Francisco Morazán

Who is Francisco Morazán?

Francisco Morazán was a Honduran-born statesman and general who served as president of the Federal Republic of Central America and became the region's most prominent 19th-century advocate for Central American unity. Born in Tegucigalpa, he rose through the liberal political and military ranks during the turbulent years following independence from Spain, winning key battles that placed him at the head of the federal government from 1830. As president, he pursued liberal reforms including secular education, freedom of the press, and reduced clerical political power, while working to hold together the five-state federation of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Conservative opposition and regional rivalries eventually overwhelmed the federation, which collapsed into separate republics by the late 1830s. Morazán continued fighting for reunification from exile, was captured after a failed campaign in Costa Rica, and was executed by firing squad in San José on 15 September 1842. He is remembered throughout Central America, and especially in Honduras, as a founding national hero and the symbol of the region's unfulfilled union.

Sources: Testamento (final testament) of Francisco Morazán, San José, Costa Rica, 15 September 1842 · Honduras.com biography archives · RadioHouse, "Frases memorables del prócer Francisco Morazán"