Sandinista Popular Army
Encyclopedia
The Sandinista Popular Army (or People's Army; , EPS) was the military established in 1979 by the new Sandinista government to replace the National Guard
, following the overthow of Anastasio Somoza Debayle
. In post-Sandinista Nicaragua, it has been remolded into the National Army of Nicaragua. Joaquín Cuadra
was chief of staff, serving Defense Minister Humberto Ortega
. A draft, called the Patriotic Military Service
, was instituted in 1983. The special forces Tropas Pablo Ubeda initially came under the Ministry of Interior.
Twelve BLIs have been identified, though estimates at the time ran up to seventeen. In 1979 Laureano Mairena was designed as the commander in chief as de Border national defence troops with the assessment of the commander Brigadier Juan Jose Reyes who had and gained a lot experience from earlier years in the Mountain closed to German Pomares,Elias noguera,Francisco rivera Filemon rivera,Cesar Augusto salinas,Omar cabezas,Bayardo arce,1981 Laureano mairena is killed and the Border troops become under the orders of Commander in chief Juan Josse Reyes,the national defence chief humberto ortega condecorated mostly of the defence forces call the JS 19 De julio,braves forces defending the national territory,these regular forces and militants of well organized country defeats for years the contras who were posted in Honduras
National Guard (Nicaragua)
In Nicaragua, the National Guard was a militia and a gendarmerie created during the occupation of that country by the United States from 1909 to 1933. It became notorious for human rights abuses and corruption under the regime of the Somoza family.-Creation:...
, following the overthow of Anastasio Somoza Debayle
Anastasio Somoza Debayle
Anastasio Somoza Debayle was a Nicaraguan leader and officially the 73rd and 76th President of Nicaragua from 1 May 1967 to 1 May 1972 and from 1 December 1974 to 17 July 1979. As head of the National Guard, he was de facto ruler of the country from 1967 to 1979...
. In post-Sandinista Nicaragua, it has been remolded into the National Army of Nicaragua. Joaquín Cuadra
Joaquín Cuadra
Joaquín Cuadra Lacayo, a scion of Nicaragua's elite, joined the rebel Sandinista National Liberation Front in late 1972. After their victory in 1979, he became army chief of staff....
was chief of staff, serving Defense Minister Humberto Ortega
Humberto Ortega
General Humberto Ortega Saavedra is a Nicaraguan military leader, often self-called leading Latin American revolutionary strategist, and published writer.-Biography:...
. A draft, called the Patriotic Military Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
, was instituted in 1983. The special forces Tropas Pablo Ubeda initially came under the Ministry of Interior.
Brigades
| 1 | San Rafael del Norte San Rafael del Norte San Rafael del Norte is a town in Jinotega Department in Nicaragua. It lies to the North of Jinotega, about a forty-minute bus ride along a road that is mostly paved, and getting more so every day. The Catholic church in town is home to several beautiful and well-done murals illustrating the usual... |
| 4 | Matagalpa Matagalpa Matagalpa is a city in Nicaragua, the capital of the department of Matagalpa. The city has a population of 109,100 , while the population of the department is more than 480,000. Matagalpa is Nicaragua's fifth largest city and one of its most commercially active outside of Managua... |
| 5 | Puerto Cabezas Puerto Cabezas Puerto Cabezas is a municipality in, and capital of, the North Atlantic Coast department of Nicaragua.... |
| 7 | Juigalpa |
| 9 | San Carlos San Carlos, Río San Juan San Carlos is the capital city of the municipality of San Carlos and of the Río San Juan Department of Nicaragua. The city proper has a population of roughly 12,174, while the city and surrounding communities contain 37,461 as of 2005. San Carlos is positioned on the confluence of Lake Nicaragua... |
| 21 | Somotillo Somotillo Somotillo is a municipality in the Chinandega department of Nicaragua. According to the Instituto Nicaragüense de Estudios Territoriales , the municipality of Somotillo measures 724.71 km² and lies approximately 41 meters above sea level... |
| 52 | Santo Tomas Santo Tomas Santo Tomás, Spanish for Saint Thomas, describes numerous locations.- Places in the world :*Argentina**Santo Tomás, Buenos Aires, Carlos Casares Partido, Buenos Aires Province*El Salvador**Santo Tomás, El Salvador*Guatemala... |
| 55 | Juigalpa |
| 62 | Granada Granada, Nicaragua Granada is a city in western Nicaragua and the capital of the Granada Department. With an estimated population of 110,326 , it is Nicaragua's fourth most populous city. Granada is historically one of Nicaragua's most important cities, economically and politically... |
| 63 | Nueva Guinea Nueva Guinea Nueva Guinea is a municipality in the Región Autónoma del Atlántico Sur department of Nicaragua.Nueva Guinea was founded in the 1960s and saw significant growth in the early 1970s as the US Peace Corps helped to move families from the Pacific region of Nicaragua to Nueva Guinea in exchange for free... |
| 242 | Altagracia Altagracia Altagracia is a municipality in the Rivas Department of Nicaragua. It is the second largest city on the island of Ometepe. Its original name was Astagalpa, meaning ‘house of the herons’ in Nahuatl.-History:... |
| 243 | Jinotega Jinotega Jinotega is the capital of Jinotega Department in the north central region of Nicaragua.-About:The capital city of the Department of Jinotega is the City of Jinotega. The Department of Jinotega produces 80% of the nation's coffee. It has a population of about 51,000 living inside a vast valley... |
| 311 | Quilalí Quilalí Quilalí is a municipality in the Nueva Segovia Department of Nicaragua. It is the sister city of the City of South Haven, Michigan.Para informacion en espanol, incluyendo citas de la alcaldia, vease: Quilalí en espanol... |
| 312 | Ocotal Ocotal Ocotal is the capital of the Nueva Segovia Department in Nicaragua, Central America.-Description:Ocotal is the capital of the Nueva Segovia Department in Nicaragua with light industry and crafts. The main agricultural production is coffee. The city, which has a population of 31,932 , is located... |
| 313 | San Juan de Limay San Juan de Limay San Juan de Limay is a municipality in the Estelí department of Nicaragua. It is famous for its artisan production of soapstone sculptures.... |
| 314 | Jalapa Jalapa, Nueva Segovia Jalapa is a municipality in the Nueva Segovia Department of Nicaragua. It is located close to the Honduras border. According to the Washington Lieutenant Governor's files, it is a sister city with Port Townsend, WA, US, which is located on the Puget Sound on the eastern coast of the Olympic... |
| 361 | Matiguás Matiguás Matiguas is a municipality in the Matagalpa department of Nicaragua.... |
| 363 | San José de Bocay San José de Bocay San José de Bocay is a municipality in the Jinotega department of Nicaragua. With an area of 3,990.40 km², the municipality of San José de Bocay was created on March 13, 2002, as a result of the division of the El Cuá-Bocay municipality. As of 2006, San José de Bocay is the newest municipality in... |
| 364 | San Sebastián de Yalí San Sebastián de Yalí San Sebastián de Yalí is a municipality in the Jinotega department of Nicaragua.There is a website dedicated to helping Yali.... |
| 366 | Siuna Siuna Siuna is a municipality in the Región Autónoma del Atlántico Norte department of Nicaragua.The town of Siuna was the site of several mines operated by foreign corporations in the past... |
BLI
Irregular Warfare Battalion (Batallón de Lucha Irregular) Recognizing the need for troops trained for counterinsurgency, the Sandinistas began deploying BLIs in 1983, and expanded their numbers after instituting the draft. BLIs could have from four to nine 120-man companies, but typically numbered around 700-800 men.It was the need of forming this battalions to try to stop the invasion of contras whose base was in Honduras and some in south border of Costa Rica,since the reagan admisnistration try to pushed the Nicaraguan revolution The Nicaraguan country was forced to defended and prepared the whole country against the attacks of the United states invasion,this is how hundreds of militantes joined or were forced into the militias.Twelve BLIs have been identified, though estimates at the time ran up to seventeen. In 1979 Laureano Mairena was designed as the commander in chief as de Border national defence troops with the assessment of the commander Brigadier Juan Jose Reyes who had and gained a lot experience from earlier years in the Mountain closed to German Pomares,Elias noguera,Francisco rivera Filemon rivera,Cesar Augusto salinas,Omar cabezas,Bayardo arce,1981 Laureano mairena is killed and the Border troops become under the orders of Commander in chief Juan Josse Reyes,the national defence chief humberto ortega condecorated mostly of the defence forces call the JS 19 De julio,braves forces defending the national territory,these regular forces and militants of well organized country defeats for years the contras who were posted in Honduras
- Pedro Altamirano
- Simón Bolívar
- Juan Gregorio Colindres
- Francisco Estrada Capt.Juan Carlos Urbina.
- Rufo Marín
- Farabundo Martí
- Santos López * One of the most aggressive and mercenaries type troops,Commanded by Capt.Luis L.Castro and military Staff.
- Miguel Angel Ortez Commanded by Capt. Carlos Gonzales.
- Germán Pomares Commanded by Mayor Nelson Castillo.
- Ramón Raudales
- Sócrates Sandino
- Pablo Ubeda posted as a secret battalion to counter strike inside the army and make filtrations into the contras
- Juan Pablo Umanzor
Light Hunter
Light Hunter Battalion (, BLC). The BLCs were another type of counterinsurgency unit, first deployed in early 1986. They were about half the size of the BLIs, at 300-400 men. While BLIs were designed to be able to operate independently, the light hunters worked in conjunction with other units, providing anti-ambush protection for more conventional forces. Reportedly, about 19 BLCs were raised.- Ernesto Cabrera Cruz
- Gaspar García Laviana
- Laureano Mairena
- Jorge Alberto Martínez
- Facundo Picado
- Cristóbal Vanegas