English Blog

Sergio Ramírez – Politician and Literary Figure

As part of the historic Group of Twelve, Nicaraguan writer and politician Sergio Ramírez features prominently in the history of his home country's struggle for freedom from the Somoza dictatorship. In 1985 to 1990, he served as Vice President of Nicaragua under Daniel Ortega's presidency, and served in the Government Junta of National Reconstruction prior to that. In addition to his busy political life, Ramírez has continued to contribute to the literary culture of Nicaragua through his writings, for which he has received numerous commendations and awards.

Sergio Ramírez Mercado was born in Masatepe on 5 August 1942, completing his education at the Universidad Nacional Autóma de Nicaragua of León, receiving the Gold Medal for best student in 1964. In 1964 his first book, Cuentos was published, with subsequent works including De Tropeles y Tropelías in 1971; El Pensamiento vivo de Sandino in 1975; Charles Atlas también muere (1976); ¿Te dio miedo la sangre? (1978); Castigo Divino (1988); Clave de Sol (1993); Un baile de mascaras (1995); Cuentos Completos (1998); Margarita, está linda la mar (1998); Adiós muchachos (1999); Mentiras Verdaderas and Catalina y Catalina (2001); Sombras nada más (2002); Mil y una muertes (2004); and El Reino Animal (2006). He has also been a participant in the Stock Exchange of Visions – an initiative featuring visions for the future from respected personalities from diverse cultures, nationalities and fields of expertise.

The Group of Twelve, of which Ramírez was head in 1977, was a group of influential members of Nicaraguan society who openly supported the FSLN in its efforts to topple the Somoza dictatorship. When this was achieved with the Revolution in 1979, Ramírez became part of the Junta of the Government of National Reconstruction, heading up the National Council of Education. He was sworn in as vice-president of Nicaragua in 1985, and following the UNO coalition taking power in 1990, he continued to serve in the National Assembly representing the Sandinista block until 1995. Due to differences with other leaders of the FSLN, Ramírez established the MRS (Movimiento de Renovación Sandinista) and made an unsuccessful bid for presidency in 1996. Sergio Ramírez has since retired from politics, but his contribution to the shaping of modern-day Nicaragua remains in the history of this exotic Central American country.

Earthship Pitaya Festival – Promoting Environmental Awareness

The Earthship Pitaya Festival, known locally as Pitaya Fest, takes place in February every year in Nicaragua's seaside town of San Juan del Sur and the neighboring community of El Carizal. Coinciding with the full moon, the week-long festival aims to raise awareness of environmental issues, while at the same time offering music, the full moon, sun, sand, surf and a party atmosphere like no other. The festival is named after the local Pitaya fruit and the Earthship – a unique self-sustainable structure constructed from tin cans, bottles, tires and other items which would otherwise have landed up in already overfull rubbish dumps.

Lake Nicaragua's History of Piracy Part 2

Continued from: Lake Nicaragua's History of Piracy and Filibustering

During the 18th century, conflict between Spain and Britain in the West Indies region kept authorities busy, providing an opportunity for piracy and filibustering to flourish. Miskito Sambu filibusters joined pirates in attacking the Fortress of Immaculate Conception, with the most noteworthy of these attacks taking place in 1762 during a period that came to be known as the Seven Years War. By this time the British and Miskito Sambus had become allies with the common goal of attacking Spanish settlements. With a combined force of around 2,000 men, the Britons and Sambus sailed up the San Juan River, laying siege to an estimated 100 Spaniards in the fortress on 26 July 1762. Although outnumbered, the Spaniards held their position, inflicting heavy losses on the allied forces. However, a subsequent attack by the British in 1780 resulted in the fortress being captured.