Manuel Bonilla

Manuel Bonilla
29th and 31st President of Honduras
In office
1 February 1912  21 March 1913
Vice PresidentFrancisco Bertrand
Preceded byMiguel R. Dávila
Francisco Bertrand (acting)
Succeeded byFrancisco Bertrand
In office
13 April 1903  1 February 1907
Vice PresidentMiguel R. Dávila
Preceded byJuan Ángel Arias Boquín
Succeeded byMiguel Oquelí Bustillo
Personal details
Born
Manuel Bonilla Chirinos

(1849-06-07)7 June 1849
Juticalpa, Olancho Department, Honduras
Died21 March 1913(1913-03-21) (aged 63)
Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Political partyNational Party
OccupationGeneral, statesman

General Manuel Bonilla Chirinos (7 June 1849 – 21 March 1913) was a military officer with the rank of Major General and President of Honduras from 13 April 1903 to 25 February 1907, and again from 1 February 1912 to 21 March 1913. He had previously served as Vice President of Honduras from 1895 to 1899.

Manuel Bonilla Chirinos was born in Juticalpa, Olancho, on 7 June 1849. His parents were Jorge Bonilla and María Dominga Chirinos. He was initially liberal and active in the Partido Liberal de Honduras (PLH) and led the Manuelistas to form the right-wing Partido Nacional de Honduras (PNH).

In December 1910, Bonilla led an insurrection against led President Davila. The United States negotiated an armistice between the factions where it was agreed to hold elections in March 1911.

As president, he granted generous concessions to United Fruit. During his presidency, the country's schools are said to have improved and the mining industry to have benefited. He commissioned the construction of the Teatro Nacional Manuel Bonilla in the capital Tegucigalpa.