Commemoration of the 45th Anniversary of the start of the Final Insurrectionary Offensive
May 28th 2024
Address by Daniel
Good evening, Nicaraguan Brothers and Sisters; families of these Free Lands, of this Dignified Nation.
Compañera Rosario Murillo, Vice President of the Republic; Army General Julio César Avilés Castillo, Commander-in-Chief of the Nicaraguan Army; First Commissioner Francisco Díaz, Chief of the National Police; Major General Bayardo Rodríguez, of the Nicaraguan Army.
Commissioner General Horacio Rocha, of the National Police; Major General Marvin Elías Corrales, of the Nicaraguan Army; Commissioner General Zhukov Serrano, of the National Police; Compañera María Amelia Coronel, of the Ministry of the Interior, Minister; Commissioner General Luis Cañas; Commissioner Major Ramón Landero, all of the MIGOB, of the Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of the Interior now.
Compañero Raúl Acevedo, Compañero Pablo Betancourt, Compañero Efraín Miranda, Compañero José Fernando Canales, Compañero Byron Montiel. Truly, these compañeros who are here, wearing a white shirt and a Red-and-Black Bandana, are an example of the meaning of the Historical Struggle of the Nicaraguan People.
A historical struggle that began with Diriangén, facing the conquistadors; that continued with General José Dolores Estrada and Andrés Castro, defeating and expelling the Yankee invaders; that continued with the Courage, the Dignity, of General Benjamín Zeledón, who refused to surrender to the Yankees when they offered to spare his life if he surrendered, and who died fighting the Yankee invaders; of General Augusto César Sandino, Augusto Calderón Sandino, better known as Augusto César, Augusto Calderón Sandino, who knew how to confront the Yankees, who was able to defeat the Yankees, and then they began the negotiation for Peace after the Yankees had been made to withdraw, but only so as to murder Sandino. And then came Rigoberto.
Then, on a day like today 45 years ago, the people were already in Insurrection, the entire Nicaraguan people were in Insurrection, battles were taking place in all the Departments, in all the Municipalities of our country.
Heroic battles like those fought by the unit led by Comandante Germán Pomares, Heroic Battles like those fought by Comandante Francisco Rivera "El Zorro", in three times insurrectionary Estelí. And the day that Comandante Pomares was wounded in combat in Jinotega, Comandante Rivera was ambushing the genocidal National Guard in La Cucamonga, causing them 36 casualties, and they managed to recover all those weapons.
Back then, in those days as today the Anthem was: "Fight on, Fight on, Fight on, is our Call to Battle”, because, however much Consciousness, however much Firmness, however much Dignity, however much Courage... if a People is unarmed, then they can be oppressed.
And that Anthem, "Fight on, Fight on, Fight on, is our Call to Battle." For a war against whom? Against the invaders! Because Somoza was nothing more than an expression of the invaders who murdered Sandino and who then murdered the Nicaraguan people and oppressed the Nicaraguan people, and had a National Guard, an Army, organized by the Yankee Marines here, under Yankee leadership, with Yankee advisors, with Yankee armaments, Israeli armament, Taiwanese armaments. And there was no other way left for us Revolutionaries but to raise that Anthem of Struggle, to give Battle for Freedom, for Justice.
And, to these Compañeros, I'm going to ask you to stand, these Compañeros were 17 years old, 18 years old, when they were members of the Gaspar García Laviana Battalion fighting the Counterrevolution.
It was a unit of 120 young men, but with a Captain and Second Lieutenant of the Army in command of the whole unit of 120 young men, young men like you. That is why we have to take care of Peace, faced with a war imposed on us by the Yankee Empire, where Ronald Reagan himself stated that he too was our enemy, a counterrevolutionary, the President of the United States calmly stated it.
And this unit of 120 young men received the mission of going to look for the supply plane or supply planes that were supplying the Counterrevolution on behalf of the United States, on behalf of the CIA. It was their role to go to the border with Costa Rica, to an area where there were many Contras, precisely because the shipments of weapons brought by airplanes or dropped by helicopters, fell there. And who were flying the planes? CIA agents.
They had a two-month deadline for their mission, 120 young men, all of them Sandino’s offspring. Time may have passed, but their Conscience, their Heart, remains firm, as Revolutionaries, as Sandinistas. And it was just when they had been exploring up there in the mountains for a few days, I forget how many, maybe 19 days, that the sound of the plane was heard, and their chief ordered them to move, and to be alert above all, first of all to the launcher operative, one operative of the launcher and his assistant, the operative with the rocket launcher, and the assistant who loaded the rocket.
And they were out there exploring in the middle of the mountainous area, on their own, following the sound of the plane, which would suddenly hide itself from them in the clouds, and then appear again, until the launcher operative said: Now yes! And he aimed and the shot flew, and that shot brought down the plane, three in the plane died but one survived by parachuting out. That’s the one you see here, the gringo, CIA agent, who had been in the US Army, Eugene Hasenfus, he was the only one who was saved because he parachuted out.
And the search went on for Hasenfus, because, well, the plane was there and the weapons it carried were there, and so they started looking fo Hasenfus, until they discovered him, and captured him, and showed the Courage and Dignity of Nicaragua’s Youth and Nicaragua’s People, with that important Victory which exposed the involvement of President Reagan's government in that unjust war against Nicaragua.
We have had a historical debt also to one of the Sandinista brothers, who at the time we called the Apostle of Unity among the Frente Sandinista, because in the midst of the differences that there were he fought for Unity. And then he fell in combat in Monimbó, during the Insurrection in Monimbó, there Camilo fell along with other compañeros, in combat.
So then the Medal of Merit “Camilo Ortega” was established... For whom? For the outstanding Compañeros of the Army. But when the neoliberal government arrived in the 90s of course they named their Minister of Defense, an enemy of the People, an enemy also of the Army itself, although he had a very good relationship with the Head of the Army at that time.
And the Head of the Army back then committed the sacrilege of awarding that Order, when we ourselves were no longer in government, because the Yankee Government was governing, awarding the Order to the person who was the Military Delegate of the United States Government in Nicaragua, the Military Attaché Dennis Quinn, giving Dennis Quinn the Gold Medal of Valor “Camilo Ortega”, giving it to the Yankees. What a disgrace! What a disgrace! A betrayal of the People, a betrayal of the Nation.
Naturally, that aroused great discontent, many protests, a great deal of rejection, over the fact that he was awarding the Medal of Valor to a Representative, no more and no less, of the very Army that had invaded Nicaragua at different times in history, which murdered Sandino, and which through its support for Somoza murdered thousands of Nicaraguans.
Of course this is something that we have to rectify, that is, at that moment, when the then Chief of the Army awarded the Medal to the Yankee invader, this is the information United Press International gave at the time, Compañera Rosario, spoke out asking: How is it possible, General, that you have used this Medal to decorate a member of the United States Army? I feel angry in my soul, because the name of Camilo Ortega Saavedra has been stained. But of course, at that time the Head of the Army had already sold his soul to the devil.
And today, in the presence of the Brothers and Sisters of the Army, of the Police, of the Ministry of the Interior, together with this Youth, these Young People, I am going to promulgate the following Decree. This is the Decree, and I do so in the name of the People of Nicaragua, who are a Dignified People, a People who do not surrender or bow down, neither to invaders, nor to aggressors.
"CONSIDERING
That in the context of the illegitimate mandate, never recognized by the Nicaraguan people, of a lackey Government, imposed by US Imperialism in April 1990, the then Head of the Army decided, in an Act of National Disgrace, to award a Yankee Military Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Dennis F. Quinn, on January 14th 1992, the Medal of Valor, a Sandinista Revolutionary Order, which bears the Sacred Name of a Hero, Comandante Camilo Ortega Saavedra, the Apostle of Sandinista Unity.
Over the years, in a terrible, unworthy contrary sense, that Glorious Medal had been and has been awarded to thousands of Proud and Heroic Nicaraguan Soldiers and Combatants, who, insulted by that anti-patriotic action, demand Respect and Reparation, for having sullied the blood of thousands of Nicaraguans who gave their lives fighting the criminal Yankee counterrevolutionary war, led by the President of the United States himself, Ronald Reagan.
That inconceivable act qualifies as a National Disgrace, to give a Yankee Soldier a Medal of such relevance and transcendence and, self-evidently, constitutes an Act of Surrender and Betrayal of the Nation.
THEREFORE
In use of the powers conferred on me by the Political Constitution I have issued the following Decree :
To annul, invalidate and withdraw this infamy that offends all worthy Nicaraguans, insulted by the Decoration of a Military Representative of the North American Empire, which has so often attacked and still attacks the Nicaraguan People, and the Peoples of the World.
To annul that Decoration to a Yankee Soldier is a legitimate defense of Sovereignty, Dignity and National Honor.
On behalf of the People-President, who have recovered their Nation, Proud, Blessed, Forever Dignified and Free, we reiterate that invalidating that betrayal also erases the affront committed against a Hero and Leader of the Sandinista Popular Revolution, who was cruelly murdered by the genocidal Somoza National Guard, created and armed by the United States of America.
Hero and Comandante Camilo Ortega Saavedra was immolated along with other Revolutionary Fighters, while fighting alongside the Brave and Noble People of the Indigenous Community of Monimbó.
The Medal of Valor “Camilo Ortega Saavedra" is today cleaned of that humiliating stain and recovers its greatness, in the Glorious Commemoration of the 45th Anniversary of the Sandinista Guerrilla Actions, of the Final Insurrectionary Offensive, which defeated and overthrew the Somoza Tyranny.
Thanks be to God, and to the Victorious Revolution, Our Peopleenjoy Sovereignty today, in Peace and Dignity.
This Decree is of immediate and mandatory compliance, and will be published in the Official Gazette.
Given in Managua, here in the Plaza de la Fe, Plaza de la Revolución, in the Republic of Nicaragua, on May 28th 2024. 45 Years after the start of the Final Insurrectionary Offensive and in Recognition and Respect for all the Heroes and Martyrs of National Liberation.”
Address by Rosario
Good evening, Compañeras and Compañeros, Beloved Families of our Blessed and Forever Free Nicaragua, Always Dignified, Always Strong, Always with all its Power.
We are going to read out another Presidential Accord, which states on the Date of this Heroic Commemoration, reading as follows:
"The President of the Republic of Nicaragua, Comandante Daniel Ortega Saavedra,
CONSIDERING
That Nicaragua has offered its Best Daughters and Sons in defense of Dignity, Sovereignty, Honor and National Decorum, following the Sublime Mandate of our Fathers and Mothers, Liberation Heroes, Nicarao, Diriangén, Adiact; Andrés Castro, José Dolores Estrada, Benjamín Zeledón, Augusto C. Sandino, Blanca Arauz, Carlos Fonseca, Tomás Borge.
Such that in representation of so many Heroes and Heroines of our Great Nicaraguan People, today they are recognized as Valiant Children of the Nation :
Compañero, Combatant Fernando Canales, Fulfilling the Patriotic Military Service, now a Doctor and Director of the Zelaya Central SILAIS;
Compañero, Combatant Byron Montiel, who fulfilled his Patriotic Military Service, today an Agronomist Engineer, Technician in the SILAIS of the Department of Rio San Juan;
Compañero, Combatant Raúl Acevedo, who fulfilled his Patriotic Military Service, today Lawyer and Mayor of the Municipality of El Cuá, Jinotega;
Compañero, Lieutenant Efrain Miranda, Member of the Army, Head of the First Company of the Light Ranger Battalion Gaspar Garcia Laviana, today a Farmer and Producer in the area of El Castillo, Rio San Juan;
Compañero, First Lieutenant Pablo Betancourt, a founder of the Army, Head of the Light Ranger Battalion Gaspar García Laviana, today also a Farmer and Producer in the Area of Las Azucenas, Río San Juan.
Our Brave Brothers, Courageous Brothers, representing the Nobility and Courage of the Nicaraguan People, in the defense of our most Exalted Patrimonial Values, have the Revolutionary Pride of having shot down on October 5th 1986, in the midst of a counterrevolutionary war of aggression, the spy plane of the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States, which supplied the bloodthirsty Counterrevolution with weapons and all kinds of equipment.
The plane was shot down in the mountainous depths of the Municipality of San Miguelito, Department of Rio San Juan, exactly at a point known as Fajardito River.
During that honorable action, the Yankee mercenary Eugene Hasenfus was captured by them, led and presented to the Nicaraguan authorities.
That other war of counterrevolutionary aggression, that other war of aggression against Nicaragua, was denounced by our Country before the International Court of Justice, which sentenced the United States to compensate the Nicaraguan people for the serious damages caused, a sentence that still stands and that the United States Government refuses to comply with.
Honor, Compañer@s, to whom Honor deserves...! You represent here the best of the Nicaraguan People, the Heroism of Men and Women, of the Families of this Brave and Dignified People.
THEREFORE
The President of the Republic in use of the powers conferred on him by the Political Constitution
AGREES
SOLELY :
To distinguish with the Highest Decoration granted by the Nicaraguan State, which is the Augusto C. Sandino Order, in its Highest Degree, these Brave Soldiers, Sons of Nicarao, Diriangén, Adiact, Andrés Castro, José Dolores Estrada, Benjamín Zeledón, Augusto Nicolás Calderón Sandino, Blanca Arauz, Carlos, Comandante Carlos, Tomás, Comandante Tomás, who have fulfilled, and are fulfilling, the Sacred Mandate to Fight and to Overcome.
Managua, May 28th 2024
45 Years since the Start
of the Final Insurrectionary Offensive
in Recognition and Deep Respect
to all the Heroes, to all the Martyrs
of the National Liberation”
And our Comandante Daniel signs.
Congratulations, Compañer@s! You deserve it. We all feel content that we represent each other. Thank you.
Remarks by Rosario, Vice President of Nicaragua, after the Commemorative Event
of the 45th Anniversary of the Beginning of the Final Insurrectionary Offensive
May 28th2024
We really feel proud, content, vindicated and not only Proud, not only Combatants, not only Victors, but also full of great Heart, because the abuse that was committed against Camilo, a young man everyone loved; a Heroic Combatant, Exemplary, and of a sweet character, of extraordinary qualities as a Human Being. And how he was sullied, and by sullying him, the entire Heroic Nicaraguan People was sullied, but today he has been vindicated, for Honor and Glory, which is what our Combative and Victorious Brothers and Sisters deserve, and all the People of Nicaragua, who are Heroic, who have Dignity, who have known Struggles and Honor.
And in the midst of this rain that has just fallen on us, in the midst of these Days of May that are coming to an End, in fact we feel sure of God's Blessing and that We are Going Onward, facing all our challenges with Courage, with Valor, with Love. That is why we know that we have as our Guide the Luminous Counsel of the Heavenly Father, who knows that this People deserves the Best and deserves to defeat Poverty, just as we have defeated all those who have wanted to insult us, offend us and those who have set out to kill.
A People like ours deserves a place, a special place, one we already have, but one increasingly emphasized in History and in the Memory of the Victorious Struggles of the Peoples of the World.
We felt, we said, happy, proud, we know that we have a Nation, we know it has Patriotic Love, we know that it has too National Dignity and Decorum, as Sandino taught us. And we know that in this Nicaragua of Ours, with every step we take we are Moving Onward, building the Future, our Future from a Present that is already Better.
Thanks to what? To the Strength of the Nicaraguan People, to the Dedicated, Selfless Work of the Nicaragua’s People. Thanks to that, we are blessed every day, as we pray every day, praising every day, the God of All Victories. Being protected, strengthened, blessed, accompanied by the Heavenly Father in every moment of our lives.
We summon ourselves invoking, every morning, every night, at every moment, that Heavenly Father, who gives us the Strength to Remain Undefeated. Because we are an Undefeated, Fighting and Victorious, Triumphant People, and we owe that to the Strength of Spirit that God gives us every day.
So, this Day is Historic, it is Memorable, a Great Day, and one that our People deserve.
All these Compañeros who have been recognized today with the Highest Award of this People-President, of this State of the People-President, they represent all of us. The Soul, the Spirit, the Pride and the Heart of Nicaragua feels restored today, because not only has an historical affront been rectified, but also Representatives of the Best and Bravest Children of Sandino have been recognized, to this day maintaining that Firmness that characterizes Sandinismo, the Sandinista People... that Quality of Constancy, Firmness, Unyielding!
A Free Country, we say... a Free Nation...! Victory or Death...! But, for us, giving One's Life for the People is to live. A Free Nation one where We Are Going Onward, in True Life, in Light, in Truth... in Genuine Life... Light, Life and Truth!
Sandino Lives On...! We feel it here. Sandino Lives On and our Struggles Continue Winning New Victories. Let us go on to more Victories for Nicaragua’s People, for Nicaragua’s Families, for our Youth, which is the Hope of Everyone. Warm embraces, Compañeras and Compañeros.