Marco Aurelio Soto

Born 1846 in Tegucigalpa; died 1908 in Paris. Honduran political and state figure. A lawyer by education.

From 1872 to 1876, Soto served successively as deputy minister of the interior, minister of the interior, and minister of education. As president of Honduras from 1876 to 1882, he enacted several important legislative reforms, secularized church lands, reformed military legislation, founded the National Library, and reorganized the National Archives. He also reformed the National University by introducing new methods of instruction. During his presidency, a telegraph service, a mint, and a national printing office were established and the work of the post office was improved. Soto was an honorary academician of the Royal Academy of History in Madrid.