Soviet Cold War jab to US in Nicaragua remembered
Published: 20 July, 2009, 03:05
Edited: 10 September, 2009, 10:04
TAGS: Conflict, South America, Politics
Thousands of people have gathered in the capital of Nicaragua to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the socialist revolution that overthrew the country’s long-ruling authoritarian regime.
, Nicaragua's president and one of the leaders of the revolution, attended the celebrations. Supporters waved his party's red and black flags and held banners praising the government's focus on social programs.
Exactly three decades ago, the U.S.-backed dictator was ousted and the revolutionaries enlisted Soviet help to resist American influence.
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The Soviet Union won that round, driving the US back.
In 1979, the Sandinista National Liberation Front overthrew the US-backed Somoza family dictatorship. People celebrated the start of a new life with new friends – the USSR an important one among them.
Oleg Nechiporenko was a military adviser on Nicaragua for the Soviet Minister of Internal Affairs in 1984-85. He believes that “Nicaragua was like a red rag to America”.
“They didn’t want another Cuba in their backyard – a country with a US-hostile policy. There was information about possible attacks from the US. We were on high alert,” Nechiporenko recalls.
To resist American pressure, the USSR sent its best intelligence service members to Nicaragua – and $3 billion worth of weapons.
Yury Drozdov was behind the creation of the special KGB force “Vympel”. It was deployed in ‘troubled’ regions such as Vietnam, Afghanistan, Laos and Angola.
He says the force was only used in “emergencies, where other methods had failed to stabilize the situation. Nicaragua was one of these hot spots”.
“America’s subversives were more active than ever before. We had to learn about our enemy as well as about our Nicaraguan friends. It was a short mission – but a serious challenge for our guys,” Drozdov says.
Asked how successful the Soviet mission in Nicaragua was, Drozdov just gives a cunning smile, Nechiporenko is more forthcoming.
He says the USSR’s interference not only helped Nicaragua to escape a military conflict, but saved the whole region from instability.
“We waited – but the US didn’t attack Nicaragua! And that was mainly because of the Soviet Union’s support. The times when you could brandish your missiles were over. And America understood that pretty well,” Nechiporenko says.
Valery Nikolaenko was the Soviet ambassador to Nicaragua at the end of the Sandinistas’ rule. He says the revolution of 1979 shaped the country’s future political life.
“The victory of the revolution was a turning point for Nicaragua. But I think the most important achievement was a staggering increase in people’s self-consciousness. People started to believe they could create their own and their country’s future,” Nikolaenko says.
After a break following the collapse of the Soviet Union, relations between Russia and Nicaragua began afresh. The two countries with a common past are now looking forward to a common future.
19.07.2009, 17:47
4 comments
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What is the difference between what Russia is doing/was doing and what the USA i doing in Georgia and Ukraine?
I have yet to see any of the highways, new energy production, industrial and manufacturing dollars coming from the Russian coffers. How many Nicaraguan's are employed by Russian's? How many churches and schools have been built/repaired, patients seen and treated? How many hotel rooms and restaurants and local merchandise are or have been purchased by the so called "Comrades"? Taxi's, airport traffic, tourists? Who is, and where are they, the Russian equivalent of the Peace Corp, who labors to help Nicaraguan's for nothing? Where would Nicaragua be TODAY if it weren't for U.S. and E.U. citizens and their dollars? Think about it REAL HARD, where would Nicaragua be at this minute? Exchange everything from U.S. & E.U. for everything Russian, Cuban, Venezuelan, etc. and what do you have? Add them ALL up and multiply by 10! Roads, agriculture, employement, health care, education, manufacturing? How about the exports? Who buys Nicaraguan products? What percentage? Take a look, what's Real and what's Memorex?
David Cardin, US actions in the 80s constituted an outrageous crime against Nicaragua. The Contras terrorist army murdered 20 thousand civilians and forced the Sandinistas to devote much needed funds and resources to national defense, preventing the Sandinistas from pursuing their social progress agendas. Victory by Chamorro gave the US what it wanted, but near 20 years of adherence to the neo-liberal agenda left Nicaragua (still) the poorest nation in the Western hemisphere (excepting Haiti). US investments were the usual self-serving carpet-bagger behaviour, oriented towards extracting wealth and enriching the local business and political elite (to solidify control over the nations government) and doing nothing for the average man in the street. Why else do you think the disgruntled electorate voted for Ortega, despite the endless "communist" scare-mongering from local media and barely concealed economic threats from Washington? There seems to be no end of Americans who whole-heartedly buy into the ridiculous notion that the US is some sort of generous and benevolent giant bestowing blessings on the small troubled corners of the world. US intentions are always portrayed as being good and fair, and have the best interests of 3rd world peoples at heart. The disparity between their cherished beliefs and the harsh reality are truly breathtaking.