Word: somozaism
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...risen when the blue-and-white presidential helicopter took off from the hills above Managua. It hovered over a heavily fortified complex in the heart of the war-torn capital and flicked on its landing lights. For the last time, President Anastasio ("Tacho") Somoza Debayle gazed down upon the bunker that had been his combination home and command post for the past 20 months. Then the chopper alighted at Las Mercedes Airport, where Somoza's private jet was standing by. Moments later, the wan and pasty-faced dictator, drooping with fatigue, was on his way into exile...
Thus ended, ingloriously, the 46-year reign of the Somoza dynasty. It was as if a giant weight had been lifted off Nicaragua's back. Late in the week, after the new provisional Government of National Reconstruction had taken command of Managua, the capital awoke to an orchestra of gunfire. It was not a resumption of the civil war that ended in Somoza's humiliating defeat. Instead, guerrillas of the victorious Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) were firing their weapons in jubilation. Men and women cheered and cried tears of joy as a huge equestrian statue...
...Somoza's resignation followed weeks of complicated negotiations between his decaying regime, the U.S. and the five-man junta that the rebels had named as Nicaragua's provisional government. At first, Somoza stalled, apparently hoping that his powerfully armed 12,000-member national guard might still reverse the tide of battle. But by the beginning of last week even Somoza could see that further resistance was futile. He agreed to the rebel junta's plan for turning over power to the new regime. The first step would be for Somoza to resign and leave the country...
...rebel junta also agreed to provide "safe conduct" for any Somoza henchmen who wished to leave Nicaragua; only those charged with "grave crimes" or "genocide" would not be covered by that pledge. To back up that guarantee, the junta also agreed to a proposal originated by Washington's special envoy, William Bowdler, that the Organization of American States would be invited to monitor the protection of human rights. Satisfied with the junta's promises, Washington pledged to support the new regime. Said Bowdler: "You are now the government of Nicaragua...
Facing the harsh reality that he had lost American support, Somoza placed all his high-ranking Guardia officers with 30 years or more service on the retirement list. That step allowed them to immediately abandon their commands and seek refuge in the U.S. or elsewhere in Latin America. As Somoza's officers planned their getaways, Nicaraguan Congressmen who had been confined in Managua's Intercontinental Hotel grew increasingly panicky. Finally, they were called into a post-midnight session. They unanimously accepted Somoza's resignation and conferred the blue-and-white sash, symbolic of the presidency...