Nicaraguans commemorate Carlos Fonseca

Nicaraguans commemorate Carlos Fonseca

By Stephen Marks

MANAGUA — The tomb of Carlos Fonseca in the Plaza of the Revolution was buried under a mound of flowers here on November 8. Fonseca, the founder of the Sandinista Front and the Sandinista Popular Army, died in combat against Somoza's National Guard in 1976.

In typically lively Sandinista fashion, the memorial tribute was followed by a rally cum concert/dance party. Tomas Borge, a co-founder of the FSLN, spoke about Fonseca's life and thinking to the 15,000-strong crowd.

Borge stressed Fonseca's anti-imperialism, referring to the words of the FSLN hymn, "Yankees, enemies of humanity". The Sandinistas will change those words only when the US treats Nicaragua with respect and dignity, he said.

Borge warned the participants, who included Fonseca's wife, mother and children that "the assassins [of Fonseca and tens of thousands of Nicaraguans], are returning". They are trying to replace the revolutionary army founded by Fonseca with former Somoza henchmen.

Former Somoza accomplices, many of whom have taken out US citizenship, are clamouring for the overturn of the Sandinista land reform and the return of nationalised businesses. Borge urged that not an inch of land nor Fonseca's socialist vision be surrendered.

Borge received a loud cheer when he reiterated Fonseca's desire for a system based on socialism and democracy rather than what he had seen and criticised in the Soviet Union.

A volunteer guard has been maintained on Fonseca's tomb ever since it was bombed last year.

From GLW issue 80