By REUTERS

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (Reuters) - Honduran opposition leader Ricardo Maduro, who landed an easy victory in weekend
presidential elections, faces huge challenges in this poor nation where armed gangs terrorize urban streets.

Maduro, 55, a conservative entrepreneur from the National Party, beat the ruling Liberal Party's Rafael Pineda by a clear margin, drawing
voters with his pledge of ``zero tolerance'' against escalating crime.

The slaying of a congressional candidate from Maduro's party on the eve of the election in what police called a political murder marred an
otherwise peaceful vote on Sunday.

After attending Angel Pacheco's funeral on Monday, Maduro told reporters he would begin his crackdown by overhauling the judicial
system and police, creating special units to tackle organized crime and possibly enlisting the army at first.

``We only have one policeman for every 1,000 inhabitants. We need one per 300,'' he said, outlining plans to expand the police force and
improve training to make it more honest.

The official tally on Monday gave Maduro 52.8 percent support against Pineda's 43.6 percent with nearly one million votes counted.
Some 3.4 million people were eligible to vote.

Jubilant Maduro supporters celebrated through the night honking horns and setting off small firecrackers. But Maduro will be under
pressure from the start of his four-year term in January to deliver on his promises of change. At least 70 percent of citizens in this farming
nation live in poverty and wealth is concentrated in the hands of a small elite.

``Seeing is believing. It would be good if he could do it. This violence has almost been the end of us, but you never lose hope,'' said
Pompilio Vasquez, 48, a lottery ticket seller who has voted for the National Party all his life.

SON'S MURDER A CATALYST

Maduro, a former central bank chief and elegant dresser, is divorced with three daughters and comes from an affluent family with business
interests ranging from hotel chains and banks to shrimp farming and shopping malls.

His only son was killed in a failed kidnap attempt in 1997. The loss motivated him to push for a clampdown on violent crime, especially
tens of thousands of street gangsters.

Maduro will have limited funds at his disposal. The government's planned budget for 2002 is just $1.74 billion. He says he will realign
spending to priority areas.

But he recognized the economy is in crisis on most fronts.

``International prices are historically unfavorable, agriculture is in deep crisis, there's an enormous problem of unemployment, a dramatic
housing problem. Basically the country is in crisis,'' Maduro said on Monday.

Honduras, which exports bananas and coffee, has $4.08 billion in foreign debt and is constrained in its spending by a series of debt relief
deals with global lenders.

The economy is still recovering from Hurricane Mitch which in 1998 killed up to 13,000 people and wreaked billions of dollars in
damage. A downturn in the United States, its main trading partner, and falling coffee prices have also dimmed prospects.

The center-right National and Liberal parties have dominated Honduras' political arena for the past century although this is only the
second time in power for the National Party since nearly 20 years of military rule was replaced by democracy in 1982.

Still, even those who did not vote for Maduro appeared disposed to give him a chance.

``No one's been able to control crime yet, but he seems a man capable of getting things done,'' said cleaning lady Reina Padilla, 39, who
voted for Pineda.