By Nan McCurdy

(Nan McCurdy has lived most of the last 40 years in Nicaragua. She is the editor of NicaNotes, the weekly report on Nicaragua put out by the Alliance for Global Justice and she co-facilitates a monthly webinar series on Nicaragua.)

This year was different from other July 19^th celebrations since 2021 when there were perhaps 5,000 people invited – this year there were about 50,000! It took place in the Plaza de la Fe where July 19^th celebrations have been held for years and years with open attendance of hundreds of thousands and little organization. That changed in 2020 with Covid. This time invitations were organized by the municipalities all over the country and those invited road into the plaza on Chinese buses. The picture below is of Abi Perry and others on a bus arriving from Masaya. And as you can see from the photos, the organization was phenomenal to accommodate the 50,000.

The fun began on July 17 when the country yearly celebrates the day that the last Somoza president fled the country along with most of the feared Somoza National Guard. It was clear that day that the Sandinista revolution had triumphed.

July 18 is always filled with vigils in every neighborhood and town to welcome in July 19. At midnight beautiful fireworks displays are seen brightening the sky. This year, I went with family and friends downtown to Simon Bolivar Avenue, named after the famous Venezuelan revolutionary leader whose dream was for all of Latin America to unify in order to resist colonizers like the United States and European nations. At the south end of the boulevard is a roundabout with a huge depiction of another Venezuelan revolutionary leader – Hugo Chavez – who spoke at a number of July 19^th celebrations. I was fortunate to see him in 2004.

The atmosphere was like a huge party with dancing and singing and people just hanging out with family and friends. Then we went to another vigil nearby in the popular barrio known as San Antonio. They always go all out and this year was no exception. The Venezuelan band Guaraguao, best known for Las Casas de Carton (Cardboard Houses) and No Basta Rezar (It’s Not Enough to Pray), played at this vigil to thousands of people in this tiny neighborhood, filled up to overflowing with others like us who had come to participate. Once again, at midnight there were fireworks everywhere.

July 19 begins with “Dianas” (songs sung to wake people to celebrate a festival) all over the country. There are car parades with FSLN flags and signs and people singing and chanting. In every town and city there are festivities in commemoration of July 19 – the day celebrated as the culmination of the struggle against the Somoza (and US) dictatorship. The United States supported three Somoza’s, a father and two sons, during the 45 years of their governments, imprisoning, torturing and killing anyone considered in opposition to their rule. My husband tells me that, in those years, it was a crime to be a young man as the dictatorship assumed you were a Sandinista.

As the 50,000 specially invited to the evening celebration were coming in by bus to the plaza down by Lake Xolotlán, thousands of other people were lining roads – the roads that co-presidents Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo would pass to get to the Plaza de la Fe. I drove down with my son and we parked by a television station then walked about a half mile. We joined in the contagious anticipation. Daniel always drives himself – of course there are police cars in front and in back and police lining the road – but not getting in the way of onlookers who want to see their co-presidents. About six o’clock they slowly passed with windows down waving at everyone. I was particularly excited, like a kid on Christmas morning (even though I’m 70) and ran down about four blocks to get in front of the caravan in order to see them a second time – and I did. There is definitely a groupie atmosphere around Daniel – he started fighting for a free country at age 14; he was imprisoned and tortured for seven years; and he’s won five elections, the last with more than 75% of the vote!! Then, families continued their parade and picnic-like evening accompanying the celebration and watching it on huge jumbo screens placed around the country. I was impressed that at every event I saw mainly families and friends – very few drunks!

Probably most Sandinistas spent the evening of the 19^th at home with their families watching on TV the incredible views of 50,000 people, mainly youth, dancing to the first 90 minutes of familiar revolutionary music. Then some of the special guests were introduced and given time to share a message. One of the things that Ana Kuznetsova the chairwoman of the Russian State Duma said was “Under the leadership of our President Vladimir Putin, Russia fully supports those who defend their freedom, their values, their children, their future.” Then there was a joyful address by Ma Hui, Vice Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. He said “I would also like to convey the sincere greetings of all the 100 million members of the Communist Party of China to our Sandinista Compañeros and to the Heroic People of Nicaragua.” He went on to say, “In a world full of transformations and turbulence, the risks and challenges faced by all countries on the planet are growing. We are pleased to note that under the leadership of Co-Presidents Comandante Daniel Ortega and Compañera Rosario Murillo, the Nicaraguan people, closely grouped around the Sandinista National Liberation Front, firmly defend their sovereignty and dignity, and persist in following the path of development adapted to the realities of their own country, constantly reaching new achievements in your socio-economic development, for which we express our congratulations.” To read all the speeches including those of the Co-presidents: https://www.tortillaconsal.com/bitacora/node/7106

Daniel spoke of many of the wars waged today by the US including in Gaza: “And that is no more nor less a plan, by [Israel], concocted with the Yankee government and with the complicity of the European governments to disappear the Palestinian State, as they have said very clearly and openly. They are self-confessed criminals! There they are armed, given weapons by the Europeans, by the United States, because they want to take over the whole Region, and they are doing it….”

He went on to say, “They are murdering every day! Even media in the United States or in Europe are now beginning to report the crimes. And what does the United Nations do? The United Nations is nothing but an instrument of the imperialist countries which want to dominate the world, even if the world itself disappears with the risk of humanity disappearing, because they have no qualms about bombing everywhere.”

The Co-President stated further, “We have already seen how they launched an armed provocation, a plan put together by the United States and Israel to bomb Iran on the pretext that what the Iranians were working on were atomic weapons. Iran is a huge nation; it used to be the Persian Empire; it has a population of 90 million inhabitants; it has great wealth; and undertakes a great deal of work, with a lot of resources. And the Iranians, complying with the United Nations standards, had presented a plan to work with the uranium and use it in peaceful activities as they have done for some time; they have many plants generating nuclear energy with uranium. These are energy producing plants which are cheaper and safer than the plants that are installed via traditional networks.”

As always Co-President Ortega took the opportunity to give a history lesson since so many attendees are teenagers. This time he talked about the Spaniards, the British and the United States; especially the invasion by William Walker and his men which was supported by the US government. Walker named himself president, reinstated slavery and made English the national language. Needless to say, he was expelled with help from Nicaragua’s neighbors. Walker tried again a few years later and the Hondurans put him in front of a firing squad. This reminds me of a popular song written and sung often during the years of Reagan’s war against Nicaragua called El Yanqui se Va a Joder (the Yankees are going to get their butts kicked). In spite of US sanctions on Nicaragua which cut off much needed loans, the Nicaraguans overall support their government because it is the only one that has brought progress and development to the majority of the people with free education and healthcare; with 90% food security; with the best roads and infrastructure in the region, with one of the highest percentages of renewable energy in the world and 90.6% of the population have electricity; with parks and stadiums everywhere – a real emphasis on the right to recreation and sports and so much more. This country won’t be easy to beat through coup attempts like the one in 2018, with hundreds of millions of dollars from US institutions like USAID, the NED, and Freedom House going to the opposition to try to undermine the government. The Nicaraguan example will not easily be stopped and many countries will follow in its footsteps.

Briefs

By Nan McCurdy

Nicaragua Presents Pleadings against Germany for Complicity in Genocide in Palestine

On July 21 the government of Nicaragua formally presented its written pleadings in the form of a Memorandum before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in its case against Germany for alleged violations of international law related to the Occupied Palestinian Territory. In its written statement, Nicaragua alleges that Berlin has breached its fundamental duties under international humanitarian law and the principle of self-determination of the Palestinian people. In the Memorandum, Nicaragua demonstrates that Germany’s violations date back decades, and points out that these violations include the failure to comply with the obligation to ensure respect for international humanitarian law and the failure to respect and promote the realization of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination. It also accuses Germany of collaborating directly or indirectly with the maintenance of the regime of occupation, segregation and apartheid imposed by Israel.

Nicaragua supports its complaint with evidence of the political, financial and military support that Germany has offered to the Israeli state, which has facilitated the commission of serious international crimes. The complaint is also based on the Advisory Opinions issued by the ICJ in 2004 and 2024, which warn about the responsibility of third States not to assist illegal acts. “Nicaragua again calls upon all countries to take the concrete measures to stop genocide, apartheid and war crimes, and calls upon them to comply with the relevant rules of International Law, including the duty not to recognize as legitimate the situation created by the illegalities committed by Israel as confirmed by the ICJ in its Advisory Opinions of 2004 and 2024.”

In its brief, Nicaragua requests that Germany suspend the supply of armaments, end its relations with the occupied territories and guarantee the non-repetition of such conduct.

In addition, it demands reparation measures for the Palestinian victims and a position consistent with current international law. Nicaragua reaffirmed its commitment to international legality and the peaceful resolution of disputes. It urged the international community to act decisively to stop genocide, apartheid and war crimes in Palestine, in accordance with the legal mandate of the ICJ. (jpmas.com.ni, 21 July 2025)

“We Carry These Principles in Our Hearts!”

During his speech on the anniversary of July 19, 1979, the triumph over the tyranny of the Somoza dictatorship, supported and funded for 45 years by the United States, Co-President Daniel Ortega emphasized the principles that Nicaraguans have and carry in their hearts and consciences. During the ceremony for the 46th anniversary of the triumph of the Sandinista Popular Revolution, the leader said that “we have inherited these principles and we carry them in our hearts, in our conscience, and they are the principles that our General Sandino left us … when he told the Yankees: “I won’t surrender or sell out.”

He continued, “We have peace, that does not mean that the enemy rests, the enemy is always conspiring, is always trying to provoke bloodshed, is trying to provoke pain in Nicaraguan families, because they think they can overthrow the revolution, and because they have the backing of the imperialists of the earth,” he said. He went on to say, “Here there is no space left for the terrorists, the conspirators, the sell-outs, because they know that when they are discovered, they will be captured and prosecuted.”

He spoke about the multiple invasions by foreign powers emphasizing that from the 19th century to the 1980s, the Nicaraguan people have risen up time and again in defense of their sovereignty. With comparative data, he underscored the contrast between the population and power of the United States versus a Nicaragua, that is small but with a big and rebellious heart. “In 1855 Nicaragua had 214,000 inhabitants, while the United States already had 27 million. In 1926, during Augusto C. Sandino’s struggle for sovereignty from the United States, Nicaragua had barely more than half a million inhabitants compared to 117 million in the United States. Neither with airplanes nor with mercenaries could they defeat Sandino. He also recalled the aggression of the 80’s, when the United States trained, armed and directed the counterrevolution, saying, “They could not defeat the Sandinista Popular Army nor the citizens that defended the homeland.”

For her part, Co-President Rosario Murillo reaffirmed that Nicaragua has fought and defeated imperialism, with dignity, with conscience, with unity. “We have been able to travel all roads with our flags raised high, with the victories of reason, that great spirit that is the strength of our glorious country. She said that this is the strength of peace. We live it, we know it, we see it.… Long live those who struggle for peace!”

U.S. activist Brian Willson, peace advocate, war veteran and supporter of the just causes of peoples in resistance, sent a message through a video where he expressed his deep admiration for the Nicaraguan people and their Revolution. [Willson was not in attendance because he fell, broke his pelvis and is hospitalized.]

In the video transmitted in the Plaza La Fe he described the Revolution as “a light of hope for the whole world.” “Since 1986 I have been traveling to Nicaragua and loved it so much that I tried to stop a train full of ammunitions bound for the contra there. The train didn’t stop. I was going to spend a year in jail, but they decided to kill me,” Wilson said, alluding to the attack he suffered on September 1, 1987, when he was brutally run over by a U.S. military train in a non-violent protest action. “I consider the Revolution to be incredibly unique and a benchmark for the whole world to follow.” He urged his fellow Americans to get a closer look at the revolutionary process in Nicaragua. “I hope other Americans will come here to learn about the Revolution. The gringos are unaware of these struggles, just as I was unaware of them when I went to Vietnam. It is amazing how Nicaraguans have withstood the pressure of the United States, the interference against their sovereignty. Congratulations for their tenacity!” See photos: https://radiolaprimerisima.com/aqui-todos-somos-daniel/ (La Primerisima, 20 July 2025)

Honoring the Hero of Peace Gabriel Vado in Masaya

On July 14 and 15, 2018, during the US-directed and financed coup attempt, 22-year-old police officer Gabriel Vado Ruiz was tortured, murdered and his corpse burned by the coup groups. A priest was one of the people behind these crimes and advised those torturing him to put his body in a latrine so it wouldn’t be found. Another priest and US-financed “human rights” director tried to hide his burned remains. Vado was posthumously promoted to Commissioner General.

Sandinistas as well as the people of Masaya participated in the act of commemoration of the seventh anniversary of Vado’s killing on July 15, 2025. The activity took place at the monument erected in his honor located in the city of Masaya. Floral offerings were placed by family members, members of the National Police, political leaders and relatives. Vado Ruiz is remembered as a servant committed to his community, standing out for his vocation of service, dedication and defense of institutional principles. Commissioner General Elvira Castillo, of the National Police Headquarters, affirmed that Vado’s legacy lives on in each and every law enforcement officer.  He was a leader in the field, with great human and professional capacity. This tribute is a just recognition of his memory, she said. In the following photos you will see his mother, and in another his wife and son who was a baby when he was murdered: https://radiolaprimerisima.com/honran-al-heroe-de-la-paz-gabriel-vado-en-masaya/ (La Primerisima, 16 July 2025)

Cervical Cancer Mortality Falls by 17.5%

Programs promoted by the Sandinista government have reduced mortality from cervical cancer by 17.5% during the first half of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024.

In recent years, the country’s health model has been strengthened through various actions, including the organization of Health Fairs where thousands of women receive pap exams for the early detection of this type of cancer, as well as the timely follow-up and treatment of women diagnosed with the cancer. (La Primerisima, 22 July 2025)

More Than 54,000 Turtles Released So Far at Chacocente Beach in 2025

Environmental conservation area guards of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARENA) together with tourists released 384 sea turtles of the lepidochelys olivacea species (known as Paslama in Nicaragua and Olive ridley in the United States) in the Escalante Chacocente River Wildlife Refuge, located in the municipality of Santa Teresa, Carazo. The release is part of the constant effort to protect these endangered species through the national campaign Together We Conserve Our Sea Turtles promoted by the Sandinista government. MARENA reported that so far in 2025, more than 54,000 turtles have been released in Chacocente beach. MARENA points out that from July 14 to 29, the first massive arrival of sea turtles of the year is expected at the Escalante Chacocente River Wildlife Refuge in Santa Teresa, Carazo and La Flor, in San Juan del Sur, Rivas, two of the main nesting sanctuaries for thousands of sea turtles on the Nicaraguan Pacific. See photos: https://radiolaprimerisima.com/mas-de-54-mil-tortuguillos-liberados-en-playa-chacocente/  (La Primerisima, 16 July 2025)