Portal:United States Department of State

“ We reiterate that the liberation of our fatherland requires the participation of all the democratic sectors of the Nicaraguan people, as well as the solidarity and support of the peoples and governments of the countries of the Americas and the other free peoples of the world.
At the same time, we pledge ourselves to respect the consensus of Nicaragua's democratic spectrum in the selection of those who will implement the initial task of national reconstruction. ”

“ Resistance fighters are overwhelmingly rural youths. Most are between 18 and 22 years old; when Somoza fell in 1979, they were in their early teens. They fight today in response to Sandinista attempts to control their farming, their churches, and in some cases their indigenous cultures. Many joined the resistance in preference to being drafted to fight for the Sandinistas against their friends and neighbors. In defending their families and communities, these young Nicaraguans are fighting for self-determination above all else. ”

“ Somoza is dead. The Central American dictatorships associated with Somoza have all given way to elected governments committed to democracy. Today, the only Central American President who wears a military uniform is the Sandinista president of Nicaragua.
We join with the Nicaraguan democratic resistance forces and the people of Nicaragua in our commitment to a democratic outcome for that country. The people of Nicaragua and the resistance forces are struggling for a future of freedom and peace, and they deserve our support . ”

“ More must be done to improve the human rights performance of the armed resistance (UNO has begun a program one of whose objectives is to assign at least one fully trained person in human rights to every task force) . More must be done politically to develop, articulate, and coordinate the programs of the armed resistance with those of the civil opposition. ”

“ To adopt a foreign policy which protects the peace and strengthens the independence and sovereignty of the Nation, founded on the principles of the inter-American system; supported in the fulfillment of international accords, cooperation and friendly relations, especially with those countries which practice representative democracy, and in the permanent determination to contribute to the economic, social and political integration of the Central American fatherland. ”

“ Like the experience within the FDN itself, where former Guardsmen and former Sandinistas fight side by side, the former Sandinistas in these non-FDN forces are increasing their coordination with the FDN in the strengthened political framework of cooperation with UNO.
For a movement some have declared ineffective , defeated, or even dead, the Nicaraguan resistance is displaying a resiliency that is given little recognition by anyone but the Sandinistas. ”

“ To the unrestricted observance of the human rights of all Nicaraguans without exception, the establishment of a State of Law which permits the full development of the individual and the promotion of social justice ”

“ The Sandinista armed forces are the largest and best equipped in the history of Central America. They are at least six times larger than the armed forces of any of the Somozas at their height.
Although the Sandinistas frequently portray themselves as nationalists, their soldiers are trained and supported in combat by thousands of Cubans and other foreigners known as "internationalists." ”

“ To demilitarize society by subjecting the military to the civil authority, proceeding to dismantle military, para-military and security organizations and the organizations of repressive nature of the Sandinista regime;
12. To create a National Army in the service of the Nation and the defense of its sovereignty, of adequate proportions for those objectives and composed principally of those Freedom Fighters who wish to serve professionally and loyally in democratic institutions, and by other Nicaraguans who also meet the conditions of moral character. ”

“ Arturo Jose Cruz Porras was a member of Nicaragua's Governing Junta from May 1980 to March 1981. He was jailed twice by Somoza, once for 3 months and later for 11 months. In 1977, Cruz was invited by the Sandinistas to be one of "The Group of 12," prominent Nicaraguans who would serve as a bridge between the Sandinistas and other groups in the civil opposition to Somoza. A long-time member of the Conservative Party, Cruz is an economist who holds graduate and undergraduate degrees from Georgetown University. ”

“ That the tragic situation of Nicaragua, embroiled in chaos as a consequence of the present dictatorship, requires the adoption of special and urgent measures in the political, economic and social arenas which guarantee the quick and orderly transition toward a democratic State, by means of a Provisional Government of a duration strictly limited by the needs of the transition ”

“ The first is that, despite internal shortcomings and the steady growth of the Sandinista armed forces and internal security units in numbers, operational capability, and weaponry, the resistance is militarily viable.
Keeping together some 20,000 fighters is in itself not a small achievement given existing conditions inside and outside Nicaragua. Over the past several years, between one-third and one-half of these fighters have been operating inside Nicaragua at any given time. ”

“ To create an autonomous electoral system which guarantees representative democracy and respect for the popular will, freely expressed in periodic elections, assuring alternability in office, through the principle of non re-election. ”

“ To assure that education responds to the fundamental principles of freedom of instruction and the right of parents to select the best for their children. The preservation and the development of culture and sports will be an important part of the programs of teaching, outreach and information. ”

“ After eighteen months it will hold general elections with guarantees to assure the free participation of all citizens and the integrity of the elections.
Among the preferred objectives to be considered by the consultative body should be the following: Reorganization of the Judicial Power; Municipal Autonomy; reorganization and integrity of Public Administration; health and social security; education; culture; housing; transportation; infrastructure; sports; policies of incentives for the various productive sectors; the financial system; agrarian reform; commerce; foreign investment ”

“ The son of an anti-Somoza figure, he became politically active at an early age. He participated in the anti-Somoza youth movement and became involved in the Independent Liberal Party, ultimately becoming its political secretary. He was jailed twice in the 1950s for anti-Somoza activities. After spending several years abroad, he returned to Nicaragua to accept a position at the University of Central America where he remained during the revolution. In 1981 he abandoned his university post to go into exile and take up the struggle against the Sandinistas. ”

“ It shows that a majority are civilians, that they come from both urban and rural backgrounds, and that many previously served in Sandinista army or militia units.
This brings me to a second key point: the resistance forces have grown steadily since 1982. This means that more people now joining were previously with the Sandinistas than with the Guard, which ceased to exist more than six years ago. It also means that the FDN's organization and components are themselves constantly changing. ”

“ To carry out an integral agrarian reform, which responds to the natural right of private property, taking into account efficiency in the utilization of resources and the utility of giving land to those who work it ”

“ She was educated in Catholic schools in Nicaragua and the United States. During the revolution, the Salazars collaborated with the Sandinistas and harbored Sandinista militants who were being sought by Somoza's forces. Her late husband, a top official of the private sector organization Superior Council of Private Enterprise, played a key role in the civic opposition to Sandinista policies in 1980. A progressive and charismatic leader whose popularity was rising, he was shot and killed by Sandinista State Security police who claimed he was participating in a conspiracy. ”

“ These remarkable increases in fighters and combat units have had a direct impact on the headquarters staff and services their operations require. The Nicaraguan resistance is not a conventional army. It is an irregular army of volunteers, and volunteers follow who they want to follow. Operating in the field against larger Cuban-trained and advised forces, FDN units must of necessity be led by individual commanders who can inspire a following. ”

“ A Program of Government will be presented for the consideration of a consultative body in which will be represented the various democratic, political, social and labor organizations which will implement these principles. ”

“ He began his political career in the 1950s as an activist in the Conservative Party. In 1959 he helped organize managerial strikes in support of an insurrection headed by Pedro Joaquin Chamorro, editor of the opposition daily La Prensa. In 1978, Calero served as his party's representative in the Broad Opposition Front (FAO) and was jailed for initiating a general strike against Somoza. A 1978 New York Times article described Calero as "the most forceful" of Somoza's opponents. After attempting to cooperate with the Sandinistas, Calero went into exile at the end of 1982. ”

“ Furthermore, we pledge ourselves to assure that it shall be the people, by means of an electoral process in full enjoyment of their rights and freedoms, who will elect the Constituent Assembly and, later, the national authorities. ”

“ And the headquarters must not only link these men and the troops they control to each other, it must also act as a link between them and the political leadership in the FDN directorate and now beyond the FDN in UNO. No single component can be said to dominate the resistance movement ”

“ Allowing for growth and force expansion, but counting the positions performing the same functions the Caucus report used to base its claim that 46 out of 48 were former Guardsmen, we found 29 former Guards out of 82 individuals whose backgrounds were identified. Thirty-five per cent is not the same as 96 per cent. ”

“ While non-FDN forces remain small and are largely organized into small tactical units of 40–70 men, they do continue to make their presence known. The military leaders of these groups are either former Sandinistas or independents. ”

“ Lopez serving as G-4, General Staff commander for logistics?
No. The Strategic Command assistant for logistics is Carlos Jose Guillen Salinas, "Gustavo Pajarito", a former medical student. Armando Lopez, "Policia", left this position last December, and now carries out other logistics functions.
(8) Is "El Invisible" serving as G-5, General Staff commander for logistics? ”

“ He resigned in 1980 because of the Marxist tendencies in the FSLN-dominated government and the growing Cuban influence in the country. Harassed by the FSLN after his resignation, he was finally forced into exile in 1982, at which time he and Eden Pastora founded the Democratic Alliance. ”