Chronology of the Revolution

Against the Current, No. 67, March/April 1997

19 July 1979: The Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional (FSLN) overthrows the dictatorship of general Anastasio Somoza.

April-May 1980: Conservative parties break with the FSLN. Sra. Violeta Chamorro leaves the governing junta.

1981: Beginning of the Contra war.

November 4, 1984: First general “pluralistic” elections. FSLN wins with 66% of the vote.

1988: Negotiations between the Contras and the Sandinista government.

1989. The United States invades Panama. Collapse of the Soviet Union and eastern European regimes.

February 25, 1990: Electoral victory (55% of the votes) for the Unión Nacional Opositora (UNO), a coalition led by Sra. Violeta Chamorro, over the FSLN (43%).

3 March 1991: New economic plan, devaluation, introduction of a new currency (Cordoba-Oro) and a program of privatizations.

July 1991: FSLN Congress. The leadership  of the party, unchanged since 1979, is confirmed by the majority.

January 1993: The moderate wing of UNO forms a new parliamentary majority with the Sandinista legislators.

27 February 1994: Regional elections on the Atlantic Coast. The Partido Liberal Constitucionalista (PLC) of Sr. Arnoldo Alemán (far right) defeats the FSLN. Parties in the government suffer erosion of support.

April 1994: First agreements between the IMF and World Bank, which submit future financing to a severe policy of structural adjustment.

May-October 1994. THE FSLN splits. The Democratic Left majority seizes control of the Sandinista press. The Movement for Sandinista Renovation denounces the majority’s authoritarian methods.

February, 1995. General Humberto Ortega replaced as head of the Ejército Popular Sandinista. Joaquín Cuadra assumes the leadership. The army is renamed Nicaraguan National Army.

October 20, 1996. Right-wing candidate Arnoldo Alemán wins the Nicaraguan elections at the head of the National Liberal Alliance.

ATC 67, March-April 1997