When he was nine years old he moved with his father, Dr. Don Máximo Soto to Guatemala, where he studied with brilliant success, and crowned his career as a lawyer.

Shortly after the minister himself was relieved of office, Soto stayed in charge of the Ministry of the Interior, Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs, to which he was soon permanently appointed.

President Soto sought to improve lines of communication and mail service, including building some railroads, a telegraph system and launched an unprecedented education program in the country.

Despite the progress made during the administration Soto, Honduras remained quite underdeveloped as it lacked export products like coffee to pay for the investment necessary to improve infrastructure.

Soto's presidency was threatened by the Guatemalan government of Justo Rufino Barrios, and for this reason he fled the country, leaving it in the hands of a council of ministers.