Anniversary Weekend: Sandinistas Celebrate the Revolution, 30 Years Later
This Sunday, July 19, marks the 30th anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution in Nicaragua. Here is a description of this important day in Nicaraguan history from ViaNica.com:
Every year on July 19, hundreds of people from all over the country gather at Plaza La Fe (also known as Plaza de la Revolución) in Managua to commemorate a historical and inspiring event: the fall of the militarized Somaza family dictatorship. This family ruled the country in a harsh and unscrupulous way for more than four decades. The dynasty was overthrown after the National Sandinista Revolution, which took place when people from all sectors – workers, businessmen, peasants, students, and guerrillas – joined forces and finally defeated the Somoza dynasty and the National Guard on July 19, 1979.
This year’s celebration promises to be especially grandiose since it is number 30, plus the first major anniversary since Daniel Ortega’s election to the presidency in 2007. Parties are planned for Saturday night, all day Sunday and in to Monday (which is a federal holiday). Think of this weekend as Nicaragua’s 4th of July…with a lot more fireworks!
For personal reasons (my disdain for traffic), not for political ones (which you can probably figure out), we will be staying far away from Central Managua this weekend. But if we see anything particularly interesting on the news or online, we’ll be sure to post some stories, links, and pictures.
