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Somoza comes to power
Anastasio Somoza García formally inaugurated as president and chief director of the military and resumes control of the National Guard. This event is important because it is the start of the Somoza dynasty, a more than four-decade military dictatorship that was corrupt but still had the economic support of the US. Somoza and his two sons rule Nicaragua in a way called “continuismo”, the alternation in the presidential office with trusted friends in a system (Gascoigne, "HISTORY OF NICARAGUA"). -
Luis Somoza Debayle, the sort of nice one. part of blurb: Somoza García was assassinated in Panama. He
was succeeded by his eldest son, Luis Somoza Debayle, the next year. He is a little less tyrannical than his father (Gascoigne, "HISTORY OF NICARAGUA"). His short rule is very important because it represented the time during the Somoza regime where there is a little more freedom than the rest of it. He restored the constitutional ban on reelection and raised hope for political liberalization. Unfortunately, he dies in 1967, after trusted friends of the Somoza family held office from 1963-1967. -
Violent revolution..maybe
The Sandinista National Liberation Front (Frente Sandinista de Liberacion Nacional—FSLN) is formed in opposition of Anastasio Somoza Debayle and in memory of César Augusto Sandino (Gascoigne, "HISTORY OF NICARAGUA"). By the late 1970s the FSLN was militarily challenging the National Guard. This event is important because it shows that the lack of political, peaceful reform between the National Guard and FSLN had only one way to end: violent revolution. -
Opposition to the youngest son Part of blurb: the PLI and the Christian Social Party (PSC) created the National Opposition Union (UNO) in order to oppose Anastasio Somoza Debayle, Somoza Debayle’s younger brother who was running for president. The UNO
nominated Fernando Aguero as their candidate but Anastasio Somoza Debayle is elected president even with his repressive campaign against Aguero. This event is important because it is the beginning of the most oppressive part of the Somoza regime. His level of corruption is especially seen in the after effects of the devastating earthquake in Managua in 1972. Most of the international aid was redirected to the enrichening of the regime and its close friends and supporters (source 1). -
Civil War blurb: Pedro Joaquín Chamorro, leader of moderate group and editor of Managua's main newspaper (La Prensa), is assassinated presumably by members of the national guard and Somoza’s sons. Later that year Sandinistas attack the National Palace in
in Managua taking hostages until their demands for the release of 59 political prisoners is met, which it was (source 1). Despite pressure to resign Somoza refuses and Civil War ensues. In 1979, the Sandinistas start to capture towns in quick succession of each other—usually with the help of the citizens—and Somoza is forced to flee the country. He is assassinated a year later on September 17, 1980. This is probably the most important event of the Somoza regime because it is the...(rest in doc) -
Source 1
Gascoigne, Bamber. "HISTORY OF NICARAGUA." HISTORY OF NICARAGUA. HistoryWorld, n.d. Web. 18 Jan. 2017.
HistoryWorld is an online history encyclopedia established by Bamber Gascoigne. HistoryWorld won the New Statesman New Media award for the best educational website in 2002. It is meant to be an educational site that is easy to use for teachers and students.
