“Nicaragua Betrayed” Summary— Chapter 15: How Much More?

by Edward Ulrich
News of Interest.TV

February 20, 2011

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This chapter describes the Carter Administration trying another attempt at unseating Somoza by initiating a farcical “Multi-National Consultation on Nicaragua” negotiating team that included the United States, Dominican Republic, and Guatemala with only the U.S. actually making the decisions; where after rational attempts by Somoza to negotiate, he was given an ultimatum from Jimmy Carter: “You, General Jose Somoza, your son, and your families must leave Nicaragua forthwith.”


Following are key points from the chapter:

— Carter, Perez, Torrijos, Carazo, and Castro could never understand that the masses of the Nicaraguan people were solidly pro-Somoza and anti-Communist, and their faith in him and the government could not be shaken no matter what attempts were made to destroy it.

— A “Multi-National Consultation on Nicaragua” negotiating team which included the United States, Dominican Republic, and Guatemala was formed by the Carter Administration in an attempt to unseat Somoza.  Somoza had previously announced that he would step down from the Presidency in 1981 and retire from the army in order for a peaceful democratic solution to be found for the transfer of power, but the Carter negotiating team started by demanding that he leaves the country immediately.  “It was clear that only the U.S. was calling the shots on the team and in fact soon it was only the U.S. who was being negotiated with..”

— Ambassador Bowdler of the U.S. was aware of the unity which existed in Nicaragua and visited Somoza, telling him: “I want to congratulate you, because you have the party, the Congress, the Army, and the government solidly behind you.  ...  Nonetheless, I have instructions from the President of the United States and the Secretary of State of the United States to tell you that you have to leave.”

— Somoza attempted rational workable compromises, but the opposition forces came up with a counterproposal for an election consisting of outrageous stipulations including having the military confined to its quarters and all police removed from duty during the election which would have been a green light for revolutionary attack, changing the boundaries of precincts guaranteeing the election would be rigged against Somoza, changing the locations of the voting boxes, the importation of thousands of hostile foreigners from adjacent countries to serve as “election judges,” and Somoza being required to leave the country 72 hours before the election and take his brother and son with him.

— When Somoza then made a rational counterproposal that would actually ensure a fair and legitimate election, Carter then demanded that Somoza leave rather than allow a fair election that Somoza would easily win.

— Somoza explained the situation with his high ranking government officials, and they all pledged solidarity in holding firm against the attempts to unseat the government.  Somoza says, “There was no hesitation on the part of the Cabinet.  They repeated that all of us were in this together.  Their faces, their determination, and their loyalty will remain with me always.  As a result of their decision, they would suffer and their families would suffer.  This knowledge causes me grief and pain and these, also will be with me always.”

— Carter then sent General McAuliffe of the U.S. Army to request that Somoza leave Nicaragua, and Somoza says he learned that McAuliffe denied under oath before a congressional subcommittee that he asked Somoza to resign or leave the country.

From page 228:




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