12A—History of Latin America
The Nicaraguan Revolution, 1979-1990
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I. Nicaraguan v. Cuban revolutions

A. U.S. intervention

William Walker (1856-57)
Somoza family (1933-1979), Anastasio Somoza Debayle
Pedro Joaquín Chamorro (d. 1978)
Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional (FSLN), enters Managua July 20, 1979

B. Sandinista socialism

mixed economy
pro-church
decentralized

II. Limits to the Revolution

A. Internal polarization

Violeta Chamorro
Daniel Ortega

B. Internal contradictions
C. U.S. intervention

contras
Iran-contra affair
Oliver North
John Negroponte (1981-85 ambassador to Honduras, military aid from $4 to 77 m.)
Compare to El Salvador: $6 billion in aid
Economic blockade and loan blocks

III. The Revolution's End?

Contadora group (1983)
Nicaraguan elections, 67% to Sandinistas (1984)
Group of Eight (1985)
Esquipulas Accords, (1987), Oscar Arias of Costa Rica
Panama invasion (Dec. 1989), Manuel Noriega
Nicaraguan elections, 55% to UNO/Violeta Chamorro (1990)