Government of Honduras

The Constitution structures Government in three independent branches:

Legislative: Composed by the National Congress in a single chamber of 126 deputies, who are elected by the people for a period of four years. The work of Congress is organized in Committees.

Executive: Headed by the President who is directly elected by the people every four years in general elections. By Constitution he can not be reelected. There are 3 vice-presidents and thirteen Cabinet Ministers.

Judicial: Headed by a Supreme Court of Justice of 9 Magistrates, elected by Congress for a period of four years. A Magistrate President leads the work of the Court and of the Judicial Branch composed by Appellate Courts, Courts of First Instance and and Local Courts.

The country is divided into 18 Departments or Provinces. Each Department is divided in municipalities. There are 290 municipalities in the country.

Departments are headed by a Governor appointed by the Executive Branch. Municipal or local governments are headed by a Mayor and a Council, elected by the people in direct elections for a four-year period. The Mayor appoints assistants (alcaldes auxiliares) in small communities or villages within the jurisdiction.

Two major parties have dominated the political history of Honduras: The Liberal and the National parties. Since 1970, other parties have been registered under provisions stipulated by the Constitution: the Innovation and Unity Party (PINU), the Christian Democratic Party (PDCH) and more recently in 1996, the Democratic Progressive Party (PDP).
The two major parties elect their authorities in Party Conventions, which are usually held prior to the electoral campaign for the general elections.