My final days in Nicaragua included a local celebration of the anniversary of the seizure of power by the Sandanistas. The FSNL overthrew the rule of Anastasia Somoza Debayle in 1979. It is a very complicated history filled with stories of corruption and U.S. involvement. According to some of the sources I read, the original members were nationalistic students who were outraged by the conditions in Nicaragua under Somoza and what they saw as consistent U.S. Intervention in Nicaraguan affairs. They wanted to improve the conditions for the poor. Long story short, what started out as a movement of the people, turned into a civil war with U.S.-backed Contra rebels. The FSNL was supported by the Soviets and Cuba. Under Sandinista rule and the leader Daniel Ortega, they have maintained power nationalizing the country's major industries. From what I understood through my conversations with those willing to talk to me about it, unless you work for the government and are a member of the Sandinista party, it is very difficult to find work. Our teachers at the Spanish Language School were all professionals from various fields- a lawyer, a psychologist, teachers, who could not find consistent work in their fields. I was also told that it was very dangerous to speak about the government negatively. People are beaten up, fired, and even killed if they are open about their opposition. It is very complicated. The FSNL has been working to make improvements in education and health, however, the changes have been slow. As I already shared, many Nicaraguans live in poverty. Many are illiterate despite the statistics the government claims. Anyway, I had a hard time watching the parade in street by the government employees and FSNL party members knowing how much the general population is oppressed.
I have a lot to learn on top of my Spanish language skills. #FFTFellow
Here are a few photos of the day:
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