Sandinista Renovation Movement
Encyclopedia
The Sandinista Renovation Movement (Movimiento de Renovación Sandinista or MRS, in Spanish
) is a Nicaragua
n political party
founded by dissidents of the Sandinista National Liberation Front
on May 18, 1995, on Augusto César Sandino
's 100th anniversary. Sandino's legacy was claimed by the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), which overthrew the Somoza dictatorship in 1979 and the MRS took Sandino's hat as a symbol in their new flag.
One of the founding leaders of MRS was Sergio Ramirez
, Nicaragua's vice-president from 1985 to 1990 under the Sandinistas government. Ramirez ran as the MRS presidential candidate in the 1996 elections. The MRS got 1.33% of the votes and got 1 seat (out of 91) in the Nicaraguan Parliament.
, the capital, and almost every major city in the country.
For the 2006 elections, the MRS presented Herty Lewites
, the mayor of Managua (2000-2004), as their presidential candidate in the FSLN's internal elections. Soon after, Lewites and his followers were expelled from the FSLN.
On June 11, 2008, the MRS was stripped of its legal status by the Supreme Electoral Council of Nicaragua on the grounds that it had failed to comply with various requirements of the electoral law. The resolution, signed by all of the Supreme Electoral Council's magistrates, was seen by many as further evidence of the unofficial "pact" between the ruling FSLN party and the leaders of the main opposition group, the Liberal Constitutional Party (PLC) to create an exclusively two-party system
in Nicaraguan politics.
as his running mate for the vice presidency.
On July 2, 2006, Lewites died of a massive heart attack at the Hospital Metropolitano "Vivian Pellas" in Managua, aged 66, four months before the 2006 national elections. Lewites was polling in third place, closely behind Sandinista leader Daniel Ortega
and Eduardo Montealegre
.
Jarquín took Lewites' place and chose the folk musician Carlos Mejía Godoy
as his vice-presidential running mate
. MRS continued to pole in third place (Election Poll Results, September 13, 2006).
The Sandinista Renovation Movement alliance, also known as the Herty 2006 Alliance in allusion to Herty Lewites, ran in this election together with the Nicaraguan Social Christian Party
(PSC), Nicaraguan Socialist Party
(PSN), Nicaraguan Green Party (ecologists), Party for Citizen Action
(PAC) and other minor leftwing social and political movements.
At the November 2006 elections, Jarquin came in fourth place, receiving 6% of the vote, far behind third place candidate José Rizo of the Constitutional Liberal Party. The party won 5 of the 92 seats in congressional elections.
. The elections were won by the FSLN alliance, amid accusations of electoral fraud
.
In addition, the MRS leads the Alianza MRS of the forces that supported their candidate in the 2006 presidential election. Besides the Sandinista Renovation Movement, the alliance includes the Nicaraguan Socialist Party
, the Movimiento por el Rescate del Sandinismo and a few minor organizations.
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
) is a Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
n political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
founded by dissidents of the Sandinista National Liberation Front
Sandinista National Liberation Front
The Sandinista National Liberation Front is a socialist political party in Nicaragua. Its members are called Sandinistas in both English and Spanish...
on May 18, 1995, on Augusto César Sandino
Augusto César Sandino
Augusto Nicolás Calderón Sandino was a Nicaraguan revolutionary and leader of a rebellion against the U.S. military occupation of Nicaragua between 1927 and 1933...
's 100th anniversary. Sandino's legacy was claimed by the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), which overthrew the Somoza dictatorship in 1979 and the MRS took Sandino's hat as a symbol in their new flag.
One of the founding leaders of MRS was Sergio Ramirez
Sergio Ramírez
Sergio Ramírez Mercado is a Nicaraguan writer and intellectual who served in the leftist Government Junta of National Reconstruction and as Vice President of the country 1985-1990 under the presidency of Daniel Ortega.Born in Masatepe in 1942, he published his first book, Cuentos, in 1963...
, Nicaragua's vice-president from 1985 to 1990 under the Sandinistas government. Ramirez ran as the MRS presidential candidate in the 1996 elections. The MRS got 1.33% of the votes and got 1 seat (out of 91) in the Nicaraguan Parliament.
Alliance with the FSLN
In the 2001 presidential elections, as well as in the 2000 and 2004 municipal elections, the MRS joined forces with the FSLN. Though it lost the presidential elections in 2001, the alliance won the majority of the municipalities in the municipal elections, including ManaguaManagua
Managua is the capital city of Nicaragua as well as the department and municipality by the same name. It is the largest city in Nicaragua in terms of population and geographic size. Located on the southwestern shore of Lake Xolotlán or Lake Managua, the city was declared the national capital in...
, the capital, and almost every major city in the country.
For the 2006 elections, the MRS presented Herty Lewites
Herty Lewites
Herty Lewites Rodríguez was a Nicaraguan politician of Jewish descent.Lewites was born in the San Felipe barrio of Jinotepe, the son of a Jewish immigrant from Poland. He joined the struggle against the Somoza dictatorship in 1958 and went into exile in Brazil in 1960...
, the mayor of Managua (2000-2004), as their presidential candidate in the FSLN's internal elections. Soon after, Lewites and his followers were expelled from the FSLN.
On June 11, 2008, the MRS was stripped of its legal status by the Supreme Electoral Council of Nicaragua on the grounds that it had failed to comply with various requirements of the electoral law. The resolution, signed by all of the Supreme Electoral Council's magistrates, was seen by many as further evidence of the unofficial "pact" between the ruling FSLN party and the leaders of the main opposition group, the Liberal Constitutional Party (PLC) to create an exclusively two-party system
Two-party system
A two-party system is a system where two major political parties dominate voting in nearly all elections at every level of government and, as a result, all or nearly all elected offices are members of one of the two major parties...
in Nicaraguan politics.
Alianza Herty 2006
The MRS decided to abandon the five-year-old alliance with the FSLN and run alone in the forthcoming elections with Herty Lewites as their Presidential candidate in 2006. Lewites chose Edmundo JarquínEdmundo Jarquín
Edmundo Jarquín is a Nicaraguan politician. He was the vice presidential running-mate of Herty Lewites, who was the presidential candidate for the MRS Sandinista Renovation Movement in the 2006 elections until his death on July 2, 2006. Edmundo Jarquín became the presidential candidate for the...
as his running mate for the vice presidency.
On July 2, 2006, Lewites died of a massive heart attack at the Hospital Metropolitano "Vivian Pellas" in Managua, aged 66, four months before the 2006 national elections. Lewites was polling in third place, closely behind Sandinista leader Daniel Ortega
Daniel Ortega
José Daniel Ortega Saavedra is a Nicaraguan politician and revolutionary, currently serving as the 83rd President of Nicaragua, a position that he has held since 2007. He previously served as the 79th President, between 1985 and 1990, and for much of his life, has been a leader in the Sandinista...
and Eduardo Montealegre
Eduardo Montealegre
Eduardo Montealegre is a Nicaraguan politician. He ran for president in the 2006 general election as the candidate of the Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance a spin-off of the Constitutional Liberal Party in alliance with other liberal parties and the Conservative Party...
.
Jarquín took Lewites' place and chose the folk musician Carlos Mejía Godoy
Carlos Mejía Godoy
Carlos Mejía Godoy is a Nicaraguan musician, composer and singer. He was born in Somoto, Madriz. Son of Carlos Mejía Fajardo and María Elsa Godoy, his brother Luis Enrique Mejía Godoy, three years younger than he is, is also an acclaimed and much-loved musician. Carlos and Luis Enrique were...
as his vice-presidential running mate
Running mate
A running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position but can also properly be used when referring to both candidates, such as "Michael Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen were...
. MRS continued to pole in third place (Election Poll Results, September 13, 2006).
The Sandinista Renovation Movement alliance, also known as the Herty 2006 Alliance in allusion to Herty Lewites, ran in this election together with the Nicaraguan Social Christian Party
Nicaraguan Social Christian Party
The Social Christian Party is a Nicaraguan political party with Christian democrat ideology founded in 1957. As of 2006, the PSC is part of the Sandinista Renovation Movement alliance in the Nicaraguan general election, 2006....
(PSC), Nicaraguan Socialist Party
Nicaraguan Socialist Party
The Nicaraguan Socialist Party is a political party in Nicaragua. Founded in July 1944 by Dr. Mario Flores Ortiz. PSN operated as the official communist party in the country. At the time of its foundation, PSN supported the regime of Anastasio Somoza García. PSN considered that Somoza was an...
(PSN), Nicaraguan Green Party (ecologists), Party for Citizen Action
Party for Citizen Action
The Party for Citizen Action is a Nicaraguan political party founded by the former legislative representative of the Sandinista Renovation Movement in the National Assembly , Jorge Samper. After an ephemeral alliance with Alliance for the Republic in 2005, the PAC is, as of 2006, part of the MRS...
(PAC) and other minor leftwing social and political movements.
At the November 2006 elections, Jarquin came in fourth place, receiving 6% of the vote, far behind third place candidate José Rizo of the Constitutional Liberal Party. The party won 5 of the 92 seats in congressional elections.
2008 municipal election
The Movement participated in the 2008 election within a broad anti-Ortega coalition Alianza PLC led by the Constitutional Liberal PartyConstitutional Liberal Party
The Constitutionalist Liberal Party is an opposition political party in Nicaragua. At the legislative elections, held on 5 November 2006, the party won 25 of 92 seats in the National Assembly....
. The elections were won by the FSLN alliance, amid accusations of electoral fraud
Electoral fraud
Electoral fraud is illegal interference with the process of an election. Acts of fraud affect vote counts to bring about an election result, whether by increasing the vote share of the favored candidate, depressing the vote share of the rival candidates or both...
.
In addition, the MRS leads the Alianza MRS of the forces that supported their candidate in the 2006 presidential election. Besides the Sandinista Renovation Movement, the alliance includes the Nicaraguan Socialist Party
Nicaraguan Socialist Party
The Nicaraguan Socialist Party is a political party in Nicaragua. Founded in July 1944 by Dr. Mario Flores Ortiz. PSN operated as the official communist party in the country. At the time of its foundation, PSN supported the regime of Anastasio Somoza García. PSN considered that Somoza was an...
, the Movimiento por el Rescate del Sandinismo and a few minor organizations.