The Nicaraguan Revolution

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Nicaragua, the country with the least “fertile soil for the proliferation of Left groups”, was the only nation where a revolution prevailed following the Cuban Revolution (4). Despite many similarities between Cuba and Nicaragua, they established quite distinct revolutions. In Sandinista, Matilde Zimmermann, often compares and contrasts the FSLN movement with the Cuban Revolution. In addition, she also provides not only a thorough study of the military and ideological leader Carlos Fonseca, but offers insight into the development of the FSLN. Unlike the Cuban Revolution, the Nicaraguan revolution under the leadership of the FSLN was mainly a social revolution. According to Zimmermann, the FSLN of Carlos Fonseca was responsible for mobilizing …show more content…
In the Historic Program, Fonseca outlined his philosophy of embracing the experiences of the Nicaraguan workers and peasants. This philosophy was central to the FSLN initial platform (208). Unlike the 26th of July Movement, whose forces only represented a minority of the Cuban population, the Sandinista coalition was truly representative of the lower sector of Nicaraguan society. From the beginning the FSLN was organized primarily to represent workers, peasants, and the urban poor. They believed in educating the lower class by instilling in them an understanding of Nicaraguan history, which taught them about the Nicaraguan struggle against imperialism (191). In addition, this philosophy contributed to the appeal of the FSLN and helped mobilize young militants. Throughout the 1960s, Fonseca and the small group of youthful revolutionaries launched a guerilla movement. Fonseca helped organize guerilla units, recruited clandestinely for future action, and endured prison. Despite the frequent defeats, Fonseca’s intensity and dedication to the cause helped maintain the unity of the organization during long periods of underground …show more content…
The FSLN without Fonseca lost Fonseca’s focus on understanding and responding to poor Nicaraguans and their diverse forms of exploitation. Rather than engaging them as revolutionary subjects, they made the masses the object of revolutionary policy, a shift that produced resistance rather than negotiation. In addition, the debates that gave rise to the FSLN factions remained intact within the nine leaders of the National Directorate (226). The Directorate lost sight about what was best for Nicaraguan workers and peasants. Although the FSLN claimed to be governing in the interest of workers and peasants, their refusal to bring new leaders from oppressed social classes to the Directorate did not support their claim. In the 1990s, National Directorate led to another split. That, along with the civil war took a significant political toll on the FSLN. In February 1990, after a tumultuous decade in power, the FSLN was voted out of office when Conservative leader Violeta Chamorro beat Daniel Ortega in the presidential race
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