The Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) is calling on disenfranchised Nicaraguans to join a “new revolution of the conscience” in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the uprising that ousted the Somoza family dictatorship on July 19, 1979. Monday’s anniversary will feature a mass led by Archbishop Miguel Obando, followed by a Sandinista rally with invited guests from Cuba and other allies of the revolution. The Sandinistas’ renewed call for an unarmed insurrection seeks to return the party to its socialist roots, aiming to reawaken the “mystique” of the 1970s revolution and channel it into upcoming municipal and presidential elections.
A Revolution Reflecting on Its Legacy
Former revolutionary President Daniel Ortega compared current U.S. support for President Enrique Bolaños to the backing the Somoza dynasty received, stating, “Today there is a new somocismo without Somoza.” Ortega, who has lost three consecutive presidential bids, emphasized the Sandinista vision of justice, land for campesinos, education, and healthcare, rallying with the cry, “¡Sandino Vive! ¡Patria Libre!”
For many veterans of the revolution, the 25th anniversary is a time to reflect on its accomplishments and shortcomings. The insurrection, romanticized as a movement of artists, poets, and warriors, promised a new Nicaragua built on equality and dignity. However, the Sandinista government faced accusations of falling into similar power traps as the dictatorship it replaced.
The revolutionary government’s alliances with Cuba and other socialist states provoked U.S. intervention, plunging Nicaragua into a devastating counterrevolutionary war throughout the 1980s. When the conflict ended, the Sandinistas had lost power, and many of the social issues that inspired the revolution remained unresolved.
Defenders of the Revolution
Despite the criticism, some who fought for the revolution still defend its impact. Comandante Dora María Téllez, a prominent figure in the revolution and now a leader of the Sandinista Renovation Movement, highlighted the transformation brought by the uprising. “The revolution completely changed Nicaragua, bringing it into the 21st century as a democratic country,” she said, emphasizing that current struggles for land, education, and healthcare trace their roots to the revolution.
Téllez, who famously led the Sandinista takeover of Congress in 1978, now teaches at public universities and continues advocating for social justice. Her home, devoid of revolutionary memorabilia, reflects a focus on the movement’s enduring principles rather than nostalgia.
Comandante Tomás Borge, former Minister of the Interior and a staunch revolutionary, shares similar sentiments. Borge describes the revolution as having “recuperated the dignity of the country,” while acknowledging the mistakes of the Sandinista government, including arrogance and policies that alienated the populace.
Controversial Reflections
Not all revolutionaries are eager to revisit the past. Ernesto Cardenal, the Sandinista Minister of Culture during the 1980s, declined to comment on the anniversary, with Téllez attributing this to the revolution’s continued divisiveness. “A revolution is not for moderates; it is for radicals,” Téllez said. “I remain a radical because the reality of this country—its poverty—has not changed.”
For better or worse, the Sandinista revolution has indelibly shaped Nicaragua. As Borge observed, “In some ways we are like Costa Rica, in some ways we are like Cuba, and in all ways we are like Nicaragua.”
