Political Bashing

Daniel Ortega has become el Presidente of Nicaragua. Another leftist president in Latin America and another blow to the Bush Administration. The last thing the Bush administration wants is another socialist government in Latin America. To understand this, it is necessary to go back to the 1930's.

1930's-Augusto Sandino leads a peasant army against the US backed military government. The US installs Somoza as the leader of Nicaragua, who eventually defeats and executes Sandino. Four decades of Somoza rule begins

1951-Jacob Arbanz Guzman is elected President of Guatemala and begins political and economic reforms that threaten US interests in the region

1954-A CIA led coup ousts Guzman and the military takes over Guatemala

1959-Fidel Castro and his guerilla army oust Cuban President Batist. The new communist government ceases all American property in Cuba

1961-Cuban exiles, under American direction, land at the Bay of Pigs in Cuba in an attempt to overthrow Castro. However they are defeated by Castro's army and are imprisoned

1966-A 30 year civil war between the US backed military government and Marxist rebels in Guatemala

1979-The last Somoza to rule Nicaragua is forced out of office. Daniel Ortega and his Sandinista Army defeat the Guardia Nacional and then cease power. US President Jimmy Carter refuses to aid Somoza after some of his soldiers execute an American journalist

1980's-President Ronald Reagan orders the CIA to train and fund the Contras. The Contras are former members of Nicaragua's Guardia Nacional and their aim is to overthrow Ortega and the Sandinistas. Both sides commit atrocious acts of human rights violations

1990-Daniel Ortega is voted out of office

So the US has quite a history of conflicts with socialist/Marxist/leftist governments in Central America; they see leftist governments in the region as a threat to their regional interests. The thing to remember is that many of the US backed governments were only interested in serving their own, as well as, US interests. The leftists enjoyed widespread support amongst the general population who suffered political and economic oppression. When a leftist leader says he/she will work for the interests of the common person, then most people will vote for that person. The US needs to realize that supporting corrupt leaders does not win them any friends.