who were the sandinistas?

[j.guevara]

I came across their name in the zapatista reader but i know nothing about them. What was their deal?

[SonofRage]

Supporter of the Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional (FSLN, Sandinista National Liberation Front), armed revolutionary movement founded in Nicaragua on July 23, 1961 to oppose the dictatorship (1936-1979) of the Somoza family, and in power under Daniel Ortega from 19 July 1979 until its defeat in the elections of 25 February 1990. The FSLN's founders chose as their inspiration Augusto C. Sandino (1895-1934), leader of the 1927-1933 resistance to local conservative forces and their U.S. allies.

Combining a broad spectrum of ideological opinion from revolutionary Marxism to Liberation theology and reformist agendas of broadened peasant proprietorship, Sandinismo commanded widespread support within Nicaragua and overseas. The Sandinistas replaced the Somoza dictatorship with a broad-baced coalition government that was expected to be an interim replacement until elections could be held.

Rival conflicts quickly dogged the group, however and the coalition split up. Daniel Ortega and his more radical socialist supporters soon gained complete control of Nicaragua's government, while other more conservative members, such as Violeta Barrios de Chamorro were either expelled or resigned from the council and formed their own political groups. Allegations spread among critics that the Ortega clique were planning to turn Nicaragua into a Communist state like neighbouring Cuba, a country which many of Ortega's supporters admired. Such fears were accentuated by the Sandistina Government's attempts to crack down on political dissent, especially within Nicaraguan media outlets.



read more... (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandinistas)

[Bad Grrrl Agro]

a lot of them were democratic socialists and that is how their govt turn out to be: democratic socialism

[Ortega]

I don't have much more to add - your source is excellent, SonofRage.
Daniel Ortega was of peasant stock. His family was oppressed and his father was killed by Nicaragua's dictator, thus Ortega felt a need to give power to the lower, working class and increase human rights in Nicaragua.

[Bad Grrrl Agro]

my dad saw ernesto cardinal,former minister of culture(i think that was his position)under the sandistas, speak in chicago

[Ortega]

Very cool. How recently was it?

My dad, before he sold out and became an elitist republican congressman, was pretty cool. He hitchhiked down through Central America and was in Nicaragua just in time to see a speech by Daniel Ortega commemorating the 2nd anniversary of the revolution.
My dad did say that he was glad to leave though. He said that military guards were everywhere and to go anywhere you first had to pass through countless checkpoints.
I know I would've enjoyed it at least...

[Bad Grrrl Agro]

1983 in a visit to chicago

[Indysocialist]

Originally posted by [email protected] 4 2004, 02:49 AM
Very cool. How recently was it?

My dad, before he sold out and became an elitist republican congressman, was pretty cool. He hitchhiked down through Central America and was in Nicaragua just in time to see a speech by Daniel Ortega commemorating the 2nd anniversary of the revolution.
My dad did say that he was glad to leave though. He said that military guards were everywhere and to go anywhere you first had to pass through countless checkpoints.
I know I would've enjoyed it at least...
Your dad's in congress? Which state and who is he?

Either way that would've been an interesting site to see, the Ortega speech that is.

[Ortega]

I don't want to post much about that on Che-Lives where everyone can see - I'll PM you.

I wish I could've seen Ortega, it would've undoubtedly been interesting...

[Urban Rubble]

Hey Ortega, PM me with that shit too, I'm interested. That's pretty crazy. Or you could E-mail me, [email protected]

[EneME]

my aunt lived in exile in Nicaragua during the Sandanista's....they gave her a house and she raised her kids there for 9 years...they took care of her well :) nice pplz...

[Hate Is Art]

the Sandanista's

isn't that a clash album as well?

[Indysocialist]

Yep.

[Guerilla22]

Ortega (along with others) went to Cuba shortly after the revolution to train in guerilla warfare. I don't believe that you can blame the fall of the Sandinistas on their policies, I believe that they fell due to terrorist attacks by the US sponsored CONTRAS de los SAndinistas along with the mettaling from the USA and the Far-Right dominated government of Guatemala.

[LuZhiming]

Originally posted by [email protected] 10 2004, 01:19 AM
Ortega (along with others) went to Cuba shortly after the revolution to train in guerilla warfare. I don't believe that you can blame the fall of the Sandinistas on their policies, I believe that they fell due to terrorist attacks by the US sponsored CONTRAS de los SAndinistas along with the mettaling from the USA and the Far-Right dominated government of Guatemala.
That's certainly the truth. The elections that Ortega lost aren't regarded as fair by any serious person. The policies of the Sandinistas in fact helped Nicaragua incrediblly. Even the IMF remarked about Nicaragua's success. I admire Ortega.

[Elect Marx]

Originally posted by Urban [email protected] 8 2004, 03:17 AM
Hey Ortega, PM me with that shit too, I'm interested. That's pretty crazy. Or you could E-mail me, [email protected]
I also would like to know. It's nice to see who knows who sometimes. You can PM me.
:hammer:

[Ortega]

I'll PM both of you very soon. I don't have much time tonight.

[Bad Grrrl Agro]

me too