (APH)
  • Milton Jesus Puerto Oseguera (3rd Vice-President) (PNH)
  • Mario Noé Villafranca (4th Vice-President) (UD)
  • Felicito Ávila Ordóñez (5th Vice-President) (DC)
  • Gladis Aurora López Calderón (6th Vice-President) (PNH)
  • Román Villeda Aguilar (7th Vice-President) (PNH)
  • Elden Vásquez (Alternate Vice-President) (PNH)
  • Walter Antonio Chávez Hernández (Alternate Vice-President) (PNH)
  • Olga Josefa Ayala Alvarenga (Alternate Vice-President) (PNH)
  • Dunia Lizzette Ortiz Cruz (Alternate Vice-President) (APH)
  • José Tomás Zambrano Molina (1st Secretary) (PNH)
  • Salvador Valeriano Pineda (2nd Secretary) (PNH)
  • Teresa Concepción Cálix Raudales (1st Pro-Secretary) (PNH)
  • Rossel Renán Inestroza Martínez (2nd Pro-Secretary) (PNH)
  • Gerardo Tulio Martínez Pineda (Alternate Secretary) (PNH)
  • Wilmer Raynel Neal Velásquez (Alternate Secretary) (PNH)

2014–2018 legislative period

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The directive of the National Congress for the period 2014–2018 is:[3]

  • Mauricio Oliva (President) (PNH)
  • Gladis Aurora López (1st Vice-President) (PNH)
  • Lena Gutiérrez Arévalo (2nd Vice-President) (PNH)
  • Antonio Rivera Callejas (3rd Vice-President) (PNH)
  • Milton de Jesús Puerto (4th Vice-President) (PNH)
  • Miguel Edgardo Martínez (5th Vice-President) (PNH)
  • Augusto Cruz Ascensio (6th Vice-President) (DC)
  • Edwin Roberto Pavón (7th Vice-President) (UD)
  • Rolando Dubón Bueso (Alternate Vice-President) (PNH)
  • Ramón Antonio Leva Bulnes (Alternate Vice-President) (PNH)
  • Jose Vicente de León Rojas (Alternate Vice-President) (PNH)
  • Mario Alonso Perez (1st Secretary) (PNH)
  • Román Villeda Aguilar (2nd Secretary) (PNH)
  • José María Martínez (Alternate Secretary) (PNH)
  • Wilmer Neal Velásquez (Alternate Secretary) (PNH)
  • José Tomás Zambrano (1st Pro-Secretary) (PNH)
  • Sara Ismena Medina Galo (2nd Pro-Secretary) (PNH)

2010–2014 legislative period

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The directive of the National Congress for the period 2010–2014 is:[4]

  • Juan Orlando Hernández (President) (PNH)
  • Lena Gutiérrez Arévalo (1st Vice-President) (PNH)
  • Marlon Lara (2nd Vice-President) (PLH)
  • Ramón Velásquez Názar (3rd Vice-President) (DC)
  • Marvin Ponce (4th Vice-President) (PUD)
  • Martha Concepción Guevara (5th Vice-President)(PNH)
  • Nora de Melgar (6th Vice-President) (PNH)
  • Rigoberto Chang Castillo (1st Secretary) (PNH)
  • Gladis Aurora López (2nd Secretary) (PNH)
  • Eliseo Noel Mejía (Pro-Secretary) (PNH)
  • Yariel Waldina Paz (Pro-Secretary) (PLH)
  • Óscar Orlando Burgos (Alternate Vice-President) (PNH)
  • Victoria Carrasco García (Alternate Vice-President) (PNH)
  • Ángel Banegas (Alternate Secretary) (PLH)
  • Milton de Jesús Puerto (Alternate Secretary) (PNH)

Elections

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The most recent election was held November 2021.

2021 Legislative elections

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PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Liberty and Refoundation12,758,09840.2350+20
National Party9,573,02930.1844–17
Savior Party of Honduras4,035,97012.7310New
Liberal Party3,531,88711.1422–5
Innovation and Unity Party335,2271.060–4
Christian Democratic Party305,5380.9610
Anti-Corruption Party251,1960.7910
Honduran Patriotic Alliance227,9400.720–4
Democratic Unification Party160,5100.510–1
Go-Solidary Movement147,9110.470New
New Route114,8980.360New
We Are All Honduras112,1960.3500
Democratic Liberation Party95,7540.300New
Broad Front65,1130.2100
Total31,715,267100.001280
Registered voters/turnout5,182,425
Source: calculation based on CNE

(As each voter can cast many votes, the total number of votes cast cannot be used to assess the voter turnout percentage.)

Changes in political groups

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Some of the opposition parties, particularly the Liberal, LIBRE and PAC have faced internal division. This division had more impact on LIBRE, which led to the dismissal and the resignation of some of their congressional partisans. During the first week of session in 2014, Congressman Eduardo Cotto was expelled from LIBRE for voting in favor of the National/DC/PUD directive integration, which was also supported by the Liberals.[5] On the following months, Cotto joined the DC.[6]

On February 21, 2015, Congresswoman Tatiana Canales announced her incorporation to the Liberal Party, after failed negotiations with PAC.[7] Nonetheless, 3 days later, the authorities of LIBRE decided to expel her (even though she had already resigned) and three other congressmen after they voted against an electoral reform that was introduced to Congress by the former President and current party leader of LIBRE, Manuel Zelaya Rosales. Together, the three expelled congressmen and Canales formed an independent bloc headed by Congresswoman Jenny Murillo.[8]

On April 9, 2015 the National Congress of Honduras processed the resignations of Congressman Hector Enrique Padilla from LIBRE and Substitute Congresswoman Claudia Patricia Molina from the Liberal Party. Since Molina is a substitute congresswoman, this change does not affect the number of members of the Liberal caucus, nonetheless Padilla's resignation reduced the number of LIBRE congressmen to 32. Later on, Padilla joined the independent group formed by former members of LIBRE.[9]

The total number of members of the LIBRE caucus was reduced to 31 after Atlántida congresswoman, Audelia Rodriguez resigned from that party and joined the independent group on May 5, 2015. Rodriguez stated that the lack of direction in LIBRE has led to the impossibility of giving response to the people that elected her, but later she joined to the Christian Democratic Party[10] The Deputy of the independent group Hector Padilla has joined to the Christian Democratic Group, and with the new deputy now they have 3 deputies in the group. In the later months the congresswoman Audelia Rodriguez has joined to the Christian Democratic Party now counting with 4 deputies.[11][12]

Also in February 2016, LIBRE has expelled the deputies Esdras Amado López and Dennis Antonio Sánchez of Francisco Morazán and Santa Bárbara respectively, based on the reason that they have voted in favour of a new Supreme Court of Justice.[13][14] Since 4 of PAC's congressmen did not make their vote public during the Supreme Court election, Salvador Nasralla accused them of being now congressmen of the National Party, nonetheless, they have not been formally expelled of the party.[15]

But later, on March 18, the leaders of PAC finally decided to "temporarily suspend" the membership of the 4 of the deputies that participated in the election of a new Supreme Court of Justice. The 4 suspended congressmen are Ana Joselina Fortín, Marlene Alvarenga, Kritza Perez and Oscar Palacios.[16][17]

In April 2016, the deputy of the independent group Tatiana Canales, finally has decided to return to the Liberal Party of Honduras, with the reason that they have expressed differences with Libre, and its return means that the Liberal caucus has officially 28 deputies. Also on the half of May 2016, the deputy of the independent group Omar Rodríguez has decided to return to the Liberal Party now with 29 deputies on the caucus. On the final days of the month of May the deputy Dennis Antonio Sánchez has decided to return to the Liberal Party now with 30 deputies on their caucus, now the party is the second largest political group in the congress.[18][19][20]

In July 2016, the deputy of the independent group Yenny Murillo has decided to return to the National Party of Honduras, with the reason that she is feeling changes in the form of life in Honduras, also had said that she is in favour of the reelection but with a regulation that will be established on the Constitution of the Republic, to limit how many times a president can be reelected.[21][22]

Also in the final week of September 2016, the deputy of the independent group Kritza Pérez has decided finally to be a member of the Liberal Party of Honduras based on the reason that in his first party PAC, they don't allow the pluralism of ideas and discrimination against women that they have announced several times on the national media.[23]

On the first days of November 2016, the deputy of the independent group Ana Joselina Fortín has decided to join to the National Party of Honduras based on the reason that she wants the reelection of the current president and to establish limits on how many times a president can be reelected. [24]

On the first days of December 2016, the deputy of the department of Cortés Jaime Enrique Villegas has decided to resign from the Anticorruption Party based on the reasons that they had differences with the leaders of the party and they don't allow him to participate on decisions of importance. But later in July 2017 he decided to be a member of the National Party of Honduras and to be candidate for the general election in 2017.[25][26]

Also on the same month of December 2016 the deputy of Comayagua Liliam Villatoro has decided to resign from the Anticorruption Party because she has expressed with the leader of the party Salvador Nasralla and they don't allow her to participate on the sessions of the party with new ideas.[27]

On the half days of July 2017, the deputies Rafael Padilla and David Reyes of the departments of Francisco Morazán and Choluteca respectively, have joined to the Innovation and Unity Party, based on the reason that the two deputies they don't want their original party, the Anticorruption Party to be led by the congresswoman Marlene Alvarenga.[28]

On the first days of August 2017, the deputies of Cortés Fátima Mena and Anibal Cálix has decided to join as deputies of the Innovation and Unity party, based on the reason that they don't want to be members of the Anticorruption Party led now by congresswoman Marlene Alvarenga. As of August 2017, none of the elected congressmen of the National Party, PINU, and UD have resigned from their respective party affiliation.[29][30]

On the last days of September 2017, the deputies of the independent group Walter Banegas and Lilian Villatoro of the departments of Cortés and Comayagua respectively has decided to join as members of the Liberal Party of Honduras based on the reason that their original party, the Anticorruption Party no longer exists thus, increasing the Liberal caucus to 33.[31]

On the last days of October 2017, the deputy of Cortés Luis Redondo has decided to join as deputy of the Innovation and Unity party, based on the reason that he won't be a member of the Anticorruption party led by congresswoman Marlene Alvarenga.[32]

Honduras also returns deputies to the supranational Central American Parliament.

President

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President of the National Congress of Honduras
Presidente del Congreso Nacional de Honduras
 
Logo of the National Congress of Honduras
Incumbent
Luis Redondo
since 25 January 2022
StyleMister/Madam President
AppointerNational Congress
Term lengthFour years
Formation29 September 1865
DeputyVice Presidents of the National Congress

The President of the National Congress of Honduras is the presiding officer (speaker) of the National Congress of Honduras.

Presidents of the Congress 1900–1982

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[33]

Name Term Party Notes
Carlos Alberto Ucles 1900–1902
Rafael Alvarado Guerrero 1902–1903
Fausto Dávila 1904–1906
Francisco Escobar 1911–1913
Rafael Alvarado Manzano 1914–1915 National Party of Honduras
Francisco Escobar 1915-1918
Francisco Bográn 1919-1920
Angel Ugarte 1921 Liberal Party of Honduras
Miguel Oqueli Bustillo 1923 Liberal Party of Honduras
Ángel Sevilla Ramírez 1924 National Party of Honduras
Ramón Alcerro Castro 1924 President of the Constituent Assembly of 1924
Venancio Callejas 1925–1926 National Party of Honduras
Tiburcio Carías Andino 1926–1929 National Party of Honduras First Time
Antonio C. Rivera 1929–1930 National Party of Honduras First Time
Tiburcio Carías Andino 1930–1931 National Party of Honduras Second Time
Santiago Meza Cálix 1931–1932 Liberal Party of Honduras
Antonio Bográn Mojeron 1932 National Party of Honduras
Abraham Williams Calderón 1932 National Party of Honduras
Miguel Paz Barahona 1933–1934 National Party of Honduras
Ramón Alcerro Castro 1934–1935 National Party of Honduras President of the Constituent Assembly of 1934
Antonio C. Rivera 1935–1939 National Party of Honduras Second Time
Plutarco Muñoz P. 1939–1948 National Party of Honduras
Luciano Milla Cisneros 1949 National Party of Honduras
Juan B. Valladares Rodríguez 1949 National Party of Honduras
Jose Máximo Gálvez 1949–1950 National Party of Honduras
Camilo Gómez y Gómez 1950–1954 National Party of Honduras
Francisco Salomón Jiménez Castro 1954 National Party of Honduras
Ramón Villeda Morales 1957 Liberal Party of Honduras President of the Constituent Assembly of 1957
Modesto Rodas Alvarado 1957–1963 Liberal Party of Honduras He was overthrown by the military coup led by Oswaldo López Arellano.
Héctor Orlando Gómez Cisneros 1963 Liberal Party of Honduras He assumed the Presidency of the Congress for a few days, after the military coup led by Oswaldo López Arellano
Mario E. Rivera López 1965–1971 National Party of Honduras He was President of the National Constituent Assembly of 1965 and the National Congress from 1965 to 1971.
Martín Agüero Vega 1971–1972 National Party of Honduras
Roberto Suazo Cordova 1981 Liberal Party of Honduras He was the President of the National Constituent Assembly that drew up the 1982 Honduran Constitution. He was then elected President of Honduras in the Honduran general election, 1981

List of presidents since 1982

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[33]

Name Term Party
Efraín Bu Girón 1982–1986 Liberal Party of Honduras
Carlos Orbin Montoya 1986–1990 Liberal Party of Honduras
Rodolfo Irias Navas 1990–1994 National Party of Honduras
Carlos Roberto Flores 1994–1998 Liberal Party of Honduras
Rafael Pineda Ponce 1998–2002 Liberal Party of Honduras
Porfirio Lobo Sosa 2002–2006 National Party of Honduras
Roberto Micheletti 2006–2009 Liberal Party of Honduras
José Alfredo Saavedra
2009–2010 Liberal Party of Honduras
Juan Orlando Hernández 2010–2014 National Party of Honduras
Mauricio Oliva 2014–2022 National Party of Honduras
Luis Redondo 2022–present Savior Party of Honduras

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Rodríguez, Sandra (24 January 2022). "La Gaceta confirma a Luís Redondo presidente Legislativo | Defensores en Linea" (in European Spanish). Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  2. ^ "Así se conforma la nueva junta directiva del Congreso Nacional". 23 January 2018.
  3. ^ "Nueva directiva del CN fue electa por 76 diputados – Diario El Heraldo". Elheraldo.hn. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  4. ^ "Buscador". Elheraldo.hn. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  5. ^ "Expulsan a Eduardo Cotto | Diario la Tribuna Honduras". Archived from the original on 21 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  6. ^ "Un nuevo en PDCH - Diario La Tribuna Honduras". Latribuna.hn. 27 June 2014. Archived from the original on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  7. ^ Honduras (20 February 2015). "Masiva adhesión de Libres al PL - Diario La Prensa". Laprensa.hn. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  8. ^ "Expulsados de Libre forman octava bancada - Diario La Tribuna Honduras". Latribuna.hn. 25 February 2015. Archived from the original on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  9. ^ "Honduras: CN da trámite a renuncia irrevocable de diputados de Libre y Partido Liberal". Archived from the original on 19 April 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  10. ^ "Diputada de Libre renuncia y se une a bancada independiente - Diario La Tribuna Honduras". Latribuna.hn. 5 May 2015. Archived from the original on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  11. ^ "Otro diputado de Libre se adhiere a las filas de PDCH - Diario La Tribuna Honduras". Latribuna.hn. 27 June 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  12. ^ "Diputado abandonó la bancada independiente y se suma a la Democracia Cristiana". Archived from the original on 28 June 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
  13. ^ "Esdras Amado López y Denis Sánchez ya no tienen cabida en Libre - Diario La Tribuna Honduras". Latribuna.hn. 16 February 2016. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  14. ^ Honduras (16 February 2016). "Expulsados de Libre Esdras López y Denis Sánchez - Diario La Prensa". Laprensa.hn. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  15. ^ "Diputados del Pac hoy al banquillo de los acusados - Diario La Tribuna Honduras". Latribuna.hn. 22 February 2016. Archived from the original on 9 April 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  16. ^ Honduras (18 March 2016). "Consejo Nacional del PAC "desconoce" a cuatro diputados - Diario La Prensa". Latribuna.hn. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  17. ^ "El Pac suspende a cuatro diputados - Diario La Tribuna Honduras". Latribuna.hn. 18 March 2016. Archived from the original on 9 November 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  18. ^ Carlos Morales. "Tatiana Canales: Diputada de LIBRE regresa al Partido Liberal". Tiempo.hn. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  19. ^ "2 diputados de Libre vuelven al Partido Liberal - Diario La Tribuna Honduras". Latribuna.hn. 15 May 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  20. ^ "Tres ex diputados de LIBRE regresan al Partido Liberal | ULTIMA HORA | HONDURAS :: Los Jóvenes de Honduras Se Informan Aquí |". Ultimahora.hn. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  21. ^ "Radio HRN (@radiohrn)". Twitter. 9 July 2009. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  22. ^ "Diputada Jenny Murillo deja a Libre para unirse al Partido Nacional - Noticias | Televicentro". Televicentro.hn. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  23. ^ "Partido Liberal se convierte en la segunda fuerza en el Congreso Nacional".
  24. ^ "De la mano de Dios y con el apoyo del pueblo hondureño, voy a ser el próximo presidente de Honduras". 6 November 2016.
  25. ^ "Renuncia al PAC el diputado Jaime Villegas". 7 December 2016.
  26. ^ "Jaime Villegas buscará diputación con el Partido Nacional (Audio)". Diario la Tribuna. 20 July 2017.
  27. ^ "PAC pierde a otra diputada - ULTIMA HORA - HONDURAS :: Los Jóvenes de Honduras Se Informan Aquí -". ultimahora.hn.
  28. ^ "Diputados del Partido Anticorrupción pasan a formar parte del Pinu - Diario El Heraldo".
  29. ^ "¿Estrategia Política? @FatimaMenaHN y @acalixpac se unen a bancada del @Pinusd_HN". 3 August 2017. Archived from the original on 6 September 2017. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  30. ^ "Diputados Fátima Mena y Aníbal Cálix anuncian adhesión a bancada del Pinu". proceso.hn. Processo Digital.
  31. ^ "Diputados propietarios y suplentes del #PAC se unen al @CCEPLH – HCH". Archived from the original on 21 September 2017. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
  32. ^ "De último momento Luis Redondo "se cuela" en planilla de diputados del Pinu-SD". proceso.hn. Processo Digital.
  33. ^ a b "Presidentes del Congreso Nacional 1900-2014". 11 August 2015.
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