During the 1970’s, Daniel Ortega was a central figure in Nicaraguan politics. Ortega, the head of the Marxist-Leninist Party, FSLN (Frente Sandinista Liberación Nacional) was brought to power as a result of President Jimmy Carter’s failed policies in the region. After Carter helped Ortega gain power in 1979, Ortega quickly became an enemy of the United States, and an ally of the Soviet Union. Ortega’s tenure proved to be a disaster to the Nicaraguan people.
In 1984, Ortega called for free elections knowing he would win a majority, but in 1990, Ortega lost his election bid to Violeta Chamorro. He also lost his election bids in 1996 and 2001 to Arnoldo Aleman and Enrique Bolaños respectively. Understanding that the Cold War had ended, Ortega began to mollify his rhetoric on his prior Marxist policies in favor of a more moderate democratic Socialism.
The former president Arnoldo Aleman was under house arrest because of corruption in the Aleman administration. Ortega made a pact with the PLC, (the Partido Liberal Constitucional), the party of Aleman which would give Aleman a seat in the “Asamblea” and thereby granting him immunity from further prosecution. The pact involved a split in the PLC. This split allowed Ortega to win by almost the same percentage that he lost the prior two elections, 37.99%. Jimmy carter went to oversee the elections. Carter said the elections were fair. Don’t you just love Latin American politics especially with Carter in charge? Both Chavez and Castro called to congratulate Ortega. Had this pact not occurred, Ortega would not be president today.
Today, according to La Prensa, two congressmen Ron Klein and Connie Mack, both from Florida declared that Iran, Nicaragua and Venezuela are, "a Trio of Tyrants", and that they were disappointed in Ortega's recently annouunced trip to Iran. But, who would have expected any differently?
What does this have to do with the United States? Well, a lot!
La Prensa of Nicaragua reports
Ortega will visit his friends
President Daniel Ortega begins his international tour which includes state visits to the most controversial figures today, like Hugo Chavez, Muammar, Al-Gadafi and Mahmoud Ahmadneyad, head of states of Venezuela, Libya and Iran, respectively.
Sandinista Radio has already made it known that the Nicaraguan head of state arrives today, to back Chavez for not renewing the transmission licenses of Radio Caracas Television, (RCTV), an action that seen by various sectors as an attack of Freedom of Expression.
In spite of all of Ortega’s rhetoric, his views have not changed. He is still a Marxist-Socialist and he will welcome into his country Jihadists who want to harm America. Ortega did change his stripes, but not in the direction that would be amicable towards the United States.
Jonathan Schanzner reports in National Review of the threat in South America where he concludes:
A history of tolerance notwithstanding, this weekend’s disrupted plot demonstrates that U.S. counterterrorism and intelligence agencies must cast a wide net, one that includes even the tiny nations along the northern coast of South America.
Few analysts have ever thought about a terrorism nexus in South America apart from the Tri-Border area (a lawless area between Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina), where Hezbollah and Iran are known to operate. It’s time to start looking at other South American states that may be inadvertently hosting terrorists. Guyana and Trinidad were put on the map this weekend. Let’s not forget about Suriname
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NDI1OWZmNjZiMjljNTRhZWFlMTA3YjFkYWI1Y2YxNzI=
What does this mean? This means that where once an Ocean separated us, this may no longer be the case. Ortega will push his country more to the left and more to a dictatorial regime given the opportunity, and he will become the tyrant that is innate in his personality. Ortega has proven to be a savvy politician and understands the machinations of Latin American politics. Ortega will now embrace those who want to kill us. Iran, Venezuela, and others will take place of the Soviet Union. We must therefore look beyond the Middle East and monitor our own backyard, Central and South America, because with this new immigration bill, you can bet there will be a Jihadist or two entering our borders.
2 comments:
After Carter helped Ortega gain power in 1979, Ortega quickly became an enemy of the United States, and an ally of the Soviet Union.
Can you cite any source for the assertion the Jimmy Carter assisted Ortega in gaining power? Carter may have not been a great president, and has since done photo ops with Ortega, but I'm pretty sure that as a Cold War president of the US, he was clever enough to not fund a leftist guerilla party.
Certainly President Reagan pumped millions in arms into the country in his illegal scheme, and since this action ultimately strengthened the FSLN, it can be reasonably inferred that Mister Ortega's career owes its longevity to Ronald Reagan.
Carter is a convenient punching bag, but I have no doubt as to who to "credit" for the leadership in Nicaragua today.
Anyone who knows about Nicaragua, knows Jimmy Carter helped Ortega. First, a little about me. I arrived in Managua in 1977 to ask for my wife's hand in Marriage. I was American, she was Nicaraguan. I was led off the plane before anyone else by two guards to my wife's father. The reason - he worked for Somoza. My father-in-law was a "diputado" similar to our Senators for Somoza. Her brother was a federal court judge. She never told me who her father was at the time, but I have followed Nicaraguan politics ever since, and I speak fluent Spanish. We were married two years before the revolution. Her family was destroyed as a result of the fall of Somoza. Most of them now live here in the United States. You will find most of those who worked for Somoza vote Republican and despise Carter because they understand that they had to leave their country because of Carter. Carter first supported the Somoza regime (our ally), then pulled his support away and funded the Sandinistas (our enemy). Reagan had nothing to do with the longevity of Ortega. If anything, he hastened it by hastening the collapse of the Soviet Union. You should rethink your thoughts if you think that he was clever enough not to fund a leftist guerrilla party, because the truth is, and the way I would put it is he was dumb enough to fund a leftist guerilla party. You can check it out here under the caption Human Rights
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Carter. I lived through Carter's fiasco - Carter a lover of despots.
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