The 1975 Honduran coup d'état took place on 22 April 1975, with

Oswaldo López Arellano Oswaldo Enrique López Arellano (30 June 1921 – 16 May 2010) was a Honduran politician who twice served as the President of Honduras, first from 1963 to 1971 and again from 1972 until 1975. Early life Lopez was born in Danlí to Enrique L� ...

being ousted in a military coup led by his fellow General

Juan Alberto Melgar Castro Juan Alberto Melgar Castro (20 June 1930 – 2 December 1987) was a army officer in the Honduran military who served as the head of state of Honduras from 22 April 1975 to 7 August 1978, when he was removed from power by others in the military ...

. The coup was prompted in part by the "

Bananagate The Union of Banana Exporting Countries ( es, Unión de Países Exportadores de Banano or UPEB) was a cartel of Central and South American banana exporting countries established in 1974, inspired by OPEC. Its aim was to achieve better remuneration ...

" scandal, exposed by the

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government, created in the aftermath of the Wall Street Crash of 1929. The primary purpose of the SEC is to enforce the law against market ...

in 1975, in which the United Brands Company agreed to

bribe Bribery is the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official, or other person, in charge of a public or legal duty. With regard to governmental operations, essentially, bribery is "Corru ...

President López with US$1.25 million, and the promise of another $1.25 million upon the reduction of certain banana export taxes.

References

Honduras

Coup D'état A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...

Military coups in Honduras April 1975 events in North America {{Honduras-stub