People's Republic of Nicaragua

The **People's Republic of Nicaragua** is a nation located in Central America. Established in 2007, it emerged after socialists achieved victory in the 2006 Nicaraguan election, with a new constitution being passed declaring the nation as a socialist state, re-introducing land reforms undone by the liberal government after neoliberalism plagued the nation, and establishing the FSLN as the sole ruling power. Daniel Ortega, who led Nicaragua against the terrorist Contras in the 1980s, became the first president of the newly established socialist state, emerging to a popular level, though marred by opposition throughout his leadership. Though the US opposed Ortega's rise to power with the creation of the People's Republic of Nicaragua, attempting to rig the election, he succeeded anyway, causing an embargo placed against the country, resulting in Nicaragua allying with the USSR, further distancing the Soviets from the US. With a population of over 6.8 million, Managua remains its capital and largest city with over 1 million people.

## Socialist Nicaragua (1979-1990)

The Nicaraguan Revolution took place from 1978-1979, as the FSLN forces, supported heavily by the public engaging in protests and general strikes, overthrew the Somoza dictatorship, which was backed by the US. The country was in ruins with rapid inflation as the FSLN took power, in addition to devastation by war and a 1972 earthquake that destroyed many cities. In 1979, approximately 600,000 Nicaraguans were homeless and 150,000 were either refugees or in exile, out of a total population of just 2.8 million.

In response to these issues, a state of emergency was declared. President Carter sent US$99 million in aid. Land and businesses of the Somoza regime were expropriated, the old courts were abolished, and workers were organized into Civil Defense Committees. Mass agrarian land reforms were introduced in phases, and the democratic system was restructured as the new Republic of Nicaragua was declared under the leadership of Daniel Ortega. The key large scale programs of the Sandinistas received international recognition for their gains in literacy, health care, education, childcare, unions, and land reform.

In response to land distribution, collectivization, and social reform, the United States began to fund and train the Contras, a terrorist group that began the Nicaraguan Civil War, which lasted from 1981 to 1990. In a bloody war, tens of thousands of civilians were killed by the Contras, as communist sympathizers were executed in broad daylight, disproportionately indigenous people. This bloodshed, alongside years of United States-backed fascism and dictatorships, only fueled the general public's outrage toward the US.

## Neoliberalism and the End of Reform (1990-2006)

Following economic stagnation, devastation in the war, and many within the new Nicaraguan government forming a coalition to enact reform, ran against him in the 1990 election. Those around him wanted to make peace with the US and reform the system to allow for multi-party elections. Ortega was forced to agree, and ran in the 1990 election, but came in second. He also ran in the 1994, 1998, and 2002 elections, but finished second each time.

Nicaragua faced challenges with neoliberalism, with farmers and collective workers being bought out and outcompeted by foreign industry. A deep opposition to neoliberalism resulted in a large margin of victory for the FSLN in 2006 with Ortega earning more than 50% of the total vote and the FSLN gaining majority power for the first time since the revolution. In 2007, with the FSLN already having full control over the military and every branch of government, a new constitution was passed, declaring Nicaragua as the People's Republic, becoming only the third Latin American nation to become a unitary one-party Marxist state through election, outside on Chile from 1970-1973 and Venezuela in 1999.

## Daniel Ortega Leadership (2007-)

With the new constitution, Daniel Ortega became the first president of the new People's Republic. Nicaragua saw support from Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia, and other left-leaning Latin American governments. However, Nicaragua began to feel isolated, as the United States enacted sanctions on the country and its economy began to shrink.

However, the USSR turned towards supporting the new socialist revolutions of Bolivia and Nicaragua, offering funds and economic support. By 2010, the Nicaraguan economy rose again, largely due to subsidies and trade from the USSR. The US continued to fund opposition groups within the country, to no fortune.