Revolution in Nicaragua

Recently, there was an exchange on the blog concerning the revolution is Nicaragua. Daniel Ortega's name was thrown in the mix as well. The exchange went sort of like this: Compared to Western European countries who are considered socialist (I would call them social democratic) the attempts in Central America to establish socialism are failures. I tried to make the point that, had Sweden been forced to deal with a counter-revolutionary force, funded by outside powers, out to wreck the attempt, then perhaps they would not have been successful. Then the point that Daniel Ortega has not been democratic in his efforts to win the presidency of Nicaragua.
I welcome the opportunity to talk about the Nicaraguan Revolution.

First let me say that I was aware of the Sandinista overthrow of the Samoza regime because it was on the TV and radio. There were elections in 1984, that Reagan's administration tried to paint as shams. But the fact was that they were very fair, opposition parties ran and won seats. When I started college around that time, I worked in Central American solidarity movements, in order to get our government to stop interfering. The Nicaraguan Contras were largely hired mercenaries, who throughout the decade of the 1980s, destroyed much of Nicaragua's infrastructure, and murdered 40-50,000 people. 1% of the population is a number I remember seeing. The cost of the contra war took away many resources from the government that could have been used for the people. In 1990, the Sandinistas lost an election to a coalition funded by the US--to an extent that would never be allowed in our country. The president was the widow of a prominent leader of the Sandinistas, Chamorro. The Sandinistas were the opposition party. I must say that the 1990 election was when I stopped paying close attention to Nicaragua. It was a crisis. I went on to work for the group Citizens in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES) as well as worked on reconversion efforts (Peace Dividend). The organization efforts against the first Gulf War starting in 1990 seems to me to be some sort of a galvanizing moment. (More on that later.)
The Sandinistas were not perfect. Daniel Ortega is flawed. He has said and done things that disturbed me. Politcs is not pure. But with that said, he did not order his troops to slaughter peasants and destroy power stations. He is one who wants to have a government that has a mission to help it population. Get the point?

I want to examine more Nicaragua more closely. I know a lot about 1979-1990. Sketchy from 1991-now. Shall we proceed?

in Nicaragua:
http://www.tortillaconsal.com/alfabetizacion.html>

http://www.brianwillson.com/awolnicelection.html

http://www.zmag.org/znet/viewArticle/4002 (April 23 2006)