Revolution of 1979:

Before and After By Dalal Kheder

Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 1

Somoza Dynasty .................................................................................................................................. 2

Mariana Mena ............................................................................................................................................... 3

Demetrio Martínez ........................................................................................................................................ 4

Manuel Llaee Lacayo ..................................................................................................................................... 5

Jorge Fransisco Nuñoez ................................................................................................................................. 6

José Gonzalo Silba ......................................................................................................................................... 7

Fernando López ............................................................................................................................................. 8

Manuel Ibarra ............................................................................................................................................... 9

Mario Molina Arguello ................................................................................................................................ 10

Overthrow of Somoza Dynasty ........................................................................................................... 11

Elvis Hernández Lazo ................................................................................................................................... 12

Luis Eleazar Morales ................................................................................................................................... 13

Marío Chacón Sílva...................................................................................................................................... 14

Roberto José Ramírez ................................................................................................................................. 15

Sandinista Revolution ........................................................................................................................ 16

Ricardo Guillermo López ............................................................................................................................. 17

Vicente Antonio Guadamuz Mejía .............................................................................................................. 18

Martha Lorena Flores Castillo ..................................................................................................................... 19

War of the Contra .............................................................................................................................. 20

Jaime Ibarra Pasos ...................................................................................................................................... 21

Unknown ..................................................................................................................................................... 22

Augusto Cermeño Castillo ........................................................................................................................... 23

Valentin Bara Hona ..................................................................................................................................... 24

Isaias Jose Talavera ..................................................................................................................................... 25

Ernesto Torres ............................................................................................................................................. 26

Oscar Danilo Castillo ................................................................................................................................... 27

Present .............................................................................................................................................. 28

Cintia Ruiz ................................................................................................................................................... 29

Grecia Gómez .............................................................................................................................................. 30

Unknown ..................................................................................................................................................... 31

Henry Adonis Sánchez Ruiz ......................................................................................................................... 32

Yorleni Alvarado Raudez ............................................................................................................................. 33

Joraz Luis Álvarez Sequiera ......................................................................................................................... 34

Carlos Aruz .................................................................................................................................................. 35

Introduction

Nicaragua gained its independence from Spain in 1838 and since has had many leaders who have tried to govern the country unsuccessfully into a modern nation state. The most unsuccessful and most remembered leader in Nicaraguan history was Anastasio Somoza Garcia. Him and his two sons, Anastasio Somoza Debayle and Luis Somoza Debayle ruled Nicaragua for over 4 decades.

In 1978 rebel armies gathered under the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) party to overthrow the Somoza dictatorship. The fight was between FSLN members and the national guards, the Guardia. There were 9 leaders in charge; 3 formed the Guerra Popular Prolongada (Prolonged Popular War), 3 were Proletarians and 3 were the Intervenors (Daniel Ortega was part of the Intervenors). They triumphed on July 19, 1978 in ruling Somoza out of the country and a new leftist government was formed and would rule for 12 years.

Not everyone supported the new government and their new programs that they were implementing over the country .Only a few years would pass after the revolution until armies would form again to try and overthrow the FSLN party. These counter-insurgent armies were called the “contras”. One of the leaders of the of the Contra armies was Eden Pastora Gomez. During this time, the FSLN formed the Military Service which required anyone 16 years of age and over to participate in the war against the contras. The War of the Contra ended in 1990, the year the Violeta Chamorro became president.

In 2006 Daniel Ortega became president for the second time (he won the elections in 1984). Nicaragua became part of the Bolivarian Alliance for the People of Our America. The 2011 elections are set for November where the FSLN party is seeking to be re-elected.

Somoza Dynasty

(1936-1979)

“Slaves without names...” Mario Molina Arguello

Mariana Mena

Age: 71

I was born in Granada, Nicaragua. I went to university and I studied to become a secretary. The communities before were a lot different compared to how they are today. There were less people. In the country-side there were many manufacturers and haciendas (ranch). The people that were living in the country side were very poor because the government did not give the necessary attention that was needed in these rural areas. There was a company that hired the people in the country side, that´s if they were not farmers. My father was a farmer. In these days we did not have any sugar.

The political system that existed under Somoza´s rule was based on ignorance. I would describe him as authoritarian. He had all the power and eliminated anyone who was a threat to him. My family was involved in politics and never did I feel that my family would be safe because of their involvement in politics. I have four siblings, two of which were heavily involved in politics. They organized political activity and suffered greatly for involvement. My two brothers were repressed by the Guardia because they were against the Somoza regime.

The education system was good. I was one of the privileged people that received an education. However, there was very little aid from the government. I wanted to continue my education after I had graduated but there was no financial assistance and no opportunity because classes were lasted for long hours and we could not study and work at the same time. There was no potable water available for the people that lived in towns. Only the people that lived in the center received benefits. For the people that lived in towns, there was no basic service available because they were marginalized. This was the reason why I decided to form the first community group to benefit the people that were marginalized. There were only two women in the group. Through this group, we organized parties and raffles for the community. We received 5 cents weekly to run these events. We also wanted to form labour unions but it was not permitted because the government thought that through these unions we would form political groups. For this reason there were no political unions available.

People in those decades married at a later age in life. The average age for marriage was 28. It was not normal for people to marry when they were in their teenage years. I married when I was 30 years old even though my husband and I were together for 8 years before we married. The reason we married after many years was because I was very in involved in basketball. I played in many tournaments and in different countries (i.e. the United States, Colombia and Costa Rica).

Demetrio Martínez

Age: 61

The first memory that Somoza’s regime brings to mind is of how the world saw us and how we really saw ourselves. There was a constitution that was established along with an assembly to which was done for the purpose of providing the image that there was democracy in Nicaragua. The world was also under the perception that the political system in Nicaragua was open and democratic. However, to us Nicaraguans we know the truth. The political system was closed. The Guardia (under Somoza´s rule) repressed anyone who was against Somoza. We were not able to think liberally. I remember how the Cuban revolution affected life in Nicaragua. It was an example of what would occur if one opposed the political system and what could be done to change the system.

I come from a large family (I have 16 siblings). Under Somoza´s rule, there was a social program that was set up to provide financial help for large families. To receive this benefit, one had to give their support to Somoza. My family was forced to show their support even though we disagreed with the regime.

Working in the photography business has been a tradition in my family. This was, naturally, passed on to me even though I did not study it. Education was free for everyone. Anyone who studied was given intellectual rights and was provided with many work opportunities. Commerce had the most jobs available as it was the biggest industry. However, not everyone was given equal entry to the work opportunities that were available because not everyone was educated. There was no help from the government because the people arriving from foreign countries were given greater priority to work placements.

In these years, there were a lot of illnesses and many people that needed to be treated but couldn’t because there were few hospitals. These hospitals were insufficient. There were pharmacies available to the people that could afford it.

Jorge Fransisco Nuñoez

Age: 57

Somoza benefitted the country during his rule. Life then was good, in an economic sense, compared to today.

Our land was rich and fertile. There was a lot of agriculture and harvest. The country side was an ideal place for people to find work and there were many jobs available there. Prices were kept low and the economy was favorable.

Communities were safe. The Guardia was responsible for keeping crime rates low. They did not mistreat people on the condition that people did not engage in political activities. If people decided to engage in political activity that went against the regime, then the Guardia would interfere and prevent political demonstrations form taking place.

Life in general was joyful. There were less habitants but everything was peaceful.

José Gonzalo Silba

Age: 70

The good side of Somoza’s regime was that he knew how to maintain the economy and he maintained it so that there was work available for everyone. The health care that was available was also well maintained and even thought there were few pharmacies available, they were well equipped and were accessible to everyone without any payment. Somoza also started the social welfare system. Universities were expensive and the only students who could study were the ones that had parents who could pay for these universities. I couldn’t study medicine because there was no financial aid given to students who needed it.

The dark side of this was that he tortured a lot of people to keep them silent. There was no freedom for anyone who had a political opinion that was against the regime. Farmers were exploited and their land was taken away. If they had land to work in, they were only able to make about 5 cents. Somoza owned everything from farms to the industries. All the rights of the people were lost and what was worse was the fact that the Guardia robbed everyone instead of protecting the people even though during this time there were strict laws about robberies which I would say these laws were only executed not for the interest of the communities but only because the government wanted everything for themselves. The only people that Somoza protected were the ones that had money and this is where his support came from. Everyone else was repressed.

Fernando López

Age: 77

I was living in a small region of Granada that was known as Malacatoya. There were many benefits available during this time. Everyone worked and there were a lot of jobs available to people from the lower and higher class. It was also very easy for people to get hired. My father was a saddler and my mother worked in sewing and both of these jobs were good jobs in these decades but they would not pay much in the present time.

The country had a good economy and this helped many people in finding jobs but the government did not do much for the communities. For example, the highways that they built were only built in areas that were exclusive to the government while the periphery of major cities was left without any development. Those that lived in the center were more privileged and lived in better conditions than those that lived in rural areas. The government was especially authoritarian to farmers and most of their land was taken away from them.

Somoza’s regime did not affect my family because my family was not very political but the political power that was executed in the country was very rigid and this prevented communities from communicating with each other. The healthcare that was available was not the best that could have been offered. All the medicine that was offered was controlled and this was especially true for the people from the lower class.

Manuel Ibarra

Age: 60

I was born in Granada, Nicaragua. I studied at the University of Managua. There, I studied banking and financing. The years under Somoza´s rule were the best years. My family and I we were very supportive very supportive of Somoza and his regime. We had several reasons; an efficient economy, the quality of the health services, the quality of the education system, and safe neighborhoods.

The economy that existed during the 1970´s functioned well. The Cordoba to dollar ratio was kept low which allowed that economy to flourish. I remember that the economy was able to provide jobs for people and they were hired without any difficulties. We had factories in Nicaragua that didn´t exist anywhere else in Central America. There were people that were coming from other countries to find work here. Nicaraguans were satisfied and did not have any financial needs. There was no discrimination between the rich and the poor and society did not have any problems with class.

The education was of good quality. There were public universities and private universities. Public universities were free of cost and available to everyone. However, those that had the financial means could send their kids to private schools.

The health services were of excellent quality. There were few hospitals but they were well maintained. The doctors were well educated and had also been well trained. Patients were well taken care of.

The communities were safe. We did not deal with issues such as infidelity because women were faithful. There was no crime and no delinquency. The national defense guard, the Guardia protected the public and maintained order. Life was functioning as it should.

The Nicaraguan people benefited greatly from Somoza. There are many things about my nation that make me proud. I live in a country where the people are kind and sociable. There is no hospitality like our hospitality. We welcome everyone.

Mario Molina Arguello

Age: 66

All positives have negatives which is how I would describe life when Somoza was in power. There were many economic privileges which had a positive effect on life. However, these privileges only existed in major cities and these privileges also came with a price. For example, the work that was available was in miserable conditions. The salaries were low. The victims to these conditions were the ones that did not have access to such information. To tell you that the poor were the victims is an understatement. The only way to describe the way they lived is to say that they were slaves with names. The system that existed was completely ignorant of the lower class. The only time that they were given attention was when they voiced their dislike to the political system. However, voicing your opinion during that time only meant that the Guardia would only come not to hear what you have to say, but to silence you. We did not have the right to freedom of speech. One might think that having our right to freedom of speech taken away meant at least that we were allowed access to other rights. However, this did not exist. The people that benefitted the most from this system were the people that participated in commercial trade. They were the ones that had access to all of the information.

The health treatments that were available were one of the things that at least served everyone, regardless of class but of course with exceptions. The doctors were very skilled. Many of them had been educated abroad which meant that for us we were receiving the best medical techniques that were available in the world. There were also private hospitals for the upper class. We had four private hospitals and one public hospital. The only difference that existed was that the public hospital was free and private hospitals had better conditions but the quality that was offered was good in both. In Granada we had two pharmacies that were not free.

The education system was completely different than what exists today. In those decades, the professors were not only educated but they meant a lot more to the students. All students looked up to them as they would a parent. Not everyone had equal access to an education. It was not free regardless of what the others might think. Everything had to be paid for, including things such as transportation, books and living expenses. Education back then was also inaccessible for social factors. The university in Managua preferred foreign students over local students. The university in Leon was less expensive but the living costs had to be paid for by the students. Unfortunately for me, I never was able to continue my education. In school, I was a shy student which meant that my accessibility to information depended on me asking for it. Being a shy student also proved to have negative consequences later on in my education. I went to university in Managua for 6 months. I dreamed of being a lawyer. However, I was told that there were a lot of lawyers. I left school and started working in commercial trade.

I chose to work in commercial trade because this field did not require an education. I was also very familiar with this field as my family owned industries. This meant that my family name was well known. This was important because last names were associated with certain families and certain characteristics. Keeping the family name in a good light was important because it was wrong to do something that would put the family name in shame. This applied to people of both classes. However, this did not mean that we never faced any social problems. Yes, social problems existed but they were kept hushed in order to protect the family. Images mattered very much. I can tell you however that this is about the only thing that the lower class had in common with the upper class. The lower class was

ignored and the lower class accepted their poverty as something normal. They thought the bourgeoisie had the rights to everything because they had been chosen by God.

Overthrow of Somoza Dynasty

(1978-1979)

“The majority supported the insurrection’s ideology; freedom.” Guillermo Galeano

Elvis Hernández Lazo

Age: 50

I was 16 years old, attending school, when the insurrection began. In 1978 a friend from school told me that he knew someone from the FSLN group. I decided that I wanted to meet him, which was when I decided to join the fighters and go to the mountains. I started training. The man that I met from the FSLN group taught me how to use a pistol. I started reading about past wars, in order to prepare myself. I also had to undergo physical training. I had to keep training along with everyone else until we received the command to begin the attack.

When the insurrection began, I was in Granada. Granada did not have any immediate changes. The city did not have a lot of conflict. Many students that wanted to fight in the insurrection went to Masaya because Masaya was taking greater steps in developing the insurrection. The only conflict that existed in Granada was in the northern part of the city. However, the city was still preparing for battle. Word was going around in secret that on a specific day the insurrection would begin. People started collecting food and water before the insurrection began.

The FSLN had a radio station, Radio Sandino (that was based in Costa Rica because Somoza did not allow it). Radio X and Radio Difusora Nacional were Somoza´s radio stations. These two stations were not telling people the truth. They were telling people that there were no problems and everything in the country was fine. People only heard the truth from Radio Sandino. Radio Sandino was how the fighters were communicating and was also the place where the commands were sent out to commence the attack.

I was second in command. Our tactic was that of the guerilla (where a group of people attack the enemy and then retreat). Initially, we organized the fighters into groups. I was in charge of a group which was composed of 10 people. When we were given the order, we commenced the attack on the Guardia and then we retreated. The weapons that we used were brought in from the mountains or from the sea, from other countries. Costa Rica and Panama were some of the countries that gave us these weapons. The types of rifles we used included M16, M3, CAL and CARAVINA M1. FSLN was based in Costa Rica during the insurrection and was able to easily ship these weapons to us. We did not wear any special uniforms, except for a bonia (a flat hat).

A day that I will remember happened on February 27, 1979. It was in the evening. I along, with other commandants attacked the Guardia. The Guardia knew that they were not in a strong position to win the fight. However, I remember this day because it was the first time that I had used a weapon. I had never used a weapon against another person.

The country changed dramatically with respect to its economy and education. Nobody chose to go to school. Students were repressed by the Guardia because they were thought to be fighters from the insurrection. It became too dangerous to go, even though school was not suspended. We had a

curfew that began at 6pm and ended at 6am. Anyone that was seen during these hours was killed immediately.

On a personal level, the insurrection affected my life dramatically. Many people from my family left the country to go to the United States. I had a cousin, Freddi, who also fought during the insurrection. He was my childhood friend. During school vacations, I went to visit him in Managua (where he lived) and sometimes he would visit me in Granada. He died while fighting against the Guardia. His body was never found. I have come to a conclusion as to why. Freddi physically resembled Hugo Espadafora who worked in the ministry of education in Panama. Espadafora came to Nicaragua, to join the fight with the FSLN against Somoza. The Guardia found what they thought was Espadafora´s body on the Costa Rican border. They took his body to Managua because Somoza wanted to show the world that other countries were attacking him. However, Espadafora was seen two days later on television. Freddi was 19 years old.

Hearing that Somoza had left the country was the happiest day. I was in the United States that day. I remember hearing from my family that the day before, the Guardia had come to my house in Nicaragua, looking for me. They took my father, who fortunately was not harmed. The day that Somoza left will never leave my memory. That day meant that war and violence had left the country with Somoza. It was what I fought for. I saw a peaceful future for Nicaragua.

Luis Eleazar Morales

Age: 59

I have never been on the left side of the political spectrum or the right side. I stand in the center. However, this does not mean that I was always content with the political party in power. The time of the insurrection was a time when everyone lived on edge because no one knew what the outcome was going to be. I was living in Granada. I worked at a local industry. When the insurrection began, I continued to work at the industry. The insurrection did not leave any drastic change in the Granada. I was living in the center and I did not feel any change. I am used to hard working conditions because I had worked in the country side. In a way, I did feel a little bit prepared for when the insurrection began. However, in that time, it was a misfortune to be a young person. The Guardia were suspicious of all the young people because the majority of the people that were involved in the insurrection were school and university aged kids.

I remember the day when the Guardia captured me. They started questioning me about who I was and what I was doing and where I was going. They pointed a gun at me and asked me for my motorcycle keys. After that they took me with them to the police station. They started questioning me again. They did not believe that I was from Granada. They took me to another building and there, they asked if anyone knew me. I was lucky that someone said they knew me because I was thinking that they might be too afraid to speak in front of the Guardia. All the young people were mistreated badly by the Guardia. Anyone linked with the Sandinista Front was killed.

I did not participate in the insurrection because I had never used a weapon and I did not like wars. My family also did not allow me to go because they did not know who was a Sandinista and who wasn´t. I was not familiar with Sandino´s story because Somoza did not allow for Sandino´s biography to be taught at school. Instead of going to war I started reading about Sandino. It was also something that I did to pass the time because the insurrection later had reached such intensity that it was not safe for anyone to go out anymore. Older people were able to go out, but it was too dangerous for all young people.

I remember when Somoza left the country. My neighbour told me that Somoza left. It was normal news for me which is because I felt very neutral about the insurrection. I was not in favor of the insurrection nor was I opposed to it. However, when Somoza did leave, I did not understand why he left because life was normal when he was in power and war just destroys life which was what happened during the insurrection.

Mario Chacón Sílva

Age: 59

I had many motives for participating in the insurrection. I wanted social change which could have only occurred with Somoza leaving the country. I felt like I had this in common with a lot of people in Nicaragua. About 78-80% of the people supported the Sandinista Front. Everyone was united and everyone wanted Somoza to be gone. My participation in the insurrection was that of a journalist who spoke on behalf of the Sandinistas. I interviewed Sandinistas and I passed the interviews along to the radio. I did not use a weapon. Only the opinions of the fighters and what they were fighting for mattered to me. The only way I could describe this war is to say that they were apocalyptic moments. Even though the majority of the people were united, people were still engaged in war. Many of the people that fought were young (the median age was 15 years old).

The farmers during the insurrection played an important part. They heard the news and sympathized with the young people that were fighting in the mountains and many of them were dying at the hands of the Guardia (which is why I say that it was very apocalyptic). They helped them with medicine and food. The Guardia had medical treatments available that was brought in to them in helicopters. The people fighting against Somoza did not have such treatments available to them. This is another reason of why the farmers chose to help them.

Once the war had intensified, the city (Granada) became dangerous for me. The Guardia knew all of the journalists because they heard them on the radio. I also felt uncomfortable with the lack of economic resources that were available in Granada which is why I left for Ometepe. Ometepe offered me everything from food to a safe place to hide from the Guardia.

The war created difficult conditions for everyone to live in for all the violence that it had caused. After the revolution, Nicaragua was left divided and not everyone was equal. These made everything that the country went through with the insurrection seem pointless because people participated in the insurrection to bring equality to the country. People repeat events that shouldn´t occur. It is important to look for peace. For me it’s vital. It is also important for the community to be less violent. With war, little changes and even the changes that occur are not radical. After the insurrection, the journalists kept working in bringing the truth to the people and the Sandinistas kept fighting with little money.

Roberto José Ramírez

Age: 54

I was living in Granada. I was a student. Everything was normal before the insurrection began. I went to school, I had friends. All of a sudden, the political situation of the country changed. It became very dangerous to be political. Imagine yourself, suddenly waking up to find that you could not even walk the streets without feeling afraid. The Guardia started killing young people and torturing them. No one went to school. I had to leave the country because it was not safe for me anymore. I went to Venezuela to look for better economic conditions. My parents were living in Venezuela for the same reason. Living in Venezuela was different from what I was used to. I later went to Costa Rica and from there I was able to enter Nicaragua through the Caribbean coast. I found that living in that part of Nicaragua was also different. The culture was different. There were many languages being spoken. It was an environment where I felt very uncomfortable.

I never participated in the insurrection except for one day which I´ll never forget. There was a business school in Granada and at the time it was the only school that was not taken over by students who were involved in the insurrection. The director of this school was part of the Guardia. A friend told me that they were planning on taking over the school which was exactly what the student movement did. I remember that there were a lot of people who gathered outside of the school in support of the movement. We closed the school. The Guardia did not come. Later, that day I, along with the other students, went to Masaya to join the youth that were fighting against the Guardia commanders. The bombs that were used were made by the students that fought. These bombs exploded immediately when they were thrown. As a result, many of these students died while carrying these bombs. I had to leave Masaya right after because when the Guardia came looking for students, they searched to see if they could smell the powder from these bombs on the students. This was a day when I saw how motivated the youth were in wanting to change the country for the better. This war was difficult for all the youth that were involved and the choices they had to make were complicated. One of the choices that I faced along with all the youth that fought was either to defend our lives and kill people or the Guardia would take our lives from us.

Looking back at the insurrection and what I went through, I would now say that the insurrection should never have happened. No war is ever good. Many people died in the insurrection and there were very little benefits. The only benefits that occurred were only for the people that participated, with the triumph of the revolution. Many families became divided. I never thought I would live to this age. I was interested in engineering but I lost interest because I never thought that I would live long enough to pursue my interests.

Sandinista Revolution

(1979)

“We were the eyes and ears of the revolution.” Ricardo Guillermo López

Ricardo Guillermo López

Age: 52

When the insurrection began I was living in Granada. I did participate in the insurrection. My role was to carry weapons from one place to the other. With the triumph of the revolution, suddenly everything changed. All the communities had to be organized. I wanted to be involved in this change because I did not want to live in repression any longer and I wanted to make sure that the people of Nicaragua would not be repressed any longer. After the triumph of the revolution, the most important change that occurred was that the people, then, controlled the country (as opposed to before when Somoza alone controlled the country). I sacrificed my youth for the love of the revolution and it was all worth it when after the revolution everything was organized exactly as I had hoped it would. The most difficult decision that I made was I had to leave my family to work for the communities. My family realized that the population needed me more.

The problems of the population had to be resolved using a different perspective than before. For example, after the triumph of the revolution, everyone lived in solidarity with one another and we used this approach to solve the problems that we faced. We approached these issues with sensibility.

The changes that occurred after the revolution were drastic. Everyone (regardless of social standing) was allowed to participate in politics. Before, Somoza controlled the levels of the government; the military, Judicial, Legislative and the Electoral powers of the state. After the triumph of the revolution, the Masa Organization that was composed of the majority controlled the powers of the state while the leaders of the revolution (Daniel Ortega, Violeta Chamorro, Sergio Ramirez, Alfonzo Rouelo and Moise Hassan Arturo Cruz) met the demands from the Masa Organization. Through this we were able to put in place medical treatments (i.e. vaccinations). All health treatments were now available for free. We set up programs to help students with university costs. Land was given to farmers. Agricultural production levels were raised. Everyone felt like they were part of the community. For the first time our political system did not benefit foreigners. I was very conscious of how the people benefitted after the revolution which is why I worked not for economic benefits but for the love of the revolution. Solidarity and sacrifices were what produced real change after the triumph.

I would not have believed it if you were to tell me that 30 after the triumph, the same people that helped destroy Somoza´s system would come back to set it up later. Now Daniel Ortega controls the powers of the state, exactly as how Somoza controlled everything before.

Vincente Antonio Guadamuz Mejía

Age: 58

I was living in Granada after the triumph of the revolution. I was a student at the time and I was a member of the Revolutionary Student Front. In order to join the FSLN party, I first had to join the Revolutionary Student Front. There, they trained us on how to use weapons. This movement was also an opportunity for the people; where they were able to rise and have a voice. My job was to organize the people in different battle groups.

I did everything for the revolution because I loved the people of this country. I wanted them to live in a free and democratic land. The revolution was for the purpose of bringing democracy, respecting the laws, respecting human rights and freedom of thinking. This is what we initially achieved. After the triumph of the revolution everything changed in a positive direction. People became more in solidarity with one another. Our motivation was the revolution that we had created and achieved. I had a one year old son at the time who was also one of motivations to continue to serve the country because I wanted my son to live without a dictatorship.

One of the biggest accomplishments of the revolution was that there was equality. There were services available for those that paid and also for those who were not financially able to pay. Everyone had equal rights. Only later did I learn that all of these equalities were false. It was only a misconception that was publicized by those who had power and in reality there were little benefits for the lower class. The Diplomatic tiendas (store) were owned by the upper class and only used the U.S. dollar and this left many people out. The economy fell. The country was able to produce coffee and cacao but these productions did not benefit the economy because we were trading with the socialist countries (i.e. Cuba and Russia) and we began trading with Soviet Union for weapons. A rationing system was created that distributed food depending on the number of people in a family. There was no toothpaste; people used salt mixed with water.

The Navidad Roja (Red Christmas) occurred when missiles were sent from Honduras over Nicaragua. The Navidad Roja was proof of how everything I fought for was only a deception. I fought for peace. The triumph of the revolution was meant to bring peace and equality for Nicaragua. Now, leaders are breaking promises and they look only for power. They are not looking for solutions to resolve the social problems we are facing today. Everything has fallen into capitalist hands.

Martha Lorena Flores Castillo

Age: 43

Remembering the triumph of the revolution is a reminder to me of why I continue to support the Sandinista government. My family was very involved in the revolution. I (along with my brothers) we were raised hearing stories about Sandino.

I had one brother who was killed in the insurrection. He fought for the triumph of the revolution. The triumph brought days of joy and everyone that had participated felt accomplishment even though many of our family members died in this fight. Most importantly, the triumph of the revolution also meant that families were united with their brothers and sons and fathers. My bother retuning from the mountains was a day I’ll never forget.

The triumph of the revolution brought in important changes. There was no need to work. Education became free (even though I went to a private school which was paid for by my family). The health programs that were put in place all became free, including pharmacies. I remember that there were pharmacies that were set up for just for certain communities so that they would not need to pay. With all the benefits that the population started receiving, there were still many people who were still grieving the loss of their children who did not return from the mountains and this is why people started complaining about the FSLN government.

With the upcoming elections, I hope that whoever wins (whether it be the Sandinistas or any other party) that they will continue working to advance the country and focus more on the marginalized people, especially rural areas.

War of the Contra

(1980-1988)

“No one had rights in this decade. No one could critique the government or even think because everyone was living in

poverty.” Ana María Vila Montero

Jaime Ibarra Pasos

Age: 59

The Revolution meant that justice would return to this land. I fought for justice. Once the Sandinista Front came to power they started abusing the position that they were given. They allowed social injustice to occur once again when the purpose of the revolution was to eliminate injustice. After the revolution the government allowed foreigners to come to this land (from Venezuela, Cuba, Bulgaria) and abuse the rights we had tried to establish. These foreigners came here violating laws and violating women and the government allowed it. I had always believed in the Sandinista party and what it means to be a member, defending for our homeland and fighting for freedom. Once they became in power they changed these ideologies. My ideologies have always been the same. We are nationalists. We don´t serve and we don´t sell ourselves and we wanted to change the system that was not doing what they had promised. It was a communist system. The Sandinistas started a rationing system where everything became limited and we were not only living in economic poverty but also in an emotional and spiritual poverty. After the triumph of the revolution, the government wasted more time in buying food than in producing it. We became repressed socially and culturally. This was when I decided to join the fight to bring down the government we tried to establish.

I was in the Frente Sur region, at the Costa Rican border. I along with 5000 men formed the Democratic Revolutionary Alliance. It was us that asked for help from foreign countries. We wanted liberation from communism. Many countries aided us, including the United States, Panama, Spain and Costa Rica. Puerto Rico sent us medicine. In April 1981, we were given the order to begin what would be seven years of hunger, seven years of war, and seven years of violence. Many people left the country and went to Canada, the United States and Australia.

Everyone that fought in the Contra had a nickname (mine was Pachell). During this war, it was friends fighting against friends. Only years later did I find out that one of my friends (Elvis Hernández Lazo) was fighting against me in the same area that I was fighting. Neither one of us knew it at the time. Many people thought that the Contra members were fighting against members of the FSLN but this was not true. In the end, it was members of the Contra fighting with members from the Military Service but initially the members of the Contra were targeting the foreigners that had come to Nicaragua. We were looking for foreigners.

The time that Daniel Ortega became president was worse than the war that we were fighting. It was a terrible time for the youth. Young women who worked in the fields (picking coffee) were forcefully taken to the mountains and they came back to their families pregnant. My brother was forced to participate in the military service, to fight for the Sandinista Front. This was a difficult time for my family, especially my mother because she had two sons who were fighting against each other.

In those years that I spent fighting, a day I´ll never forget happened on June of 1985 in San Juan del Norte. There was a group of us. We were looking for foreigners. We spent 8 days in the river with water to our necks, with our clothes ripped and our skin infected. It was eight days of no food and no sleep. After we got through the river we saw that the members from the military service had already

been there and we had to return back on foot. What I saw on the walk back was much more terrible than what I had lived. I saw dead women with their breasts cut off and what made it more terrible was that the members of the military service.

All the violence that this country went through is about to be repeated once again. The only way out of this poverty that we´re living in is through education; cultural, emotional and spiritual education. When there´s culture, there´s principals and that is the only way we can move forward.

Unknown

Age: 44

I was 13 years old, living in Granada. During this period, education was a lot more different than what it is today. It was more integrative. There was no technology and the professors had more interest in teaching. Part of the education program that was introduced in the 1980´s was that many people from the urban areas went to teach in rural areas.

Food was not bought; instead we used a card for food. More work became available in the agriculture and manufacturing industries. The only thing was that we did not use any of the products that were manufactured in Nicaragua. Before the revolution, the soap and oil that was used was made in Nicaragua but after the revolution they were brought in from Japan.

Land and houses began to get confiscated which is the reason why so many people left the country. Another reason was that the government made it mandatory for anyone over 16 to complete two years of military service. If anyone over 16 did not present themselves, the government sent people to their houses to look for them. No one went to school because the government took kids from school which is why many parents decided to send their kids out of the country. The people that were in the military service were sent to protect the borders. Many were killed before completing their two years while others were left behind. I had 2 cousins who were taken to complete their military service. They never finished their 2 years. Shortly after joining, they left the military service and went into hiding. While the military service was only for boys; there was also a battalion for women in Granada. There, they trained the women in case they were needed.

Augusto Cermeño Castillo

Age: 58

During the 1970´s, I was exiled to Mexico because of Somoza. As a journalist, I was very outspoken about his regime. In Mexico I spent 6 months preparing to fight for the insurrection. I was in charge of the youth and I trained them for defense.

My role in the war of the contra was not that of a journalist. I made political and military missions in the north and central region. I explored fields to make sure that they were not dangerous and they were free of land mines so that the members of the military service could fight from these regions. I spent 3 to 4 months in one region and then I would move on to the next region.

In the mountains I was mobilized 8 times. My motive for defending the revolution and fighting on behalf of the Sandinistas was that I wanted to protect national sovereignty. The members of the Contra also thought that they were protecting nationalism but they wanted a different system and I understood why. After the revolution the Sandinista Front was doing many things that were against what they had promised us. They began confiscating land and farmers were being mistreated. There was a lot of poverty that the government had ignored. People had to line up for food and other basic necessities. What they gave us was of poor quality. The soap that they gave out was not fully processed. They repeated the same system that Somoza had put in his time which was one person and his family with all the wealth.

With the financing from the United States, the war began from Palmirola, Honduras. My brother was one of the members who fought against the Sandinista party. I never saw him when I was fighting against the contras but I knew he was there. We were brothers but we had different two different perspectives, which was true for a lot of the family members that fought against each other. I don’t know if what we went through resulted in any real change. I put my life in many dangerous situations so that Nicaragua could benefit. Whenever I faced these situations I always thought of my two daughters because I thought I would not come back to them.

When the war of the Contra ended, it became clear to me what we had achieved. Nicaragua is now ruled by one person and he and his family control all the wealth. It is the same system that we have been trying to change for the past 60 years. Wealth is available in this country but it needs to be used for the country. There needs to be more sustainable ways available to better education and the health care system.

Valentin Bara Hona

Age: 60

I was an artist working in Granada during the 1980’s. I supported the revolutionary government because I liked the changes that they were making for the country. They sympathized with the lower class and the farmers who have been ignored for a century. They put programs that focused on their needs. For example, they set up education programs for adults and they lowered housing prices. They also supported agriculture. The economy became worse when the war began. This was when the government put limits on everything, including the distribution of food.

The United States financed the war with weapons. What many people don´t know is that the United States did not have permission to finance this war. As a result, the International court of Justice in Holland found the United States guilty and the demanded that the U.S. pay for the damages that were done during the war.

The War of the Contra did have a positive result. We achieved peace. The period that followed was when we saw democracy. After the war, there was space created for all of the political parties that could not exist before. This is was where we saw democracy; there was freedom of expression. The parties that existed benefitted everyone.

Isaías José Talavera

Age: 49

I knew that there would be a war after the revolution. It was obvious because all revolutions have counter revolutions even though about 75% of the people supported the Sandinista Front after the triumph of the revolution. It was disappointing to say that after the revolution, the people who came to power were not prepared for it. They began restricting the food that we were receiving and all the social issues were solved by the members of the government who did not know how to plan any solutions to these issues.

I started military service when I was 19 years old. I was sent to the mountains. In this war there were two regions; Autonoma Atlantica Norte and Autonoma Atlantica Sur. I was part of the north region. I remember that once I got there it became clear to me what I had to do; either kill or be killed. I was one of the fortunate ones who survived but for many of my friends they did not make it. This was more terrible because that was when I knew that they would not be able to ever return to their families or to the communities that they had left. When one of my good friends was killed, I did not want to come back to Granada.

Other regions that were engaged in battle in the south were Granada, Masaya, Rivas and Carazo. I spent two months being moved around that region. They were difficult conditions to live in because all I remember was the bad weather, the rain, the little food we had and no rest. For the farmers, their situation became a little more complicated. Many members from the military service stole from farmers because they thought that the farmers were working with the members of the contra and that the farmers were giving the military service members false information.

Some of the battles that commenced were well prepared and equipped but others were not. In the Battle de Reserva, the people were not prepared because there was no discussion of what they planned on doing. The discussion came only after they had taken action which was a mistake. Many foreigners had come to Nicaragua to fight with the military service and they were well equipped and they also gave us weapons.

Engaging in battle at a young age made us mature rapidly. We left our families and I soon realized that I would not have my family to help me solve my issues. I became aware that I was responsible for my own actions. I started analyzing my actions with more caution because if I made a wrong decision it could have cost me my life. This was a positive outcome of my experience in the mountains; maturing and analyzing my actions. The negative side to this is that after being in the mountains I started having dreams about battles and fighting. Another reason for this was that we were never located in one place for too long; we always had to keep moving. Everywhere we went there was always the smell of dead bodies. Some people adapted to these conditions but others were a little less tolerant. It was not easy adapting to sleeping with a weapon because if one slept without their weapon they would be killed.

During my experience in this war, there was one day that I have never forgotten. I was in a town called Yali on the outskirts of Estelí. The contra members wanted to take over the mountains around that region. We surrounded the town around the contra and passed over the river to the mountains before the contra members were able to reach the mountains. I remember that day because 12 people that were fighting with me died that day. That day was also the day when I suffered physical injuries and I was sent to Cuba to get medical treatments. After that, I did not return to Nicaragua for sometime because in 1987 I went to study in Germany.

We accomplished nothing from that war except the fact that we survived the violence our leaders put us through. Navidad Roja (red Christmas) is proof of this; Daniel Ortega killed 15, 000 civilians because he thought that they were armed. We continue to be ruled by a dictator. There is no progress; no political or economic stability.

Ernesto Torre

Age: 52

After the success of the revolution, I knew that there would be a war because every positive event has a negative consequence. Those that stayed in Nicaragua (many people had left the country during the insurrection) started complaining about the programs that the government was implementing. They had every right in complaining because it became clear that the Sandinista Front were only using the name Sandino to gain people’s support. Many economic and social problems were being created that did not exist before. In the War of the Contra, I fought on behalf of the government because I thought they were a just government but the government had changed from a social government before the revolution to a bankrupt government after the revolution.

I married when I was 19 years old. Right after I married, the Sandinista government sent me to Cuba in 1981 to study politics in order to prepare myself for battle. That was during the time when my wife was pregnant. I stayed in Cuba for 6 months. When I was away my wife´s family left for the United States but she stayed behind. Her family urged her to go to the United States and that was when she went to Mexico with our child who was one year old at the time. In Mexico, she went to jail because she had entered illegally. She forged my signature later to say that I had given her permission to leave which is how she made it to the United States. I only found that out when I came back and I chose not to follow her. I continued working on behalf of the revolution.

In 1987, tourists from the United States came to Nicaragua who were interested in sending aid to Granada. We called the government in Nicaragua to say that we were interested in travelling to the United States to get social aid. I, along with two other people were chosen to represent Nicaragua on this trip. However, we did not receive permission to enter the United States. They did not grant us entry because of the Sandinista government. We spoke to the United States ambassador in Nicaragua who later granted us entry. We were the first three people to travel to the United States since the revolution. We arrived in Miami. There in the airport we were questioned. I was asked if I was part of the Sandinista government. I was told that it was the law that no person from a communist country could enter the United States. That was when I told them that I did not know what communism is. They told me countries like Cuba and the Soviet Union followed communist principals. I told them that since the revolution, Nicaragua was different because there was freedom when there had been no freedom before the revolution. I told them that the government had set up social programs (i.e. vaccinations and education programs for farmers) and given land back to their owners. After the questioning we were granted permission to stay in the United States for fifteen days.

Once in the United States, I interviewed Jesse Jackson to try and persuade him to get the United States to stop financing the war. Jesse Jackson told me that his party would try to stop the financing. A few days after that interview, there was a march in solidarity with Nicaragua. The purpose of this march was to help bring development to Nicaragua. I was very grateful for this march even though I was a little disappointed that many people did not know where Nicaragua is. When I returned, I knew that the government would move to a different region because I was still fighting for the government. I was sent to the mountains. I remember after only a few days of being there the contra attacked me right away.

The years of the War of the Contra were years of poverty. The country was left without progress and without development. I did not want to participate in the war initially for this reason. The only thing that separated the two sides that were fighting each other was two different ideologies. I was obligated to join the fight because if we did not defend the revolution someone else would have come to take power. At the time I thought I was defending a just system. I wanted a social system that distributed equality and not take equality away. The capital that the country had went away as soon as the Sandinistas took power. There was no food. The little that was available had to be shared. The food was acquired through a card that for example gave a family of 10 people food for each member and half a bar of soap. The food came to Nicaragua from other countries. The war did not allow the farmers to produce anything. Everything that Nicaragua imported was manufactured in communist countries (Cuba, Soviet Union). Even the cars were imported from these countries. As a result our technology became outdated. If one criticized the government they would mark that person´s house with phrases such as ¨here lives a contra¨ or ¨down with the bourgeoisie¨. I did not agree with the government and as a result I was badly seen by my co-workers.

There was also the military service. Many young people that did not want to join the military went to Costa Rica and Honduras. There, the members of the contra approached that were hiding from the government and convinced them to fight to bring the government down.

I sacrificed my marriage and my career for the revolution. It was all in vain. They only promised land for farmers to gain their support. All the capital in the economy became private capital. The weapons that we received from the Soviet Union came with a condition- we had to align ourselves with communist thinking.

The only way to advance the country now is to use political power so that it can serve all the people that are living in this country.

Oscar Danilo Castillo

Age: 44

During the War of the Contra, I fought as part of the Tropa Especial Pauolo Ubeda in Matagalpa. This was a military group that fought for the FSLN government during the 1980’s. A traumatic adventure is what I would use to describe my experience with this military because in 1984, Contra members captured me. With all the confusion, and the propaganda that the Contra publicized, the government thought I passed information along to the Contra. As a result, I became detained risking 30 years for the embarrassment that this caused me because I was thought of as the traitor who betrayed the country. This was the problem that the government had; they were unstable and for this reason no long term change occurred for the country. There was no democracy and all the propaganda that they used did not serve for any political reasons and this is how they took advantage of youth when they send them to war.

I fought for nine 9 months in Matagalpa. Participating in war at a young age made me more reserved because I started analyzing what I was going to say and do. I couldn’t confide in anyone because I was always alert and it became a lonely experience. No one slept because we never knew when we would receive orders. It was always difficult when we went to look for contra members and we would come to the river and see dead bodies left from when the Contra were there. There were times when I found myself in situation where I had to run for my life. During these moments I always remembered my sister that had died so that I would not feel tired because if anyone became tired in these dangerous situations, they died. I never knew if I had actually killed someone when I aimed and I always preferred not to know.

I have always been in favour of a political party that put an emphasis on educating children. The FSLN party politicized education and they started only teaching students about Sandino. It was like going from one extreme from when Somoza was in power to the next when the FSLN party took power. For education to have a true impact, students need to be taught about different perspectives and different histories. Career options were limited and badly distributed and as a result there was little productivity. Many children who needed special attention were ignored. When I was in the rural areas, I saw the poverty that the kids were living in and how there were no opportunities for an education or opportunities to grow-up properly. I remember, a little girl that had polio and could not walk. I spent about four hours a day playing with her whenever I got the chance. There needed to be more programs available for children who like her, were sick and needed special attention.

There was no money available for health care or education because there were no jobs. If people went to school, they were taken and used as look-outs for the war. If you needed medication, you had to travel to receive it. All the professors that participated in the alphabetization program were part of unions y were not interested in teaching. People were lining up for food and there was never enough of it.

I fought in the war so that the repression that the people were living in could be lifted. This never occurred because I got arrested and the country I was fighting for labelled me as a traitor. I

thought I was defending a just government but they were only deceiving the people they were governing. After they released me, they did not give me permission to return home because I had been arrested. I was very fortunate that I had survived. Many people did not return to their families. The families were only sent the bodies of their children. For many of the people that did return there was no psychological help available for them or any other form of aid. The majority of the youth that fought suffered psychological problems because once they returned they found that they could not accustom themselves to being around their families or sleeping in beds. They were accustomed to sleeping floors or they did not sleep at all because they were always alert. There is no reason for youth to die while fighting in wars. Wars are not for the people; they make history so that others can learn from them.

The Present

(1990-2011)

“We need a government that has everyone’s interests in mind and not only a select group of people.” María José López

Cintia Ruiz

Age: 26

The Rescata movement (a political party) is a good example of how it is not only a political movement where everyone of political background can attend but it also teaches youth about the history of our country and gives us important information that we do not have access to. It promotes the ideology of Sandino. It is also important for women of all ages because Rescata hosts special events on Women´s day. These events only became available recently. My mother told me that, before, even if there were events, she would not go (or let me go) because she did not know who organized these events or what the purpose of the events were. Now there is more information available. However, the information that is available does not help us with looking for jobs because there are no jobs available. Those that do have jobs are the privileged ones in this country.

There are also no opportunities for an education. A semester at a private university costs about $35. This is what the government is ignoring. They need to make available more job opportunities and make education more accessible. Youth are being exploited because we are not given opportunities. Many people want to believe that today’s youth don’t know anything about politics but they do not look at how misinformed youth are about political issues neither do they show us how we can get more involved with these issues. We are interested in these issues because it is our future.

It is important that we fight for our future. The only way we can do that is if the government changes because this government takes everything for them and leaves nothing for us.

Grecia Gómez

Age: 18

People complain that youth are not interested in politics or in developing this country. The truth is that the government does not take interest in what we have to say. There are no opportunities for us to voice our opinion which is why so many people do not vote. This is where the government has violated their power. The government is violating the constitution. They need to listen to our demands for better education, a better health system and better living conditions. We need opportunities and we need to be respected because at the moment there is no space for us in the political system. Give us the space to be equal to those who have a better economic status.

There are few political movements that are inclusive of all people of all different classes. For example, on July 17, 2011 Rescata had an event that invited all people (regardless of political opinions). There were people of all ages. This is one of the few political movements that do not show preference to any political party. It accepts everyone from all different social backgrounds. We need more events like this to engage youth in political thought. We need more events that do not make social distinctions.

While the government needs to give us more attention I think that youth still can participate and become active political members. For the political leaders to notice us we need to fight together. We need to rise. I look at what people my age accomplished in 1979. The only thing that separates them from us is that they were all united with their goal while today too many people are divided for economic reasons. This is why it is important for our future that we become united.

Unknown

Age: 30

Many people choose not to vote in elections but I think that that is a mistake. If I don´t vote, that vote will go to someone else. In the upcoming elections, I will be voting for Daniel Ortega. I think that some people are ungrateful because the current government has helped many people. I hope that if Ortega gets re-elected he will make some changes to the system. There needs to be more jobs available to everyone, not just Sandinistas. The people who have good relations with the Sandinistas are the ones that are at an advantage in this country. This does not create opportunities for the other parties. My brother is currently unemployed. He was a mechanic but he did not work in the field he studies for because it is very competitive and there are few job opportunities. To get a job in our area of specialization, we need to have connections with someone from the Sandinista party. They do not take into account the education of that person.

Education here is not only costly but people also need to make many sacrifices if they wish to receive a good education. It is difficult for graduates to find jobs and this is when they find that all their sacrifices were for nothing. My brother helps me pay for my education but when he is out of work I need to pay and part-time jobs are difficult to find. I think that the government needs to be aware of this. They need to take into account the sacrifices that people make for education.

Henry Adonis Sánchez Ruiz

Age: 20

I am from Ometepe. I live in Granada with my uncle which is how I’m able to attend school in Granada. I support the current government because they have helped many people especially the people living in the rural areas. I also support the FSLN party because my father fought in the war of the contra to defend the revolution. With that they succeeded in bringing to the nation the right to freedom of expression which did not exist before. Many of the famers in rural areas have been given land when before they had nothing.

A lot of youth support the current government and are planning on voting for the FSLN party because the government has also invested in social programs that have helped youth. For example the government has given financial aid to youth who are interested in playing sports. In terms of education the government could raise the financial aid to students. There is a social program that lowers tuition costs for siblings who are enrolled in siblings. For example, I only pay $24 instead of $35 and my sister only pays $21 instead of $30. This has helped many siblings to receive an education but for many families it is still too costly.

I hope that if the FSLN party wins the elections in November they will continue to help youth in achieving their goals and provide is with more opportunities for an education.

Yorleni Alvarado Raudez

Age: 18

Many professors today are not able to find jobs because they have not formed the right friendships with the right people. However, I do support the government because I respect the fact that they are investing in social programs. For example, the CPC (Popular Culture Centre) social program is trying to get more people involved in culture and sports programs even though many people, especially the youth are unaware of this and this is why they don´t vote. They don´t know what they are voting for or what their rights are. I think that youth have an important part to play in the development of the country. They need to know what is good for the economy because this is the only way that they can decide who to vote for. I will be voting for Daniel Ortega for all attention he has given to solving the social problems. I hope to see the government continue to help youth with education so that we can achieve our goals.

Jorge Luis Álvarez Sequiera

Age: 38

In the November elections I will be voting for Daniel Ortega. All of my family are Sandinistas and my sister was very involved with the revolution and I know the FSLN’s ideologies. I support the government for the housing project that they are offering to the marginalized people and for their attention to the health care system and the education system. They have taken away the autonomy which has benefitted the country. Violeta Chamorro´s could not bring the changes that are available today. She privatized electricity and water and health care became very costly.

I hope that the government makes better the salaries for both public and private workers because the problem is that there is work available but there is no financing to pay the workers.

Carlos Aruz

Age: 27

I lost both brother and my cousin in the war of the contra. For this reason I can´t express my opinions about the FSLN party. They sent many youth to fight for them after the revolution when they claimed that they were representing a socially democratic government. They did not focus on what people needed. My brother´s body was torn into two pieces during the war and my family did not receive any aid neither did all the other families that lost their sons during the war.

It is very important to vote in the upcoming elections because If I don´t vote the vote will go to Ortega which means that if he wins the country will continue to be under-developed. The health care system will continue to ignore people that need treatments because they are not interested in those that need medical attention. It is not like in Cuba where Cubans always get firs preference over everyone else. I remember once I took my friend to a hospital so that he could receive treatment but the doctors would not operate on him because he was intoxicated. My friend died the following day.

This government is not interested in the condition of the communities. I studied in a school that did not have a floor. The education system only focuses on teaching students about the Sandinistas and not about the other parties. There is no independence because we are not informed properly about the government.

The economy does not give equal work opportunities because we need to have friendships with the right people to be able to enter the market. This is why many people are working in jobs that they did not study for. The ALBA program also does not provide any benefits because it is Nicaragua that pays and when the government changes it´ll be Nicaragua that will be left with all the debt.

There is no development in the country. We advance forward slowly and we go back in the development of the country very rapidly. In 30 years education will be more expensive than it is now. The only time that I thought real change would come to Nicaragua was when Violeta Chamorro was president. She wanted to advance the country but her family robbed the country and she was the one that was guilty for this. The majority of Nicaraguans lost hope when she could not help the country. My family fought in the war of the contra for nothing. The war was involuntary and unnecessary.

Even though the Liberal party are similar to Somoza, I prefer to vote for them than for Ortega. The future is not ours to decide anymore because he wants to be re-elected. He is only interested in creating enemies. He has unnecessarily put military at the Costa Rican border. If the money of the people continues to be lost, Nicaragua will not advance and our rights will be lost.