NicaNotes

July 23, 2026

Rooting for the Underdogs: Nicaragua’s Revolution Pulled Off the Upset of the Century

By Becca Renk Foster

(Becca Renk Foster is originally from Idaho, USA. For 25 years, she has lived and worked in sustainable community development in Nicaragua. She coordinates the work of Casa Benjamin Linder in Managua and is part of the Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition.)

Watching the 2026 World Cup matches has been excruciating for me. I always root for the underdogs: the teams from countries with few resources to dedicate to sport, who have made it there against all odds to play their hearts out for their country. As the game progresses, I watch my teams dance as they pass the ball up the field, run around defenders and set up a gorgeous shot on goal. I feel a wild hope – justice will be done!

Inevitably, my team loses. Sometimes to a better opponent, other times the outcome is more questionable.

But the excitement always becomes unbearable because I can’t seem to separate battles on the soccer field from battles in the real world.

From Pitch to Politics

Parallels from the pitch to politics are easy to make because right now it feels as though Latin America is playing the tournament of its life, where not only the sovereignty but the continued existence of the countries of our region hang in the balance.

The United States has interfered in recent elections in Honduras, Colombia and Peru in order to hand power to the far right. It’s as if those countries all won their matches, but were eliminated from the tournament anyway – kind of like the U.S. President calling the FIFA President to demand a change in the results.

Cuba is under siege with a genocidal U.S. blockade in place that has caused infant mortality to double in the past few months. Despite the fact that the U.S. has metaphorically held Cuba back by the shirt for over 60 years, the country is still holding its place in the tournament. Cuba’s goal keeper is managing incredible saves, but the team is exhausted. They’ve requested VAR revision, and the refs in the UN have called it – the blockade against Cuba is a foul. The entire world is on their feet in the stands protesting while the U.S. covers its mouth with its hand to plot military invasion.

From near defeat following crippling sanctions a decade ago, Venezuela had made an amazing comeback when suddenly the U.S. coach murdered all the Venezuelan players on the bench and took the Venezuelan coach hostage. Now, following two earthquakes, with 5,000 dead and funds desperately needed to rebuild Venezuela, foreign governments are still holding hostage billions in illegally frozen Venezuelan assets. Even FIFA would be hard pressed to conceive of such inhumane corruption.

As I watch these events unfold in Latin America, I feel as though I’m on the edge of my seat, holding my breath and praying for the outcome to this sick, rigged game.

Nicaragua’s Triumph

But not all is lost. On the very day of the 2026 World Cup Final, Nicaragua is celebrating 47 years of the Popular Sandinista Revolution. Our small Central American country is still in the game, and for Nicaragua, it’s been anything but a fair tournament.

In 1979, against all odds, Sandinista guerillas overthrew the cruel Somoza dictatorship. The Somozas were installed and supported by the U.S. while they tortured and oppressed the people of Nicaragua for 45 years. After its triumph, with 50,000 dead from the insurrection and the country’s infrastructure destroyed, the Sandinista Popular Revolution set out to teach its people to read and write, to vaccinate children, to grow food and thrive.

The U.S. responded by organizing and funding counter revolutionary forces that attacked the gains of the Nicaraguan revolution over 10 years of the contra war by killing teachers, health care workers and farmers, leaving another 50,000 dead.

In 1990, Nicaragua went to the ballot box with a gun to its head – the U.S. invested millions in the elections and made it very clear that if Nicaraguans wanted the war to end, they had to vote for the U.S. candidate. Nicaragua voted for peace and the new president did the bidding of the U.S., ushering in 16 years of neoliberal governments during which the poor got poorer and the rich got very rich indeed.

Goals Scored

Following two elections rigged by the U.S., I remember sitting on the edge of my seat during the 2006 elections, holding my breath and praying as the Nicaraguan team approached the penalty box. Then, GOOOOOAAAAAL! Finally, after endless fouls and many attempts on goal, the Sandinista party won the elections in 2006.

Twenty years later, Nicaragua is still playing an epic game.

The country is unrecognizable: 50 new hospitals have been built and there is free universal access to healthcare; education is free, preschool through university; 5,000 kilometers of new roads have been built to connect the country; the economy is stable with 4 to 5% annual GDP growth. Nicaragua is at peace and is one of the safest countries in the region.

Today, the Nicaraguan people have the quality of life and dignity denied them under the Somoza dictatorship and stolen again during 16 years of neoliberalism.

Nothing Can Stop the Avalanche

On the eve of the 47^th anniversary of Nicaragua’s Popular Sandinista Revolution, my family and I meet friends and walk down the main street in Managua where thousands of families like ours are celebrating. We attend a neighborhood vigil – one of hundreds around the country – where the carnival rides are full of ecstatic children and mouthwatering aromas drift out from the fritanga stalls to the crowd dancing in front of the stage to live revolutionary music.

Suddenly, from the speakers we hear bells tolling and fireworks explode overhead: it’s midnight.

“Happy New Revolutionary Year!” the lead singer shouts into the microphone. “Happy start of the 48^th year of our Revolution!” The crowd raises its fists and sings along as the music crescendos:

“Nothing can stop the avalanche now / of a people who have made their decision / this is the war that has been unleashed / the protracted war against the oppressor.”

Nicaragua is still in the tournament, running circles around the opposing team. The U.S. players are diving, holding their ankles and crying foul with crocodile tears. But Nicaragua is one up on the score board and the stands are awash with red and black Sandinista flags.

Latin America may be playing a high stakes tournament, but the Nicaraguan underdogs are the giant-slayers who pulled off the upset of the century. Despite all odds, the Nicaraguan revolution still stands firm.

¡Viva Nicaragua Libre! Long live free Nicaragua!

Briefs

By Nan McCurdy

Excerpts from Co-President Ortega’s Speech at July 19^th Celebration

During the official ceremony marking the 47th anniversary of the Sandinista Popular Revolution, the Co-President of the Republic, Daniel Ortega Saavedra, stated that the era in which political parties imposed by U.S. imperialism return to power is over. The president emphasized that those who seek chaos continue to conspire to create instability; therefore, he reaffirmed his commitment to defending Nicaragua’s peace and well-being, and stated that anyone who attempts to disrupt that tranquility will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

“Don’t think that just because there is no war, we are at peace. They are constantly conspiring, organizing, and looking for ways to set up [US financed] parties so that in an election … those parties might win,” he added. “Here, the days when parties put in place by the Yankees and the Somocistas would return to power are over—never, never, never [again],” he said. He said that the National Assembly “will draft the necessary laws, because we must enact laws that make a wall against the coup plotters and the traitors—and no matter how much money the Yankees give them, they will not be able to, they will not be able to, they will not be able to.”

He mentioned that the FSLN, together with the Sandinista government, will continue to promote projects for well-being, “we will continue to move forward; even if the devil stands in our way, we’re going to—we’re going to put the devil in his place.”

They Conspired with Foreign Interests

He added that the country has been making enormous efforts to achieve peace and recalled that in 2018, despite having agreements with the business sector to bring stability, the latter conspired with foreign interests to create instability, death, and attempt a failed coup d’état.

“Let’s remember how in the years while we were in agreements with business leaders—including the Somocistas who were business leaders—we had a major agreement in place for peace, and the agreement was moving forward, when suddenly we were stabbed in the back: they organized the coup, used funds from the United States to bring in young people and adults, to train them, arm them, with the objective of overthrowing the legitimate government of the Sandinista Front,” said Ortega. “They attempted a coup d’état: Blood was shed here—the blood of young people, adults, women, and children—and in the end, there was no other option but to respond with the full force of the people’s anger,” he said.

He recalled that “when they had paralyzed the country, with roadblocks everywhere, there was no other option but for the police [who had been sent to their stations on request of the coup-plotters], along with the Volunteer Police and young people, to dismantle those roadblocks—not a single one remained—and then came the complaints and the crying, after they had committed murders, destroyed schools, and burned down schools.”

Commitment to Peace

Ortega reiterated the commitment of the Government of Reconciliation and National Unity, the FSLN, and the people to continue working for peace and for the nation’s development. “Here we must continue working to further develop initiatives that benefit the poor—housing for the poor, land for farmers, and free schools. “Here, following the victory we achieved after the coup, we enacted a law establishing that education is free—that no fees may be charged for primary, secondary, or university education—and we are building more schools equipped with the latest technology. But there they are lying in wait; they would love to win the elections so they can make those schools [a money-making project] again,” he stated.

He added that “tonight, once again, we want to reaffirm our commitment to peace. Let us not allow ourselves to be provoked, because they want to provoke us so that we fall into their trap, and that is where violence comes from. If there is any provocation, we must immediately turn to the authorities, to the police, so that those who are trying to incite violence, destruction, and death are arrested and then prosecuted, as has been the case for several months now.”

Addressing recent events in Venezuela and Cuba

Regarding Venezuela, he said: “And there we have a very clear example in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, where Chávez—who was a brother to us—visited us here and has since passed away. Another president took office in Venezuela who continued the relations with Nicaragua and Latin America: President Nicolás Maduro. And what did they [the US] do? With all their might, they went and stormed the Presidential Palace, where Nicolás was with his wife Cilia, and killed the entire security detail that was there; most of them were Cubans.” He continued, “And they took him to put him in a prison in the United States—just think about it—that’s an atrocity, an atrocity. Who are the ones with the power to carry out such monstrosities? Those who, in the service of the great powers, ask those powers to do the same to Cuba. They have had Cuba under a blockade for more than 60 years, and they have held out there.”

Co-President Ortega denounced the fact that “there are Cubans living in the United States who are asking the U.S. government to launch a military invasion of Cuba and to imprison Raúl Castro—the Commander of the Revolution and General of the Army—just as they imprisoned Nicolás Maduro.” He went on to say, “Our respect, our embrace, our greetings go out to the people of Cuba, to Raúl, and to Miguel Díaz-Canel, as well as to the people of Bolívar and to the president who is being held prisoner there in the United States, and to his wife. Our solidarity, our affection. But no international organization seems to care.”

See photos: https://www.el19digital.com/articulos/ver/179633-comandante-daniel-califica-de-monstruosidad-actuacion-del-imperio-norteamericano-en-venezuela-y-cuba- , https://www.el19digital.com/articulos/ver/179636–se-acabo-la-historia-de-que-los-partidos-puestos-por-los-yanquis-volveran-al-gobierno  (El 19, 19 July 2026)

Foreign and Opposition Media Twist Co-President’s Words

On July 20, the day after Co-President Daniel Ortega’s July 19^th speech the majority of US and opposition media wrote that the co-president said that there would be no more elections. Ortega’s speech sets the record straight. “They will never see another election” is an expression taken out of context by sectors of the opposition.

But other analysts say Co-President Ortega was clear: his comments were not directed at the Nicaraguan people nor in reference to their constitutional right to vote in elections. He was referring to those people who have asked for sanctions, foreign interference and acts that undermine the sovereignty and peace of Nicaragua. Those who receive foreign financing will not be able to form political parties or be candidates in political parties.

““Don’t think that just because there’s no war, we’re at peace. They [the U.S.-backed opposition] are constantly conspiring behind the scenes, organizing, and figuring out how to set up parties so that in an election those parties will win,” Ortega said, continuing, “And here, the era in which parties installed by the Yankees, installed by the Somocistas would return to power is over.”

He announced a move to pass legislation ensuring that those who threaten Nicaragua’s national security and receive foreign funding will not be allowed to run for public office. “We must enact laws that erect a wall, a barrier, against the coup plotters and the traitors,” so that, “no matter how much money the Yankees give them,” they will not be able to undermine the undeniable social achievements made by the Sandinista National Liberation Front,” he stated. (El 19, 21July 2026; and 19 July 2026)

National Assembly Begins Process for Electoral and Institutional Reforms

The National Assembly officially informed the Nicaraguan people of the start of the analysis and coordination efforts needed to develop an institutional work plan in accordance with the guidelines expressed by Co-President Daniel Ortega regarding the country’s political processes. As a key part of this process, the National Assembly will convene special sessions together with the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE). The primary objective of these meetings will be to establish the constitutional, legal, and formal foundations for the reforms necessary to consolidate the state’s institutional framework. (La Nueva Radio Ya, 21 July 2026)

Sandinista Government Simultaneously Builds Five New Hospitals

The public health system continues to undergo a comprehensive transformation through the simultaneous implementation of five major hospital projects, the introduction of high-tech medical equipment, and the specialization of its healthcare workforce, reported Health Minister Dr. Meyling Brenes.  She said that the country currently has 79 operational hospitals. The country only had 33 hospitals prior to 2007.

Among the major projects currently underway, two key infrastructure projects stand out: The Lesbia Carrasquilla Eastern Hospital in Managua is designed to be one of the most modern in the country. It will feature more than 114,829 square feet of floor space, 510 beds, 5 floors, and 35 medical specialties. It will have 11 operating rooms (three of which are “smart”), intensive care units, artificial intelligence technology for diagnostics, an MRI scanner, a CT scanner, an oxygen generation plant, and a wastewater treatment plant. The Pueblo Presidente Afrodescendiente Hospital in Bluefields, with more than 59,055 square feet of floor space and 300 beds, will be equipped with a high-resolution echocardiograph with a transesophageal probe, laparoscopy towers, endoscopy equipment, and an oxygen plant.

In addition to these two projects are the Dr. Carlos Vanzetti National Neurosurgery Center (in Las Colinas, Managua), the second and third phases of the Dr. Juan Ignacio Gutiérrez Sacasa National Oncology Hospital, and the second phase of the Acoyapa Primary Care Hospital. The National Oncology Hospital will have nationwide availability and coverage, operational MRI scanners including a 4-channel MRI scanner and a CT scanner with more than 500 slices for oncology). There will be new cardiac catheterization labs at La Mascota, Manolo Morales, Vélez Paiz, and HEODRA Hospitals, plus 54 mammography units, three linear accelerators, brachytherapy equipment, and SPECT-CT systems. This state-of-the-art equipment is complemented by ongoing training for medical specialists, enabling the hospital to perform highly complex procedures that were previously unavailable in the country.

Health Minister Brenes highlighted the democratization of health services, noting that the number of maternity clinics nationwide has increased from 25 to 179, which has made it possible to decentralize key care such as hemodialysis and chemotherapy, ensuring that medical care in Nicaragua remains universal, free, and of high quality for all families. (La Primerisima, 21 July 2026)

Road Network Expanded

The Sandinista government has expanded the national road network ninefold in recent years. The Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, Retired General Óscar Mojica, stated that Nicaragua has undergone a historic transformation in road infrastructure since 2007, increasing the length of paved roads in good condition from 613 to 5,270 kilometers—a 932% increase.  One of the most notable achievements is the transformation of the northern and southern Caribbean coasts, regions that had been historically isolated for 500 years. More than 930 kilometers of first-world hydraulic concrete roads have been built, including 380 kilometers leading to Bilwi, representing an 830% expansion of the Caribbean road network. “Neoliberal governments built only one kilometer in 70 years in the Northern Caribbean,” noted Mojica. The Pacific Coastal Highway has given a major boost to tourism. More than 5 million tourists visited Nicaraguan beaches this summer, stimulating investment in the departments of Río San Juan, Carazo, Rivas and Managua, and showcasing 62 beaches of great beauty. (Informe Pastran, 16 July 2026)

Nicaragua Breaks Diplomatic Relations with Italy

The Nicaraguan government announced on July 16 that it is severing diplomatic relations with Italy, deeming recent statements by Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani to be “unjustified, aggressive, and irresponsible,” according to the Prensa Latina news agency. In an official statement, the Nicaraguan Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the decision is in response to what it described as offensive remarks by the head of Italian diplomacy against the people and government of Nicaragua. “He has insulted the people and government of Nicaragua with European arrogance, in complete disregard for the norms of respect in relations between peoples and governments,” the statement noted.  The Foreign Ministry added that, as a “forceful expression of sovereignty and national dignity,” it informed the Italian authorities of its decision to sever all diplomatic relations. The statement recalled that Nicaragua had maintained ties of mutual respect and understanding for years with previous Italian administrations on various international events and expressed hope that conditions of mutual respect can be reestablished in the future. [Reuters reported that the issue revolves around Rome’s demand that Nicaragua extradite a former Red Brigades ​militant. Italy has no extradition treaty with Nicaragua.] (Informe Pastran, 16 July 2026)