José Azcona, former president of Honduras, dies at 74

October 25, 2005

José Simón Azcona del Hoyo, ex-President of Honduras, died of a heart attack Monday. He was 74.

Azcona was President of Honduras from 1986 to 1990 and well-known as US government ally. He supported the Contra rebel groups that fought the left-wing Sandinista government in neighboring Nicaragua. He once called upon the US government to send troops to battle the Nicaraguan army, which had crossed the border to follow the Contras based in Honduras.

Despite his country's reputation for a high level of corruption, Azcona was known one of cleanest politicians according to Reuters.