Hearty congratulations to Xiomara* Castro, the 13th woman president of Latin America. She took office in late January. Vice President Harris attended the ceremony to show support. Castro is one of several Latin American women presidents who took the presidential office after their husbands. Presidenta Castro is married to the former president of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya who was deposed in a 2009 army coup. Castro was instrumental in organizing the post-coup protest movement.
Economics worsened significantly during the 12 year dictatorship. Currently, 70% of the Honduran population lives below the poverty line. Half a million people have left the country, many as refugees seeking asylum in the United States.
Presidenta Castro has a lot of work to lessen violence and increase economic options for her people. She looks ready for the challenge. I wish her a productive, socially responsive, economy building and peaceful four years.
Back in 2019, I wrote an article about female heads of state in the Americas. Click on the word Americas in the previous sentence to read about the other 12 women leaders. US and Mexico are still to come.
Gracias! ¡Olé! –Rebecca
*(Si-o-ma-ra Kas-tro)
March Poetry Challenge Preview:
Form: Shadorma 3/5/3/3/7/5 Theme: Light
Fake Flamenco 
Nice to see this.
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Thanks, Mari. Her job will be quite challenging, but I’m glad she willing to throw her hat into the ring and that Hondurans support her.
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Congratulations are indeed called for! I wonder if I’ll live long enough to see a female President of the United States. One can hope.
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Thanks, Janet. I certainly hope so, and I hope it is this decade.
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Thanks for sharing this good news of another woman at the helm of her country. Her challenge is, indeed, great. I wish for her wisdom and tenacity to achieve real change for her people.
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Thank you, Rosaliene. Thank you for your kind and supportive wishes.
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She has a lot of work on her plate but hopefully this is the change Honduras needs. Poverty and high murder rates have ravaged Central America but there is hope on the horizon. I wish her administration the best and for brighter future for Honduras.
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Thanks for commenting, Gerard. United Fruit Company, dictatorships and hurricanes have made life difficult in Central America. I think you’d find the book Bananas by Dan Koeppel very interesting. I hope for a better future for Honduras as well.
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This is really exciting news! I don’t know if this is accurate, but I’ve also heard that gender roles are still quite prevalent in Central American countries, including Honduras. So to have a woman as a president is truly a breakthrough!
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Thanks, Rebecca. Yes, traditional roles are predominant in Central America, you’ve signaled an important point. The amazing thing is even though that is true, there have already been three women presidents there; in Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. And in the US, we’re still waiting. Thanks for your insightful comments.
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The Americas seem to be doing rather better than us in having females in significant political positions. Although our prime example, Margaret Thatcher wasn’t someone I could feel proud of. On a lighter note – Shadorma, eh? Best get thinking!
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Prime example is a good pun. So far we’ve not elected a one. I’ll post Shadorma examples soon.
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Oh gosh, a pun and I hadn’t even noticed! And … thanks.
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I spent a month in Honduras in 1980; which was just at things were really starting to get bad in neighboring Guatemala …
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Yes, Guatemala has seen very difficult times as well. Interesting you were in Honduras, Tegucigalpa?
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