Managua, Nicaragua – Thousands of FSLN (Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional) youth and militants filled the Plaza de la Revolución in Managua, Nicaragua to celebrate the 43rd anniversary of the Sandinista Popular Revolution, which triumphed on July 19, 1979. Thousands more filled the Managua city center, chanting, dancing and waving the flags of Nicaragua and the FSLN.

With revolutionary dance and songs, the crowd enthusiastically chanted militant slogans in Spanish like “Esta patria no se rinde, se defiende,” meaning, “This nation does not surrender, it defends the nation.”

The event included many beautiful inspirational songs, dances of the revolutionary struggle of Nicaragua. The plaza was decorated with images on Agosto Sandino, the Nicaraguan revolutionary leader who defeated the U.S. Marines in the 1930s.

The Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional takes its name from Sandino, who is the country’s national hero. The FSLN successfully fought the brutal U.S.-backed Somoza dictatorship till victory on July 19, 1979.

In response to imperialism’s defeat in Nicaragua, the U.S. funded and controlled the Contras to curtail the Nicaraguan revolution. The Contra War culminated in the FSLN’s electoral defeat in 1990. The reactionary governments that followed the first stage of the revolution privatized the victories of the Nicaraguan people during the 1980s and rolled back social progress.

Since returning to power in 2007, the FSLN government with the leadership of President Daniel Ortega has built a national healthcare system, free public education from early age to high school, among other advances. It managed to develop an agricultural economy to provide for its people and for exportation. It continues to build and improve its infrastructure also, with new highways and lower COVID-19 deaths.

But the U.S. government imposes unjust sanctions against Nicaragua. Talking to people during the celebration, one young man said that all they wanted for the people of Nicaragua was peace and respect to be able to run their own country.

It is clear that the FSLN and its leadership have the support of the masses of the Nicaraguan people. We here in the U.S. must pressure the government to end the sanctions against Nicaragua, Venezuela and Cuba.

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