A colonial past
According to reports, historians are convinced that Nicaragua has been inhabited for over 10,000 years. Nevertheless, its modern history does not begin until 1500, when colonization began, led by Davila, a Spaniard who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his voyages
The territory then belonged to the powerful Nicarao, which gave its name to the country, meaning « territory between a lake and the Pacific Ocean ». Colonization was not easy, blocked by lush jungles and a population hostile to the Spaniards, who had a reputation for being always on the lookout for treasure and places to plunder. Nevertheless, the region held little interest for the Spaniards, who were blocked by the Bosawas reserve to the north and the Indio Maiz reserve to the south, and did not seem to have any of the gold or silver they had found in Peru, for example.The city of Granada was founded by Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba in 1524, and today remains the last colonial city in Central America to be built on its original site. Until the 19th century, the socio-political context was marked above all by the growing rivalry between León, the liberal capital, and its more conservative neighbor Granada, a prime target for pirates in search of treasure on their way back to Europe. In 1821, following the example of neighboring countries, Nicaragua proclaimed its independence from Spain and joined the coalition of Central American countries with Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Costa Rica
The Sandinista revolution
Political rivalries and differences between Granada and León were such that civil war soon broke out. The Federal State, which had taken refuge in Guatemala, led the pacification effort. Stability was short-lived, however, and the country went through a succession of presidents. William Walker, an American mercenary, invaded the country with the support of local liberals and local troops. He proclaimed himself president in 1856, with the aim of turning Nicaragua into a slave republic and taking control of Mexico and the whole of Central America. He managed to control the country for only a short time, before being ousted in a national war of liberation. The Liberals remained in power from 1900 until 1912, under the impetus of the nationalist José Santos Zelaya, who refused American chaperoning. Nevertheless, the United States sent troops of Marines to maintain order. It was only in 1927 that General Augusto César Sandino and 3,000 men put up popular resistance to US interventionism, andNicaragua entered a civil war, led by General Sandino,with demands for totalindependence. It was only a few years later that the Americans, unable to quell this national outburst, agreed to negotiate with the Sandinistas, granting them a few concessions in exchange for Anastasio Somoza Garcia’s accession to power in 1933. Fooled by the Americans, General Sandino was subsequently assassinated by the National Guard, and General Somoza took power for several decades, installing a veritable dynasty that reigned for over 40 years. It wasn’t until the 1960s that the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) again began to play an important role in the political landscape. The 1979 revolution saw the Somoza dictatorship toppled in favor of Sandinista rule.
What about today?
National struggles became increasingly present in the country from 1960 onwards, and the FSLN (Sandinista National Liberation Front) was kept in order by 12 intellectual and political figures, earning them the nickname « Los doce ». Their government was primarily a revolutionary one, led by institutions created to restore national order. Thanks to major Communist political campaigns aimed at making the population literate, the country gradually recovered from its years of suffering. The 1980s saw a slow and difficult road to civil peace, while the United States sought to maintain its influence through the creation of a movement known as the « contra revolucionarios » (counter-revolutionaries). After the fall of Somoza in 1979, a government of national reconciliation was set up by some of the country’s leading intellectuals, including two future presidents: Daniel Ortega, the Sandinista, was elected with 63% of the vote in 1984 for his first term. The United States decides to stop financial aid to the country and launches a trade embargo. Negotiations between the « contras » and the Sandinistas eventually led to a new constitution in 1987, after which Chamorro and his more liberal « contras » party ruled the country. In 2007, Sandinista Daniel Ortega returned to power, and has remained in power ever since. Until 1990, the country was home to a guerrilla war which, logically, did not attract the crowds. Since the 2000s, the country has « democratized » and built up a more than decent infrastructure. However, the 2018 protests have stirred the country. Indeed, a majority of Nicaraguans wanted the current president, who is in his 3rd term of office and has installed a regime considered relatively authoritarian, to step down. 1 year later, the situation has calmed down, the government and Ortega’s positions have not changed, and the country has returned to relative calm. The country is patiently awaiting the November 2021 elections
Long considered the safest country in Central America, Nicaragua remains one of the poorest in the region. Its complex history and the many twists and turns it has undergone give this country all the character it is known for. There’s no danger in traveling here, and a little common sense and organization are all it takes to ensure an incredible stay.
Come and discover Nicaragua and its rich history!
