Since the early 1950s, Honduran politics have been deeply influenced by the military. According to the U.S. Library of Congress’ Country Studies Web site, “From 1963 until 1971, and again from 1972 until 1982, the military essentially controlled the national government.” The military coup of 1963 overthrew the democratically elected Ramón Villeda Morales, leading to a series of subsequent military governments that held almost uninterrupted control over the country, until the election of Suazo Córdova, from the Liberal Party of Honduras, in 1981.Even though Honduras has five official parties, two of them, the National Party (Partido Nacional de Honduras: PNH) and the Liberal Party (Partido Liberal de Honduras: PLH) have maintained control over the country through the last decades. The reign of the PLH from 1981 to 1989 was known for permitting a United States military presence in the country, and for supporting the Nicaraguan Contras Through the 1990s, the military continued to exert its influence in political and economic matters. According to the Library of Congress, the Honduran government is structured in a manner that allows the executive branch to dominate the legislative and judicial branches. Many times, the Honduran justice system has been skewed by the deep socio-economic differences evident in the country’s social structure, favoring civilian and military elites over common citizens. Corruption is present in all ranks of the Honduran political system, where “bribery is an almost institutionalized practice,” Country Studies explains.