US embassy cable - 03TEGUCIGALPA2718

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 002718 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CEN AND INR/B 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/12/2013 
TAGS: PINR, PREL, HO 
SUBJECT: BIO OF HONDURAN FIRST LADY AGUAS OCANA DE MADURO 
 
1.  (SBU) Aguas Ocana, the first lady of Honduras, married 
President Ricardo Maduro on October 10, 2002. It is her first 
marriage and his second.  Born on April 29, 1963 in Sevilla, 
Spain, Ocana was the former counselor of the Spanish embassy 
in Tegucigalpa.  Ocana first earned the Spanish equivalent of 
a bachelor's degree in accounting, and later went on to study 
law.  She is a dynamic, self-confident woman that displays a 
passion for children, women, and the elderly.  While these 
types of issues are normally associated with her formal 
position, Ocana genuinely seems to be interested in promoting 
social development in Honduras. 
 
2.  (SBU) Currently, her efforts are focused on reforming 
adoption laws in order to eradicate irregularities in the 
adoption process, as well as make it easier for foreigners to 
adopt Honduran children. Ocana herself is in the process of 
adopting two Honduran children, Milady and Kevin, for whom 
she has written custody from the parents that allows her to 
travel with them. 
 
3.  (C) Ocana has a strong personality and does not hesitate 
to insert herself into the inner-workings of GOH politics. 
She has publicly clashed with a number of GOH officials, much 
to Maduro's chagrin, who would prefer that she keep a lower 
political profile. 
 
4.  (SBU) Earlier this summer, Ocana returned to her native 
Spain on "personal business." This period of estrangement 
from her husband had been exacerbated by comments Ocana made 
to the press about Maduro's ex-fiancee, and current Minister 
of Culture, Mireya Batres.  Ocana's public remarks came at a 
price.  Cesar Batres, the father of Mireya and close personal 
friend to Maduro, resigned his position as legal advisor to 
the president on land issues due to the controversy. 
Minister Batres did not resign. 
Palmer