Policies and programs Sandinista National Liberation Front

1 policies , programs

1.1 foreign policy

1.1.1 cuban assistance

1.1.1.1 cuban assistance after revolution


1.1.2 relationship eastern bloc intelligence agencies

1.1.2.1 pre-revolution
1.1.2.2 cooperation foreign intelligence agencies during 1980s




1.2 educational assistance

1.2.1 1980 literacy campaign


1.3 health care
1.4 vocational assistance
1.5 industry , infrastructure
1.6 ministry of culture
1.7 economy

policies , programs
foreign policy
cuban assistance

beginning in 1967, cuban general intelligence directorate, or dgi, had begun establish ties nicaraguan revolutionary organizations. 1970 dgi had managed train hundreds of sandinista guerrilla leaders , had vast influence on organization. after successful ousting of somoza, dgi involvement in new sandinista government expanded rapidly. indication of central role dgi play in cuban-nicaraguan relationship meeting in havana on july 27, 1979, @ diplomatic ties between 2 countries re-established after more 25 years. julián lópez díaz, prominent dgi agent, named ambassador nicaragua. cuban military , dgi advisors, brought in during sandinista insurgency, swell on 2,500 , operated @ levels of new nicaraguan government.

the cubans have helped more in development of nicaragua towards socialism. following invasion of grenada, countries looking support cuba saw united states take violent action discourage this.

cuban assistance after revolution

the years of nicaraguan revolution had strong ties cuba. sandinista leaders acknowledged fsln owed great debt socialist island. once sandinistas assumed power, cuba gave nicaragua military advice, aid in education, health care, vocational training , industry building impoverished nicaraguan economy. in return, nicaragua provided cuba grains , other foodstuffs cuba overcome effects of embargo.

relationship eastern bloc intelligence agencies
pre-revolution

according cambridge university historian christopher andrew, undertook task of processing mitrokhin archive, carlos fonseca amador, 1 of original 3 founding members of fsln had been recruited kgb in 1959 while on trip moscow. 1 part of aleksandr shelepin s grand strategy of using national liberation movements spearhead of soviet union s foreign policy in third world, , in 1960 kgb organized funding , training twelve individuals fonseca handpicked. these individuals core of new sandinista organization. in following several years, fsln tried little success organize guerrilla warfare against government of luis somoza debayle. after several failed attempts attack government strongholds , little initial support local population, national guard annihilated sandinistas in series of attacks in 1963. disappointed performance of shelepin s new latin american revolutionary vanguard , kgb reconstituted core of sandinista leadership iskra group , used them other activities in latin america.

according andrew, mitrokhin says during following 3 years kgb handpicked several dozen sandinistas intelligence , sabotage operations in united states. andrew , mitrokhin in 1966, kgb-controlled sandinista sabotage , intelligence group sent northern mexico near border conduct surveillance possible sabotage.

in july 1961 during berlin crisis of 1961 kgb chief alexander shelepin sent memorandum soviet premier nikita khrushchev containing proposals create situation in various areas of world favor dispersion of attention , forces , satellites, , tie them down during settlement of question of german peace treaty , west berlin. planned, inter alia, organize armed mutiny in nicaragua in coordination cuba , revolutionary front sandino . shelepin proposed make appropriations kgb funds in addition previous assistance $10,000 purchase of arms.

khrushchev sent memo approval deputy frol kozlov , on august 1 was, minor revisions, passed cpsu central committee directive. kgb , soviet ministry of defense instructed work out more specific measures , present them consideration central committee.

cooperation foreign intelligence agencies during 1980s

other researchers have documented contribution made other warsaw pact intelligence agencies fledgling sandinista government including east german stasi, using declassified documents berlin former stasi spymaster markus wolf described stasi s assistance in creation of secret police force modeled on east germany s.

educational assistance

cuba instrumental in nicaraguan literacy campaign. nicaragua country high rate of illiteracy, campaign succeeded in lowering rate 50% 12%. revolution in cuban education since ousting of us-backed batista regime not served model nicaragua provided technical assistance , advice. cuba played important part in campaign, providing teachers on yearly basis after revolution. prevost states teachers not ones studying in cuba, 2,000 primary , secondary students studying on isle of youth , cost covered host country (cuba) .

1980 literacy campaign


1979 fsln poster. text of image: consolidate revolution in rearguard , literacy. (spanish: consolidar la revolución en la retaguardia y la alfabetización)

the goals of 1980 literacy campaign socio-political, strategic educational. prominent campaign regards new education system. illiteracy in nicaragua reduced 50.3% 12.9%. 1 of government s major concerns previous education system under somoza regime did not see education major factor on development of country. mentioned in historical program of fsln of 1969, education seen right , pressure stay committed promises made in program stronger. 1980 declared year of literacy , major goals of campaign started 8 months after fsln took over. included eradication of illiteracy , integration of different classes, races, gender , age. political awareness , strengthening of political , economic participation of nicaraguan people central goal of literacy campaign. campaign key component of fsln s cultural transformation agenda.

the basic reader disseminated , used teacher called dawn of people based on themes of sandino, carlos fonseca, , sandinista struggle against imperialism , defending revolution. political education aimed @ creating new social values based on principles of sandinista socialism, such social solidarity, worker s democracy, egalitarianism, , anti-imperialism.

health care

health care area sandinistas made significant improvements , recognized accomplishment, e.g. oxfam. in area cuba played role again offering expertise nicaragua. on 1,500 cuban doctors worked in nicaragua , provided more 5 million consultations. cuban personnel essential in elimination of polio, decrease in whooping cough, rubella, measles , lowering of infant mortality rate. gary prevost states cuban personnel made possible nicaragua have national health care system reached majority of citizens.

vocational assistance

cuba has participated in training of nicaraguan workers in use of new machinery imported nicaragua. nicaraguan revolution caused united states oppose country s government; therefore sandinistas not receive aid united states. united states embargo against nicaragua, imposed reagan administration in may 1985, made impossible nicaragua receive spare parts us-made machines, led nicaragua other countries help. cuba best choice because of shared language , proximity , because had imported similar machinery on years. nicaraguans went cuba short periods of 3 6 months , training involved close 3,000 workers. countries such uk, sent farm equipment nicaragua.

industry , infrastructure

cuba helped nicaragua in large projects such building roads, power plants , sugar mills. cuba attempted nicaragua build first overland route linking nicaragua s atlantic , pacific coasts. road meant traverse 260 miles of jungle, completion of road , usage hindered contra war, , never completed.

another significant feat building of tipitapa-malacatoya sugar mill. completed , inaugurated during visit fidel castro in january 1985. plant used newest technology available , built workers trained in cuba. during visit castro announced debts incurred on project absolved. cuba provided technicians aid in sugar harvest , assist in rejuvenation of several old sugar mills. cubans assisted in building schools , similar projects.

ministry of culture

after nicaraguan revolution, sandinista government established ministry of culture in 1980. ministry spearheaded ernesto cardenal, poet , priest. ministry established in order socialize modes of cultural production. extended art forms including dance, music, art, theatre , poetry. project created democratize culture on national level. aim of ministry democratize art making accessible social classes protecting right of oppressed produce, distribute , receive art. in particular, ministry devoted development of working class , campesino, or peasant culture. therefore, ministry sponsored cultural workshops throughout country until october 1988 when ministry of culture integrated ministry of education because of financial troubles.

the objective of workshops recognize , celebrate neglected forms of artistic expression. ministry created program of cultural workshops known as, casas de cultura , centros populares de cultura. workshops set in poor neighbourhoods , rural areas , advocated universal access , consumption of art in nicaragua. ministry assisted in creation of theatre groups, folklore , artisanal production, song groups, new journals of creation , cultural criticism, , training programs cultural workers. ministry created sandinista daily newspaper named barricada , weekly cultural addition named ventana along television sandino, radio sandino , nicaraguan film production unit called incine. there existing papers splintered after revolution , produced other independent, pro-sandinista newspapers, such el nuevo diario , literary addition nuevo amanecer cultural. editorial nueva nicaragua, state publishing house literature, created. ministry collected , published political poetry of revolutionary period, known testimonial narrative, form of literary genre recorded experiences of individuals in course of revolution.

the ministry developed new anthology of rubén darío, nicaraguan poet , writer, established rubén darío prize latin american writers, leonel rugama prize young nicaraguan writers, public poetry readings , contests, cultural festivals , concerts. sandinista regime tried keep revolutionary spirit alive empowering citizens artistically. @ time of inception, ministry of culture needed according cardenal, bring culture people marginalized it. want culture not culture of elite, of group considered ‘cultivated,’ rather of entire people. nevertheless, success of ministry of culture had mixed results , 1985 criticism arose on artistic freedom in poetry workshops. poetry workshops became matter criticism , debate. critics argued ministry imposed many principles , guidelines young writers in workshop, such as, asking them avoid metaphors in poetry , advising them write events in everyday life. critical voices came established poets , writers represented asociacion sandinista de trabajadores de la cultura (astc) , ventana both of headed rosario murillo. argued young writers should exposed different poetic styles of writing , resources developed in nicaragua , elsewhere. furthermore, argued ministry exhibited tendency favored , fostered political , testimonial literature in post-revolutionary nicaragua.

economy

the new government, formed in 1979 , dominated sandinistas, resulted in socialist model of economic development. new leadership conscious of social inequities produced during previous thirty years of unrestricted economic growth , determined make country s workers , peasants, economically underprivileged , prime beneficiaries of new society. consequently, in 1980 , 1981, unbridled incentives private investment gave way institutions designed redistribute wealth , income. private property continue allowed, land belonging somozas confiscated.

however, ideology of sandinistas put future of private sector , of private ownership of means of production in doubt. although under new government both public , private ownership accepted, government spokespersons referred reconstruction phase in country s development, in property owners , professional class tapped managerial , technical expertise. after reconstruction , recovery, private sector give way expanded public ownership in areas of economy. despite such ideas, represented point of view of faction of government, sandinista government remained officially committed mixed economy.

economic growth uneven in 1980s. restructuring of economy , rebuilding following end of civil war caused gdp rise 5 percent in 1980 , 1981. each year 1984 1990, however, showed drop in gdp. reasons contraction included reluctance of foreign banks offer new loans, diversion of funds fight new insurrection against government, and, after 1985, total embargo on trade united states, formerly nicaragua s largest trading partner. after 1985 government chose fill gap between decreasing revenues , mushrooming military expenditures printing large amounts of paper money. inflation rose rapidly, peaking in 1988 @ more 14,000 percent annually.

measures taken government lower inflation largely defeated natural disaster. in 1988, administration of daniel josé ortega saavedra (sandinista junta coordinator 1979–85, president 1985–90) established austerity program lower inflation. price controls tightened, , new currency introduced. result, august 1988, inflation had dropped annual rate of 240 percent. following month, however, hurricane joan cut path directly across center of country. damage extensive, , government s program of large spending repair infrastructure destroyed anti-inflation measures.

in eleven years in power, sandinista government never overcame of economic inequalities inherited somoza era. years of war, policy missteps, natural disasters, , effects of united states trade embargo hindered economic development. economic gains of sandinistas wiped out 7 years of precipitous economic decline, , in 1990, standards, nicaragua , nicaraguans considerably poorer in 1970s.