Caracas, July 19, 2024.- Nicaragua has changed a lot over more than four decades. In 1979, the ravages of the liberation war against the Somoza dictatorship were huge. Today, the new Nicaragua appears, joyful and vibrant like any revolutionary process. Today, it has new actors who occupy the forefront positions of social transformation. 

This Central American country with almost 7 million inhabitants has a large number of young people for whom the Sandinista popular insurrection is part of their historical memory. Now this youth by unanimous decree of the National Assembly approved the “Initiative of Law to Declare the Valiant and Valuable Youth of our Blessed Homeland” as: National Heritage of Nicaragua. In that sense, Sandinista deputy Carlos Emilio López affirmed that: “the same patriotic youth managed to sustain the Revolution and its great achievements in the first stage, such as the National Literacy Crusade, the transformations that occurred in health and agrarian reform.” But also, in that context, he pointed out that: “The youth led the defense of the Revolution against the aggressions of North American imperialism, this law recognizes the “Cubs” of Sandino who in the eighties defended our Revolution and the youth who during neoliberalism remained faithful to revolutionary principles.”

When the victory of the Sandinista People’sRevolution reached its 45th anniversary, as it happened on July 19, 1979, it may seem like a few years, but almost half a century has passed. However, the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN in Spanish) continues to be the historical vanguard of the Nicaraguan people. Its main historical leaders represented by Commander Daniel Ortega are constructively guiding the new course of 21st century Nicaragua. 

The people of Augusto César Sandino have matured their revolutionary process. Nicaragua continues on the path of international solidarity at a time when the Palestinian people require the support of all peoples in order to stop the genocide in the Gaza Strip, perpetrated by Zionism led by Benjamin Netanyahu. Let us remember that the FSLN received Palestinian support and training at a time when international forces needed to be gathered to combat the bloody dictatorship of Anastasio Somoza.

In the context leading up to the popular takeover of power in Nicaragua, a large part of the political forces of the Latin American left provided political, economic, and logistical support to the Sandinista popular insurrection. Additionally, governments in the region at that time isolated the Somoza dictatorship and neutralized the White House intervention in the Central American country. Today, that period is part of Nicaragua’s history, but also of the peoples of our America. 

In current times, once again solidarity with the Sandinista People’s Revolution is needed, as U.S. imperialism has not rested. It continues to be determined to reverse the emancipatory processes achieved in Cuba and Venezuela. Similarly, with the democratic advances made under popular governments in Brazil with Luiz Ignácio Lula da Silva, Xiomara Castro in Honduras, Andrés Manuel López Obrador in Mexico, Luis Arce Catacora in Bolivia, Gustavo Petro in Colombia, and recently with the government of Bernardo Arévalo in Guatemala, among others.

Without a doubt, the Sandinista People’s Revolution continues to be a beautiful lighthouse on the Latin American horizon. Today, Sandinismo has modernized Nicaragua and placed it in a context where education at its various levels remains a key strategy to confront the burdens of underdevelopment. The healthcare system has strengthened healthcare for the population, and the economy is much more stable and creative, providing a wide margin of well-being for the popular and rural sectors. 

New times are approaching with the fluctuations in U.S. politics. The presidential candidacies in the empire of Joe Biden or Donald Trump shape the international scenario. But Nicaragua and Sandinismo, as they have done in other moments, will surely know how to positively face imperial challenges. The Sandinista People’s Revolution still has a long road ahead, and the children of Sandino know very well what he best route to emerge victorious once again is, as it happened on July 19, 1979 with the slogan: “Free Homeland or Death”.