No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsLatin AmericaNicaraguan Revolutionary Hero Dies In Jail As Ortega Political Prisoner

Nicaraguan Revolutionary Hero Dies In Jail As Ortega Political Prisoner

Hugo Torres was a revered Sandinista guerilla leader that helped overthrow former Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza and the only revolutionary that participated in the two largest and most successful attacks that overwhelmed Somoza forces and freed many dozens of political prisoners.

The first raid was on a Christmas party of Somoza ministers and Somoza supplicants and the second was on the entire National Assembly. The daring operations resulted in significant prisoner releases and the turning of the tide of the conflict.

Included amongst those prisoners released due to those unprecedented raids was current Nicaraguan dictator Daniel Ortega, the same person that later jailed him until his death. Ortega had been in prison for seven years after robbing a bank.

After the 1979 revolution Torres rose to the rank of Chief of National Security and then Army Brigadier General in the new Sandinista government before his retirement in 1998.

In a video made shortly before his arrest he stated “Forty six years ago I risked my life to free Daniel Ortega.” Torres later said those same former comrade revolutionaries, have now betrayed the principles they fought for.

Torres had been a part of one of many opposition parties rejecting Ortega and his government’s crackdown on those opposing his fourth run for President of Nicaragua created under new laws created by Ortega and his Vice President wife’s  change of the constitution.

The infamous Mother’s Day protest march in Managua that resulted in many dozens of deaths of protest participants by Ortega forces and paramilitary gangs was hoped to gain the support of the international community. That help never came.

Now over 46 journalists and opposition figures, perhaps now 45, are in the infamous El Chipotle prison, where Ortega himself was jailed.

Trending Now

Venezuela’s Maduro Asks Court to Strip Opposition Leader of Citizenship

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has filed a request with the country's Supreme Court to revoke the nationality of opposition leader Leopoldo López, accusing him...

Costa Rican Man Dies After Health Decline in U.S. Immigration Custody

Randall Gamboa Esquivel, a 52-year-old man from Pérez Zeledón, died after nearly two months in a Costa Rican hospital. His family confirmed the death,...

Costa Rica Warns on Methanol Risks in Alcohol Amid Regional Outbreaks

Costa Rica's health officials have stepped up alerts on the dangers of methanol poisoning from contaminated alcohol, aligning with similar actions across Latin America...

US sanctions Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro

The United States announced on Friday financial sanctions against Colombian President Gustavo Petro for failing to combat drug trafficking, drawing a strong response from...

Costa Rica U-17 Women’s Team Earns Historic Draw vs Brazil

Costa Rica's under-17 women's national soccer team marked a milestone in their history with a 1-1 draw against Brazil during the FIFA U-17 Women's...

Uncertainty Dominates Costa Rican Voters Ahead of 2026 Elections

A new poll from the University of Costa Rica's Center for Political Research and Studies (CIEP-UCR) paints a picture of widespread indecision among Costa...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica