Message of Comandante Daniel, Co-President of Nicaragua,
at the Central Event in Commemoration of the 131st Anniversary of the Birth
of General Augusto C. Sandino
May 18th 2026
Today is a Day of Light. On a day like today, General Sandino, Augusto Calderón Sandino, was born in a humble hut in Niquinohomo. His mother, a humble working woman, found refuge in that little shack, and there Sandino was born. And Rubén Darío, also, was born in a humble little house. You see, two great heroes of this Patriotic Nation.
Who could have imagined two such geniuses being born in those humble little shacks: A literary genius who revolutionized the Spanish language, and Sandino, a genius of Dignity, of Fortitude, who knew how to say to the invading Yankee: I’m not signing, because to sign is to surrender the Nation, and I don't surrender the Nation.
And when the sellouts had already signed, when they were already handing over their weapons for a few pesos that the Yankees were giving them, Sandino was on his own, and then, indeed, he sought out other Compañeros. The first to join the Army in Defense of National Sovereignty were 29 workers and peasants, from the Mining Region. There his destiny was born, reclaiming the dignity of this Patriotic Nation.
On a day like today, General Sandino was born, he was born of a humble family, and today, this day has been a Day of Great Joy throughout Nicaragua, and when we were entering this Sacred Place, we could hear the song that goes “The tomb of the guerrilla fighter where, where, where is he…?” Because, after all, here is Carlos, here is Tomás, Colonel Santos López is here.
But where did they throw Sandino? Where was Sandino buried? They wanted him to disappear! That is to say, Sandino instilled in them so much fear, after the multiple battles he had fought against the Yankee interventionists, after the defeats he had dealt the Yankee troops.
There were eight years of combat, and the Yankee troops kept coming, and more Yankee troops kept coming, and Yankee planes were sent to bomb, but they could not intimidate or make the Army In Defense of National Sovereignty surrender.
Eight years, and in the end, the Yankees took casualties, they had dead, they had wounded, and for them that was inconceivable. In the end, there was no recourse for them but to surrender, and they surrendered by retreating from Nicaragua, defeated. This was the first major defeat of the American troops in Nicaragua.
Other invaders led by William Walker had already been defeated here before, defeated by that army of peasants, of workers, led by General José Dolores Estrada; peasants and workers who were not afraid of the Yankees who attacked the Hacienda San Jacinto led then by a Colonel, Colonel Byron Cole.
And when he ran out of ammunition, unarmed, Andres, what did he do? He took that stone and hurled it at the invading Yankee. See how much Heroism, how much Courage, how much Conscience, how much Dignity, here in Nicaragua.
Well, I'm not going to repeat the Story that we all know already, how the President who who was put here, the Chief of the National Guard, put in place by the Yankees, Somoza, how he embraced Sandino, took photos with Sandino, invited him to dinner at the Presidential House, and then captured and murdered him, him along with other Compañeros.
They were really terrified of him, yes, the Yankees were terrified of Sandino, because of what he stood for, because of what he represented and they thought that by murdering him and disappearing his body, they thought that Sandino was going to stay disappeared forever.
They could not understand that Sandino’s blood continued to flow through the veins of the Nicaraguan people, that in the veins of Nicaragua’s people, from the oldest to the youngest, that in Nicaragua’s Youth the heroic blood of Sandino runs through their veins.
So today we are commemorating his birth and we are doing it in this place, in this place where Colonel Santos López lies, who was a Member of the Army in Defense of National Sovereignty, and there is Comandante Tomás Borge Martínez, founder of the Sandinista National Liberation Front. In other words, we have two of Sandino's sons right here, Carlos and Tomás, Sandino's Sons; Colonel Santos López, Sandino's Comrade-in-arms and they are also here commemorating with us the birth of General Sandino.
And from this place we greet the Family of General Sandino, nephews and nieces, grandchildren, Rosario who is the niece-granddaughter of General Sandino; grand nephews and nieces who are children of Blanquita and grandchildren, at the same time, of General Sandino. Also to them and to all the family of Sandino, our affection, our respect, our appreciation.
And we keep on fighting the battle, because unfortunately there is no Peace in the World, those who impose war are the Imperialists of the Earth; so then we have to keep working, struggling, fighting in all fields, as we have been fighting, here in our country.
With the Young People delivering the Children’s Hospital in Estelí today, we had a demonstration full of Joy, full of Color, full of Youth, delivering the "Choir of Angels" Hospital in Estelí.
And so we will continue reproducing, multiplying Works for the benefit of children, of Young People, of Adults, of all Nicaraguans who are going through many difficulties because they cannot afford a private hospital. And now I can say that the hospitals of the People are multiplying and those Hospitals of the People will continue to multiply.
On this day, we say to God, we say to Christ, Thank you for sending us Sandino, on a day like today. And the greatest thing is that Sandino never died: Sandino Lives On, the Struggle Continues! Sandino Lives On, the Struggle Continues!
And we listen here, sometimes, we listen to the unhealthy propaganda from the North, wanting to make believe that this country is in ruins, wanting to make believe there is no citizen security here. Of course, they say that from the outside, but sometimes they repeat it here, but they should pay attention to the song: Outside, outside say what you want, but here, on Nicaraguan soil, respect my Flag!
Sandino Lives On, the Struggle Continues!
Sandino Lives On, the Struggle Continues!
Sandino Yesterday, Today and Always!
We will Overcome!