Bermudez, Contra Military Chief, Wins Political Post

Col. Enrique Bermudez, the military chief of Nicaragua’s rebel movement, was overwhelmingly elected Monday to the political directorate of the Nicaraguan Resistance, as the Contras call their movement.

Bermudez overcame criticism that giving political power to a military leader would taint the democratic image of the resistance, an umbrella organization of about nine political and guerrilla organizations fighting the Marxist-led Sandinista government in Managua.

The 56-year-old professional soldier, a former colonel in the Nicaraguan National Guard under the late dictator Anastasio Somoza, was elected to the seven-member directorate by an overwhelming majority of 44 to 2.

Three assembly members abstained and five were absent when the vote was taken on the second day of the assembly’s annual three-day meeting in this Caribbean capital.

Needed a Simple Majority

Bermudez was unopposed as an independent candidate and needed only a simple majority of 28 to secure a one-year term on the Miami-based political directorate.

To enthusiastic applause from assembly delegates, Bermudez pledged to unify the exile movement, which has been fractured by internal feuding and has been struggling to stay financially afloat since the U.S. Congress halted military aid to the Contras last February.

“Today, more than ever, I offer my spirit and good will . . . to strengthen our movement,” Bermudez said. “To our Marxist-Leninist enemy, we promise a hard battle.”

Under the assembly’s laborious voting procedure, members are called one by one to cast secret ballots. Polling continued into the night for the other directorate seats.

Critics of the charismatic colonel said Bermudez was bent on assuming both military and political control of the Contras, a charge he denied.

Although all seven members of the directorate have equal power under assembly rules, senior director Adolfo Calero was widely regarded as the movement’s de facto political head.

Calero Later Elected

Calero was elected to one of the seven positions later Monday night over challenger Fernando Aguero Rocha.

Calero and Pedro Joaquin Chamorro tried to strip Bermudez of his military command when he fired six regional commanders in Nicaragua in April for lack of discipline. They were outvoted by directors Aristides Sanchez, Alfredo Cesar and Azucena Ferrey.

The five earlier directors were made up of exiles representing political, business and labor groups in Nicaragua. All sought reelection. Two seats on the directorate were vacant.