Nicaragua: Sandino and the Sandinistas

Started by <k>, June 09, 2012, 11:57:15 PM

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<k>



From Wikipedia:

Augusto Nicolás Calderón Sandino (-1895-1934) was a Nicaraguan revolutionary and leader of a rebellion against the U.S. military occupation of Nicaragua between 1927 and 1933. He was labeled a bandit by the United States government, and his exploits made him a hero throughout much of Latin America, where he became a symbol of resistance to United States domination. Drawing units of the United States Marine Corps into an undeclared guerrilla war, his guerrilla organization suffered many defeats, but he successfully evaded capture.

United States troops withdrew from the country after overseeing the inauguration of President Juan Bautista Sacasa. Sandino was assassinated in 1934 by Gen. Anastasio Somoza García, who went on to seize power in a coup d'état two years later, establishing a family dynasty that would rule Nicaragua for over 40 years. Sandino's legacy was claimed by the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), which overthrew the Somoza government in 1979.

Sandino is currently revered in Nicaragua, and was unanimously named a "national hero" in 2010 by the nation's congress. Sandino's bloodline, along with his hat, boots, and writings from when he was evading U.S. Marines, continue to help shape the national identity.


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<k>

#1


Who remembers the 1980s, the Sandinistas, and the Contras?


From Wikipedia:

Daniel Ortega (born 1945) is a Nicaraguan politician. He is the current President of Nicaragua (since 2007), a position he has held previously between 1985 and 1990. A leader in the socialist Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), his policies in government have seen the implementation of leftist reforms across Nicaragua.

Born into a working class family, from an early age Ortega developed a hatred of the ruling President Anastasio Somoza Debayle, who was widely seen as a dictator, and became involved in the underground movement to oppose Somoza's regime. Joining the Sandinistas, he also travelled to Cuba to receive training in guerilla warfare from Fidel Castro's Marxist-Leninist government. After the Nicaraguan Revolution resulted in the overthrow and exile of the Somoza's government in 1979, Ortega became a member of the ruling multipartisan Junta of National Reconstruction and was later elected president, serving from 1985 to 1990. At the time a Marxist-Leninist, his first period in office was characterized by a controversial program of land reform, wealth redistribution and literacy programs. Such leftist reforms damaged U.S. economic interests in the country, gaining hostility from the U.S.'s governing Reagan administration, who funded a right wing militia, the Contras, to overthrow Ortega's government.

Ortega was defeated by Violeta Barrios de Chamorro in the 1990 presidential election, but he remained an important figure in Nicaraguan opposition politics, gradually moderating in his political position from Marxism-Leninism to democratic socialism. He was an unsuccessful candidate for president in 1996 and 2001, before winning the 2006 presidential election. In power, he has made alliances with fellow Latin American socialists, namely Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, and signed Nicaragua up to the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas.


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<k>

#2
Nicaragua 1980 50 ctvos.jpg

The first Nicaraguan coins portraying Augusto Sandino were issued in 1980.

This is the obverse of a 50 centavos piece.
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<k>

#3
Nicaragua 5 cordobas-1980-.JPG

A 5 cordobas coin of 1980, showing a different portrait of Sandino.
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<k>

#4
Nicaragua 10 centavos 1981.jpg

A different portrait of Sandino on this 25 centavos piece dated 1981.
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<k>

#5
Nicaragua 1 cordoba 1983.jpg

This 1 cordoba coin of 1983 sports yet another changed portrait of Sandino.
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<k>

#6
Nicaragua 5 cordobas 1984.jpg

5 cordobas from 1984. Spot the difference?
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<k>

#7
Nicaragua 1 cordoba 1984.jpg

This 1 cordoba coin of 1984 carries the same portrait as the 5 cordobas coin of that year.
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<k>

#8
Nicaragua 1 cordoba 1985.jpg

The portrait on the cordoba coin of 1985.

It does look subtly different again to my eyes.
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<k>

#9
Nicaragua 1987 50 ctvos.jpg

Nicaragua, 50 centavos, 1987


In 1986, no coins were issued with his portrait, and by 1987 he was just a hat!

These hat coins were issued in 1987 only.

After that, Sandino disappeared from the Nicaraguan coinage.
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Figleaf

As Roosevelt famously put it: (he's a bastard), but he's our bastard. Yes, I remember Somoza - a bastard all right - and Ortega. I also remember how in a Western democracy, the outgoing left accorded large credits to the Sandinista government in the last week before they handed over power to the incoming rightist government. Glad those days are over ... aren't they? :-X

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.

<k>

#11
Nicaragua 500 cordobas 1980.jpg

Nicaragua, 500 cordobas, 1980.  Silver collector coin.
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<k>

#12
Nicaragua 1000 cordobas 1980.jpg

Nicaragua, 1000 cordobas, 1980.  Gold collector coin.  Sandino and Fonseca.

Carlos Fonseca Amador (1936 – 1976) was a Nicaraguan teacher and librarian.

He founded the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN).
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<k>

#13
Nicaragua 1000 cordobas 1984.jpg

Nicaragua, 1000 cordobas, 1984.  Gold collector coin.  Sandino.
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<k>

#14
Nicaragua 1000 cordobas 1984.jpg

Nicaragua, 1000 cordobas, 1984.  Generals Estrada, Sandino, and Umanzor.
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