Top 30 Famous People from Honduras

Top 30 Famous People from Honduras

*Originally published by Roseline on October 2022 and Updated by Vanessa R in September 2023 and Updated by Diana K in February 2024

Honduras is a small nation with many undiscovered treasures. This tiny nation has a lot to offer, from stunning beaches and delectable cuisine to a thriving mixed heritage. Additionally, the nation is home to some extraordinary people. This list will also cover a few of the top 10 most famous people in Honduras.

1. Carlos Mencia

Ned Arnel Mencia, also known as Carlos Mencia, is an American comedian, author, and actor who was born in Honduras. His comedic approach frequently addresses racial, cultural, criminal justice, and social class issues. His Comedy Central program Mind of Mencia, which ran for four seasons before beicancelledled in 2008, is his most well-known work. At this time, several other comics accused Mencia of stealing jokes and plagiarizing material for his stand-up shows. 

2. David Suazo

As a former striker for a professional football team in Honduras, Oscar David Suazo Velázquez (born 5 November 1979) is now the manager of Serie D team Carbonia. Over 13 years in Italy, Suazo played more than 300 league games and netted more than 100 goals.

Suazo is regarded as one of Honduras’ finest players of all time. He was undoubtedly one of the fastest Serie A players of his era thanks to his amazing pace both on and off the ball, which was his primary strength as a forward. His speed and acceleration made him a deadly offensive threat on counterattacks, and his runs from behind helped him to open up space and provide his side depth. 

3. Wilson Roberto

Wilson Roberto Palacios Suazo is a Honduran former footballer who played as a midfielder. From 2003 to 2014, he was a consistent performer for Honduras, allowing them to qualify for and participate in the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups. He was born in La Ceiba and first played for Olimpia and Victoria in Honduras before coming to England to play for Birmingham City and Wigan Athletic. He joined Tottenham Hotspur in 2009 and primarily played central defensive midfield, just like he had for Wigan, though he also occasionally saw time in the right midfield.

Palacios joined Stoke City in August 2011 for an unknown sum that is estimated to be close to £6 million. Nevertheless, he found it difficult to have an influence throughout his four seasons at Stoke, and he left the team in 2015. Later, he spent time with Miami in the North American Soccer League before returning to Honduras and playing for Olimpia and Real Sociedad.

4. Francisco Morazán

During the years 1830 to 1839, José Francisco Morazán Quesada, a politician from Central America, served as the country’s president. He previously served as the president of Honduras before becoming the region’s leader.  On November 11, 1827, he gained notoriety at the Battle of La Trinidad. Up until his execution in 1842, Morazán dominated Central America’s political and military landscape.

In his efforts to unite Central America into a single, developed nation, he was hailed as a visionary and brilliant thinker. He established liberal reforms, including freedom of the press, freedom of expression, and freedom of religion, in the new Federal Republic of Central America. By legalizing homosexuality and doing away with the government-sponsored tithe, Morazán also reduced the influence of the church.

5. Manuel Zelaya

José Manuel Zelaya Rosales is a politician from Honduras who served as the country’s first First Gentleman beginning in January 2022. He was president of the country from 27 January 2006 until 28 June 2009.

He acquired his father’s nickname, “Mel,” and is the oldest child of a successful businessman. He worked for his family’s logging and wood enterprises before entering politics. He currently serves as a deputy in the Central American Parliament for Honduras.

6. Maynor Figueroa

Maynor Alexis Figueroa Róchez is a Honduran professional football player who plays as a center-back and captains the Honduran national team. His tenure with Wigan Athletic, where he made 179 Premier League appearances and won the 2013 FA Cup, is what made him most famous. Since 2003, Figueroa has played for his country on more than 180 occasions, including three CONCACAF Gold Cups, two FIFA World Cups, and the 2012 Olympics.

7. Amado Guevara

Former professional football player and manager Amado Guevara hails from Honduras. Between 2018 and 2019, he served as Puerto Rico’s coach. He was formerly a midfielder and is now second only to Maynor Figueroa in terms of total caps for the Honduran national team.

After inspiring Honduras to an unexpected third-place finish in the 2001 Copa América, he was awarded the competition’s MVP. With only a few players. Guevara served as the team’s captain in just its second outing in a World Cup competition and assisted in guiding Honduras through their qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

8. Carlos Alberto

Former Honduran professional footballer Carlos Alberto Pavón Plummer was a striker.

He is most famously connected to Real Espaa and is Honduras’ all-time leading goalscorer for the national team. He has played more than 200 times with Los Aurinegros in the Liga Nacional de Ftbol de Honduras.

9. Berta Cáceres

Berta Isabel Cáceres Flores was a co-founder and coordinator of the Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras, as well as an environmental activist and indigenous leader from Lenca, Honduras (COPINH). For “a grassroots effort that effectively persuaded the world’s largest dam builder to pull out of the Agua Zarca Dam” at the Ro Gualcarque, she was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2015.  

Berta Cáceres is the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award (Champions of the Earth) in 2016. She was, however, assassinated in her home by armed intruders, after years of threats against her life.

10.Daniel and Luis Moncada 

Daniel and Luis Moncada are Honduran-American actors and brothers known for their roles as “The Cousins” Leonel and Marco Salamanca on the AMC crime drama series Breaking Bad (2010) and its spin-off Better Call Saul (2016; 2018–2022). Despite portraying twins in the series, in real life, Luis is around three years older than Daniel.

11. Wilson Palacios

Wilson Honduran footballer Roberto Palacios Suazo plays Stoke City in the Premier League. He was born in La Ceiba and played for Victoria and Olimpia in Honduras before relocating to England, where he played for Birmingham City and Wigan Athletic. He joined Tottenham Hotspur in 2009, where he usually plays centre defensive midfield, just like he did for his previous team Wigan.

He was occasionally deployed as a right midfielder for Tottenham Hotspur. He has been a consistent player for Honduras since 2003, assisting them in only their second-ever World Cup qualification. For an undisclosed sum thought to be about £6 million, Palacios signed on with Stoke City in August 2011.

12. Manuel Bonilla

From 13 April 1903 until 25 February 1907, and again from 1 February 1912 to 21 March 1913, General Manuel Bonilla Chirinos served as president of Honduras. Between the years 1895 to 1899, he was Honduras’ vice president. His birthplace was Juticalpa, Olancho, Honduras.

The Honduran National Party is regarded as being formed as a result of his ideologies. Prior to becoming a conservative, he was a liberal. He was a young man who participated in several military actions. The banana growers on the north coast, especially Sam Zemurray’s Cuyamel Fruit Company, benefited greatly from the concessions he made in his capacity as president.

13. Roberto Micheletti

Following the 2009 Honduran coup d’état, Roberto Micheletti, a politician from Honduras, held the position of interim de facto president from June 28, 2009, to January 27, 2010.

President Manuel Zelaya was forced into exile rather than being jailed after the Supreme Court ordered the Honduran military to arrest him for breaking the country’s constitution. A few hours after Zelaya was exiled by the Honduran military, Micheletti, the next in line for the presidency according to the constitution, was sworn in as president by the National Congress.

14. Juan Matta-Ballesteros

The Guadalajara Cartel and the Colombian Medellin Cartel are both connected to the former drug lord Juan Ramón Matta-Ballesteros. He was arrested in Tegucigalpa by US Marshals in April 1988, sent to the US for trial, and found guilty of kidnapping and murdering Enrique Camarena as well as other offences. Matta is imprisoned at Florence High, a federal high-security prison in Colorado, where he has been given 12 life sentences.

15. Miguel Estrada

As a result of President George W. Bush’s nomination of Miguel Angel Estrada Castaeda to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 2001, the lawyer was embroiled in legal disputes.

After the Republican Party gained control of the Senate in 2002, Senate Democrats, who claimed Estrada was a conservative ideologue with no judicial experience, used a cloture vote to stop his nomination from receiving a final confirmation vote by the entire Senate. They did this by claiming that Estrada was disqualified for the position because he had no experience as a judge.

16. Rolando Fonseca

Rolando Fonseca is one of the most celebrated soccer players in Honduran history. Nicknamed “El Principito” (The Little Prince), Fonseca held the Honduras national team record for most international goals scored, with 47 goals in 112 appearances between 1991 and 2003. The crafty striker dazzled fans with his clinical finishing, technical ability, and penchant for scoring in clutch moments. Fonseca led Honduras to qualify for two World Cups in 1998 and 2002.

His illustrious club career included stints with Comunicaciones in Guatemala, Pachuca in Mexico, and Olimpia in Honduras, where he became a club legend. Fonseca’s goal-scoring exploits made him a Honduran icon and cemented his place as one of the country’s most famous sports figures. His national team record stood for over a decade until it was surpassed by Carlo Costly in 2013.

17. Ricardo Maduro

Ricardo Maduro served as President of Honduras from 2002 to 2006. Born into a wealthy family, Maduro was educated in the United States and built a successful career as an economist and entrepreneur. He entered politics motivated by a desire to combat corruption, crime, and poverty in his homeland. Maduro won the 2001 presidential election on an anti-corruption platform as the candidate of the National Party.

As president, he oversaw economic growth and promoted foreign investment and free trade deals. However, his presidency was marred by political polarization and allegations of human rights abuses. Critics accused Maduro of failing to address systemic issues like police corruption. After leaving office, Maduro focused on business and philanthropy through his foundation.

18.  Juan Orlando Hernández

Juan Orlando Hernández has served as President of Honduras since 2014, despite recent controversy surrounding allegations of electoral fraud. Hernández first took office after winning the 2013 presidential election as the candidate of the conservative National Party. He then controversially changed the constitution to allow himself to run for re-election in 2017, which he won in disputed elections amid accusations of vote-rigging. As president, Hernández oversaw economic growth and a significant drop in homicide rates through his tough anti-crime policies.

However, he was plagued by corruption scandals and protests demanding his resignation. In 2022, Hernández was arrested in the US on drug trafficking charges, though he denies any wrongdoing. Though his future remains uncertain, Hernández has already left an indelible, though controversial mark, on Honduras’ political landscape through nearly a decade in power.

19. Romeo Vasquez

General Romeo Vasquez is best known for leading the 2009 Honduran military coup that ousted leftist President Manuel Zelaya. As head of the Honduran armed forces in the late 2000s, Vasquez initiated legal proceedings against Zelaya which culminated in the president’s overthrow and exile. Vasquez accused Zelaya of violating the constitution by trying to change presidential term limits. In the wake of the coup, Vasquez oversaw the transitional de facto government and subsequent elections.

The coup was internationally condemned as a blow to Honduran democracy, though Vasquez maintained it was necessary to prevent Zelaya’s unconstitutional power grab. Despite calls for his resignation, Vasquez remained head of the armed forces until his retirement in 2013. The 2009 coup shaped Honduran politics for years, and Vásquez played a central role in the pivotal events by spearheading Zelaya’s ouster.

20. Miguel Facusse

Miguel Facusse was one of Honduras’ wealthiest and most powerful businessmen. He built his fortune as the owner of Corporación Dinant, a giant food and agriculture conglomerate in Honduras. At his death in 2015, Facusse had an estimated net worth of over $650* million, making him one of Central America’s richest men. However, he was also a controversial figure due to allegations of exploitative business practices and ties to human rights abuses.

Facusse was accused of forcibly displacing farmers to develop his lucrative palm oil plantations. His company was linked to violent conflicts with peasant groups who accused Dinant of unfair land grabs. Despite Facusse’s denials of wrongdoing, his critics painted him as a symbol of corrupt oligarchs trampling over Honduras’ poor.

21. Lucila Gamero de Medina

Lucila Gamero de Medina was a  novelist, journalist and feminist writer. Born in 1873, she was one of the first Honduran women to achieve literary fame. Gamero de Medina penned novels and short stories focused on the experiences of women and the need for their liberation and education. Works like Heroinas (1900) and Blanca Olmedo (1908) criticized gender inequality and traditional gender roles.

She founded the feminist magazine Iris in 1904, one of the first Latin American magazines dedicated to women’s interests. As a journalist, Gamero de Medina advocated tirelessly for women’s suffrage and increased educational access for girls. She co-founded the Honduran Feminist Party in 1924 to promote women’s political participation. Gamero de Medina’s literary and journalistic work made her a pioneering feminist voice in early 20th century Honduras.

22.  Rafael Leonardo Callejas

Rafael Leonardo Callejas served as President of Honduras from 1990 to 1994. His election marked the country’s transition to civilian democratic rule after a long period of military dictatorships. Callejas, of the conservative National Party, won the 1989 election over the liberal candidate by a mere 42,000* votes. As president, he instituted economic reforms like privatization and lowered trade barriers. But his presidency was plagued by corruption scandals, including accusations of embezzling millions in public funds.

After leaving office, Callejas was indicted in the U.S. for racketeering and bribery related to the FIFA soccer scandal. Despite this controversial legacy, Callejas’ administration did oversee a peaceful transfer of power by the military to an elected civilian. His presidency thus represented an important milestone as Honduras embarked on a new democratic chapter after the tumultuous 1980s.

23.  Salvador Moncada

Salvador Moncada is an eminent Honduran-British medical researcher renowned for his pioneering work on nitric oxide. Born in Tegucigalpa in 1944, Moncada initially practised medicine in Honduras. However, his career took off after he moved to the UK and began studying nitric oxide’s role in vascular health. In the 1980s, Moncada made the groundbreaking discovery that nitric oxide is produced by the endothelium and acts as a signalling molecule that regulates blood flow and circulation.

This breakthrough radically transformed scientific understanding of how blood vessels work. He also found that nitric oxide has antibacterial effects in the immune system. For these seminal discoveries, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1993. Moncada went on to hold prestigious research posts and received knighthood in 2010.

24. Amado de Jesus Padilla

Amado de Jesus Padilla was one of Honduras’ most distinguished 20th century literary figures. He was an acclaimed novelist, journalist, and diplomat. Padilla gained fame for his short stories and novels that captured the cultural landscape of Honduras. Works like Los Barcos (1926) and Puerto Limon (1950) evoked the experiences of Honduran peasants and workers with vivid realism. As a journalist, Padilla founded the influential newspaper La Tribuna.

He later served as Honduran ambassador to Mexico and Guatemala. Padilla was also an activist for the rights of indigenous and Afro-Honduran people. His writings helped give voice to the poor and marginalised. He received Honduras’ National Literature Prize in 1968. Through his diverse body of work spanning literature, journalism and diplomacy, Padilla emerged as one of the most important Honduran writers and intellectuals of his era.

25.  Carlos Discua

Carlos Israel Discua Castellanos is a talented Honduran football striker who currently plays for C.D. Marathon in the top-tier Honduran Liga Nacional. Discua began his professional career with Parrillas One in the second division before signing with Marathon in 2019. Since joining Marathon, Discua has become an important midfielder known for his speed, skill on the ball, and ability to create scoring chances. He helped lead the club to the league finals in 2020. His combination of pace, technical quality, and nose for goal could make him a key part of Honduras’ national team future as he aims to realize his full potential.

26.  Roberto Sosa

Roberto Sosa is widely regarded as one of Honduras’ greatest poets. Born in 1930, Sosa first emerged as part of the prominent “Generación de los 50” literary movement. He published his first major poetry collection Los Pobres in 1956, earning praise for his skilled free verse exploring social and philosophical themes. Sosa went on exile to Mexico and Europe in the 1970s and 1980s due to censorship under military rule in Honduras.

From exile, he published acclaimed works like Los Paisajes Interiores (1985) and Biografía Para Encontrarme (1989) which blend introspection and vivid imagery. Since returning to Honduras, Sosa has continued to publish new collections of poems and remains an important cultural figure. His lyrical, resonant writings have earned him honors like the Neustadt International Prize for Literature and the Miguel de Cervantes Prize. Sosa is considered one of Central America’s essential poetic voices.

27.  Rocsi Diaz

 

Raquel Roxanne “Rocsi” Diaz is an accomplished Honduran-born American television personality, radio host, model and actress. Born in Tegucigalpa in 1982, she migrated to the United States as a child. Diaz is best known for co-hosting BET’s iconic hip hop show 106 & Park from 2006-2012, where she interviewed countless music superstars as her popular alter ego “Rocsi.” Diaz has hosted various shows for BET, MTV and Extra TV while also acting in films like 2018’s The Perfect Match.

Her modeling work includes magazine spreads and brand campaigns. With her versatility across broadcasting, modeling and entertainment, the talented Diaz has become one of the most recognizable Latino media figures in the United States. She serves as an inspiration for young Hispanic women aspiring to succeed in the competitive world of entertainment.

28. Leticia De Oyuela

Irma Leticia Silva de Oyuela was an influential Honduran essayist, historian, and researcher who made important contributions to the study of Honduran culture and folklore. Born in Tegucigalpa in 1923, Silva de Oyuela dedicated herself to researching, documenting and preserving the rich cultural traditions of Honduras. She published acclaimed anthropological works like Tradiciones y Leyendas de Honduras (1975), which compiles Honduran myths and legends.

Silva de Oyuela also penned essays and books examining the history, languages, customs, and oral traditions of indigenous groups like the Lenca and Tolupan peoples. Her scholarly work helped bring academic attention to Honduran folk culture and indigenous legacies. Through her prolific research and writing, Leticia de Oyuela emerged as one of Honduras’ foremost thinkers and authors on national culture and popular traditions.

29.  Ramon Amaya Amador

 

Ramon Amaya Amador was an influential Honduran author renowned for his novels about the banana industry.  Amaya Amador worked in banana plantations as a youth, which later inspired his writings. His best-known work is the 1947 novel Prisión Verde, which dramatized the experiences of banana workers through a leftist lens. The novel criticized the exploitation of laborers by fruit companies. Other major works like Los guerrilleros (1950) and Pueblos perdidos (1985) continued exploring social issues during Honduras’ banana export boom.

Beyond literature, Amaya Amador was an academic who helped found the National School of Fine Arts. His socially conscious writings are still read as vital depictions of Honduran life under the dominance of US fruit giants like United Fruit. Amaya Amador brought the stories of plantation workers to life through his impassioned pro-labor literature.

30.  Porfirio Lobo

 

Porfirio “Pepe” Lobo served as President of Honduras from 2010 to 2014 after being elected following the 2009 coup. Lobo, of the conservative National Party, took office amid political turmoil in the coup’s aftermath. His election was boycotted by opponents but endorsed by the US to restore stability. As president, Lobo granted amnesty to coup leaders and oversaw the controversial return of Honduras to the Organization of American States.

However, his administration was tainted by corruption allegations and lack of progress on human rights protections. Security conditions deteriorated under Lobo, necessitating increased militarization. After leaving office, Lobo was indicted as part of a corruption scandal involving diversion of government funds. Lobo led Honduras during a polarized period as it slowly emerged from international isolation post-coup.

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The figures highlighted in these profiles represent some of the most influential Hondurans across spheres like politics, literature, art, science, and sports. Though coming from diverse backgrounds, they all left a lasting mark on Honduras through their achievements and impact on the national culture and consciousness. Their stories collectively reflect the richness of Honduran history and society. Some brought positive change, while others proved more controversial. Nevertheless, these individuals undeniably shaped the trajectory of Honduras and its national identity. Their legacies continue to resonate as important reminders of the country’s dynamic culture and complex past.