On the 50th anniversary of the transition to immortality of Comandante Carlos Fonseca Amador, an essential tribute and tribute to his life of revolutionary struggle is the national unity built with such determination and commitment by the People President around the historic program of the Sandinista National Liberation Front. As Comandante Lumberto Campbell commented in 2018 "Carlos takes up from Sandino and Comandante Daniel Ortega takes up from Carlos. There is a common thread there, Sandino, Carlos and Daniel. So I believe everything included in the historic program is being implemented in practice.”
Since before its electoral victory in 2006 and taking office in 2007, the Government of Reconciliation and National Unity of Comandante Daniel and Compañera Rosario has energetically promoted inclusion and national unity. With great sincerity, commitment and hard work, in the ten years up to 2018, a consensus was built around recognition and respect for the interests of the different national and regional sectors so as to promote the Common Good for everyone. That apparent consensus collapsed in 2018 as a result of the disastrous failed coup attempt not only against our government but against its successful solidarity model of unity and national prosperity.
In 2017, Comandante Daniel had alerted the people, "Take care of Unity! Strengthen Unity! Otherwise, then, the enemies of the Poor, of the Workers, of the Peasants, of Youth, the enemies of the People will take advantage." So, after overcoming the immediate aftermath of the deep crisis provoked in 2018, the natural imperative for Sandinismo was and has been to rebuild a new path of unity allowing the country to resume with all possible vigor the urgent process of human development for all Nicaragua’s families.
A new and genuine consensus
This arduous political and legal, cultural and spiritual process has established a new national unity based on inclusion, the common history of struggle for emancipation and the shared values of a Christian, Socialist and Solidarity-inspired People. Our Co-Presidency, Comandante Daniel and Compañera Rosario, has managed to merge the aspirations of families at the national level with a common awareness of Nicaragua’s history of dignified resistance to foreign invaders along with a broad, high appreciation and love for all of Nicaragua’s culture. In this way, national unity has strengthened in defense of the redistribution of the country's wealth for the Common Good of all Nicaragua’s families. As Compañera Rosario said in 2021: "Unity for the Common Good in Nicaragua has no other owner but Nicaragua’s people."
Compañero Jeremy Cerna expressed this essential Sandinista principle when he wrote, "Sandinismo is the profound identity of Nicaragua. It expresses a political spirituality uniting faith, culture and justice. Its historic project has managed to integrate indigenous memory, revolutionary struggle and popular aspirations." A concrete demonstration of this reality has been the “Hay Patria” process reaching all the municipalities of the country for consultations, meetings and assemblies on the current reforms to the Constitution. They have shown that all sectors, all people of good will in Nicaragua reject foreign interference, support national unity and demonstrate a high awareness of Nicaragua’s historical identity.
Clearly, Sandinismo is the most faithful expression of the national conscience because it acts on the basis of sovereignty, independence and human solidarity, which are ideals which unite the entire nation. These ideals have been the starting point for a government program which promotes full political participation and true economic democratization for the entire population. The reality of the People President model is evident in the meticulous inclusive coordination of planning processes to combat poverty, to promote human development through trade, production and consumption, to advance the preventive community health model and to ensure an integral education system for all the country’s youth from preschool education to university.
National unity has also been reinforced around a national identity which carries in its heart all the accumulated memories and experiences of the enormous heroism of Nicaragua’s People in its different historical moments. Love and reverence sustain the memory of the struggle of native peoples and their caciques against the Spanish invaders and the combat against the US filibusters by General Estrada, the archers from Matagalpa and Andres Castro in San Jacinto. Nicaragua’s identity honors General Benjamin Zeledon and the combatants who died in combat alongside him against the invading Marines. Justifiably honored with great pride is victorious campaign of General Sandino, Blanca Aráuz and the Crazy Little Army who defeated the Yankee invaders after seven years of struggle.
Likewise honored with great admiration and love are the heroes and martyrs of the struggle against the dictatorship and too the sacrifice of so many young people in the war imposed by President Reagan and also the sacrifice of the Heroes of Peace of 2018. All are remembered remembered with honor, sorrow and gratitude. The memory of this long history of struggle and patriotic dedication is forever inscribed in the soul of all Nicaraguans who love their country and want to see it flourish fully in a new world order. Without forgetting, a new and genuine national unity leaves behind the sacrifice and pain which marked so many years of struggle and now carries forward the progressive, victorious emancipation of Nicaragua’s families from the oppressive patterns of neocolonialism.
While consolidating national historical awareness and economic democratization, now, too, in this new era of sovereign freedom, Nicaragua’s identity is being strengthened more and more looking to the future. Constant multiple cultural and sports activities promote new dimensions of national life. This week the country’s hosting of the U-23 Baseball World Cup highlights Nicaragua's great progress both in terms of participation in major international sporting events and in the construction of new infrastructure and greater support for all sports locally. A further result of this democratization of sport in Nicaragua was the triumph last week of Evelin Ortega as world champion in her boxing category.
Similarly, continual development and expansion of national talent in music, singing, dance, art, cinema and theater is reflected in international events as well as national and local activities throughout the country. Our authorities and cultural institutions constantly provide careful support to all the diverse traditions of the country’s people. The countless impressive religious and cultural festivals around the country range from El Guegüense in Diriamba or Los Aguizotes in Masaya to the Palo de Mayo in Bluefields or the King Pulanka festival in Bilwi. With great love, all the expressions of national culture of the modern era, from musicians, painters, singers and writers too numerous to name are preserved and appreciated, above all the infinite legacy of Rubén Darío.
Just as greater and better participation of youth in national sports is encouraged, the development of youth is also very dynamically encouraged throughout national culture. With good reason, the 15th Edition of Nicaragua Design carried the slogan "Legacy, Evolution, Future” which in fact summarizes the entire cultural policy of Nicaragua’s Good Government. Without neglecting the enormous spiritual and cultural heritage of the past, public policy ensures a practically limitless flourishing of the talent of Nicaragua’s youth in every area of cultural life throughout the country. As Compañera Rosario affirms, “We are a People of Faith, we are honored by these Heritages, our Cultural Identity honors us, as the People of Faith that we are, as a People with so much Culture and Tradition, as a People with so much Honest Pride."
All these factors contribute to the new national unity guaranteeing the Security, Stability and Peace so indispensable to carry forward the human development of all Nicaragua’s families. Comandante Daniel explained this in 2019 saying, "Nicaraguan sisters and brothers, Nicaraguan families, we have to continue defending these values which form the Identity, the Soul, the Spirit of Being Nicaraguan that makes us all proud... Feeling proud and thanking God for giving us that Identity, for giving us that Courage, for giving us the Strength of Spirit to always go on waging struggles, fighting battles to defend our National Dignity which means defending the Right to Peace of all Nicaragua’s Families.”
