NicaNotes

May 7, 2026

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 Benjamín Linder in Managua and is part of the Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition. This article was first published in Popular Resistance on May 1.)

Benjamin Linder: ¡Presente!

Under the shade tent in the schoolyard, staring solemnly ahead, stands a line of children wearing T-shirts with the image of the most famous North American in this mountainous Nicaraguan village. The picture on the t-shirt is not of a pop singer or a movie star, it’s the image of a skinny electrical engineer from Portland, Oregon: Ben Linder.

“Benjamín Linder: ¡Presente! ¡Presente! ¡Presente!” The children call out, raising their little fists in the air to emphasize that Ben Linder’s spirit is here with us today.

Ben Linder moved to Nicaragua in 1983 to contribute his skills to the Sandinista Revolution. He was a clown and a unicyclist who worked with the national circus. As an engineer, he worked to bring electricity to war zones in northern Nicaragua, where the U.S.-funded contra guerillas attacked villages in the dark – electricity made them safer. After building a successful hydroelectric plant in El Cuá, Ben and his coworkers began work on a new plant in San José de Bocay, near the Honduran border.

On April 28, 1987, Ben hiked upstream to measure for a weir with two local masons – father of four Pablo Rosales, and father of seven Sergio Hernandez – both of whom had volunteered to work on the project. The three were ambushed and assassinated by U.S.-backed contra forces.

Thirty-nine years later, our small group representing the Casa Ben Linder in Managua has driven six hours to honor these heroes and martyrs together with the students, families, and local authorities at the Benjamin Linder Elementary School.

Day of the Internationalist Hero

As we arrive in San José de Bocay late the evening before, we hear the news that Nicaragua’s National Assembly had just declared April 28^th to be the Day of the Internationalist Hero in Nicaragua. It is an honor to be able to share this moment of pride with the people of Los Angeles, the village where Ben was killed, which sits perched above San José de Bocay with sweeping views of the river valley below and of dramatic mountains in the background.

Juan Ramón Obregón Valdivia, the National Assembly member representing the region, shares the text of the law with those gathered. “Nicaragua has been blessed with a host of internationalist heroes and heroines who, throughout our history and during the various phases of the struggle for our sovereignty, have embraced our ideals and defended peace,” he reads.

“Our North American brother Benjamin Linder was assassinated…becoming an eternal symbol of the people’s struggle against injustice. We must honor all our internationalist heroes, reaffirming the unbreakable bond between the Nicaraguan people and international solidarity and making the ideal of internationalism the guiding light for our struggle for progress and the building of a future of unity and peace,” the Deputy finishes.

Unlikely Heroes

After celebrating with dancing, speeches, poems and piñatas, we make our way to the pond that now feeds the hydroelectric plant, finished in 1994 by APRODELBO, the organization which today provides electricity to 2,000 families in the region. We then hike through the thick forest up to the spot where Ben, Pablo and Sergio were killed.

Standing on the rocks next to the flowing stream, José Luís Olivas, head of the environmental management unit of APRODELBO, speaks of their heroism. With his wire rimmed glasses and shirt pockets filled with pens, Ben Linder didn’t come across as courageous. But in the context of the Contra War, everyone knew that the simple act of trying to connect communities to electricity was reason enough for your name to wind up on a death list.

“At that time, there were armed groups financed by the government of the United States,” explains Olivas. “Mr. Ronald Reagan didn’t want Nicaraguans to continue our lives of prosperity, he wanted to see us buried in misery, and so he financed the counterrevolution.”

Yet, Ben and thousands more like him, continued working to improve the lives of families in rural war zones, even knowing the personal risk they were taking.

“They worked so that we could have an organized community, young people studying, so that we could prepare medical professionals from this community to provide medical attention to our own population,” explains Olivas.

He tells the story of Ambrosio Mogorrón Martínez, a Basque nurse from Spain. Ambrosio, known as “El Doctorcito,” was also killed in Bocay, just one month after Ben. He was travelling to bring medicine to the community when a U.S.-made anti-tank mine detonated under his pick-up truck, killing him and nine others with him. The health center in Bocay is named Ambrosio Mogorrón.

“Unfortunately, these internationalists lost their lives, but they planted a seed in fertile soil, and that seed has sprouted and continues to grow,” concludes Olivas. “That is why we have electricity, drinking water, hospitals, schools, and universities.”

They Will Never Stop the Spring

As we are leaving the site, we spot a tiny frog on the rock above where Ben was shot at point-blank range. The frog is bright red and black, the colors of the Sandinista Revolution. It obligingly hops around, letting us take pictures of it. A friend tells me that in Indigenous lore, the frog sings to bring the rain, symbolizing new life and harmony.

As we make our way back down the mountain, I reflect on how apt it is to celebrate the contributions of our fallen internationalists when so many of their dreams for Nicaragua have now come true: peace and security, free education, free health care, dignified housing, good roads.

“‘They can cut all the flowers, but they will never stop the spring,’” quotes Nicaragua’s Co-President Rosario Murillo while announcing the Day of the Internationalist Hero. “Ben Linder, a flower in Bocay, a flower for the Nicaraguan people. We work for peace, for the flowering that brings Peace, we work to live as brothers and sisters, we work for joy. They will never stop the spring.”

On this 28th of April, as we celebrate the first annual Day of the Internationalist Hero, we know that spring has arrived in Nicaragua.

Briefs

By Nan McCurdy

Government Maintains Fiscal Stability

In its Financial Stability Report, issued on May 4, the Central Bank of Nicaragua noted that in 2025 the government continued to consolidate its public finances, achieving a surplus in the Non-Financial Public Sector (NFPS) after including donations for the fourth consecutive year. This result was supported by increased tax revenues and a spending policy focused on social investment and productive infrastructure. According to the report, the 2026 Budget, approved by the National Assembly, maintains this path of fiscal discipline and projects a surplus at year-end as well. As a result, the total debt-to-Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio fell from 51.7% in 2024 to 48.1% in 2025, keeping the risks to financial stability stemming from public debt at low levels. “The combination of sustained economic growth, improvements in tax administration, prudent spending, and effective debt management explains this reduction,” the official report notes. The Central Government also recorded a surplus in 2025, which allowed for the accumulation of financial reserves and contributed to an improvement in the current account of the balance of payments. With this, Nicaragua completed three consecutive years of twin surpluses, both fiscal and external. Coordination between monetary policy, fiscal surpluses, and zero-rate exchange rate sliding facilitated the accumulation of significant international reserves

Medical Care for Inmates Enhanced at Tipitapa Prison

A fully equipped clinic for providing medical care to inmates was inaugurated on May 4th at the Jorge Navarro Prison System in the municipality of Tipitapa. The center features renovated infrastructure and equipment that allows it to provide care in various areas, including emergency services, general and specialized consultations, a clinical laboratory, a pharmacy, and inpatient services. Dr. Gema Larios, chief medical officer of the prison system, explained that the facilities will enable a more comprehensive and organized response to the diverse health needs of the prison population. Senior Commissioner Rodrigo García, director of the prison, emphasized that the renovation of this medical unit is based on the principle of equivalence, which establishes that inmates have the right to receive the same quality of care as the rest of the population. With this investment, the national prison system continues to make progress in improving conditions, prioritizing well-being, comprehensive care, and respect for human rights. (La Primerisima, 5 May 2026)

The Most Powerful Weapon of the Nicaraguan People Is Dignity

“The people have lost their fear of being afraid,” Co-President Daniel Ortega said at the ceremony marking the 99th anniversary of National Dignity Day. He highlighted the historic resistance of the Nicaraguan people against foreign invasions and reaffirmed that dignity remains the nation’s greatest strength in the face of external threats. During his speech, he reviewed the milestones of the national struggle, from the Battle of San Jacinto in 1856 to the heroic acts of General Augusto César Sandino. “This people has lost the fear of being afraid; this youth has lost the fear of being afraid. The Nicaraguan people have fought many battles! With dignity,” he exclaimed.

He recalled that next year will mark the centennial of the date when General Sandino rejected the Pact of Espino Negro on May 4, 1927. [It was under a black thorn tree in Tipitapa that Liberal Party leaders met and agreed to end the Constitutionalist War and allow the US to occupy the country– all except Sandino who believed it was humiliating to have the US marines occupying and running the country. This led to his successful struggle that finally forced the marines to leave.] This act defined Nicaraguan sovereignty. “Today marks 99 years since that historic date,” Ortega noted. He recalled the battle against the filibusterer William Walker in 1856, highlighting the role of General José Dolores Estrada, the indigenous people of Matagalpa, and the legendary action of Andrés Castro, who struck down an invader with a stone. “There, for the first time in history, the dignity of being Nicaraguan was put to the test,” he stated.

Co-President Ortega also mentioned S. Brian Willson, a veteran who lost his legs in 1987 while protesting against Ronald Reagan’s policies and who coined the phrase “losing the fear of fear.” He linked it directly to the spirit of General Sandino and the Army in Defense of National Sovereignty. Ortega made special mention of Carlos Fonseca, founder of the Sandinista Front, and of “thousands and thousands of heroes and martyrs” who have given their lives for Nicaragua. “We must not be afraid of fear,” he insisted.

Ortega said that Nicaragua will continue to advance with social projects despite the constant threats from the United States. “We will continue working, developing projects, building more schools, expanding technical programs across the country, and increasing sports activities,” he said. He compared the Nicaraguan resistance to that of Cuba, which has faced threats for more than 60 years.

Ortega reaffirmed General Sandino’s anti-imperialist legacy and the government’s commitment to sovereignty, peace, and social development. “Here we have been fighting every day for peace—peace is essential to carry out all the projects we are undertaking, projects in which thousands of young people are participating. There, in the construction of schools, hospitals, and roads. All these projects are being carried out under constant threats issued from the United States, issuing threats and calling for an invasion of Nicaragua to begin immediately, and they think such an invasion is possible.” He continued, “The US would like to think that these threats would terrify the people, but how many hellish ordeals have we been through—so many hellish ordeals. The last ordeal was in 2018, when they [the opposition] thought we would flee. And in the end, what happened? Well, it was they who fled; they boarded that famous plane, and there they are in the United States.” (Informe Pastran, 5 May 2026)

New Power Substation in Bluefields 90% Complete

Construction of the new Danilo Hernández Power Substation in the city of Bluefields, South Caribbean Region, is near completion. During a tour of the facilities, regional and municipal officials confirmed that construction is 93% complete. Project officials explained that the power substation will improve the stability, efficiency, and coverage of the electricity service in Bluefields, benefiting thousands of families and the productive sector. It will also reduce outages and meet growing electricity demand, driving the economic, commercial, and social development of Bluefields. See photos: https://radiolaprimerisima.com/2026/05/03/construccion-de-nueva-subestacion-electrica-en-bluefields-supera-el-90/  (La Primerisima, 3 May 2026)

Venezuela Extends Fraternal Greetings to Nicaragua on National Dignity Day

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Iván Gil, on behalf of the Bolivarian Government, extended fraternal greetings to the people of Nicaragua and to Co-Presidents Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo on the occasion of National Dignity Day. His message reads: “On behalf of the Bolivarian Government, we extend a warm fraternal greeting to the people of Nicaragua and to Co-Presidents Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo on the celebration of National Dignity Day, commemorated every May 4 in honor of General Augusto C. Sandino and his opposition to allowing intervention in his country and his defense of sovereignty.” The message concluded, “We wish you a day filled with national unity and a renewed spirit of struggle for sovereignty.” [National Dignity Day, May 4, 1927, is the date Sandino refused to accept the Tipitapa agreement/pact of Espino Negro, choosing to fight against US military occupation, a defining moment in Nicaraguan history.] (El 19, 4 May 2026)