Biography of Francisco Alvarado
He was born in Juticalpa (1820) and died in Comayagua (1897). A public official and diplomat since 1840. He served as Minister of War and Foreign Relations in the Lindo administration. In the government of Cabañas, he was appointed General Minister (1852) and Inspector General of Finance under President José Santos Guardiola (1860-1862).
He served as Chancellor during the government of José María Medina (1864-1866) (1870-1874) and as Minister of Finance under the ruler Ponciano Leiva (1875-1876). He was a deputy in the Bográn administration and participated as the head of the delegation in the Central American Diet held in San Salvador (1889) with the purpose of restoring Central American unity.
According to Rafael Leiva Vivas, «Francisco Alvarado can be considered a seasoned diplomat in the art of state negotiation. Without attending any university, he self-educated himself and became a skilled public servant, serving the governments of Francisco Ferrera, Juan Lindo, José Trinidad Cabañas, José Santos Guardiola, Victoriano Castellanos, José María Medina, Ponciano Leiva, and Luis Bográn.
Three notable actions stand out in this diplomatic negotiator’s career. His efforts to dissuade military operations in an imminent invasion of El Salvador. His role as a jurist in a dispute between Honduras and England, and his work for the reestablishment of political unity in Central America under the National Union Pact.»
