Two Nicaragua Factions in L.A. Pledge to Unite

Nicaraguans living in Los Angeles pledged to put their political differences aside and “become one people again” during two separate rallies Saturday--one celebrating the recent victory at the polls of President-elect Violeta Barrios de Chamorro and another mourning the defeat of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega.

“We want unity and peace, not war,” said a tearful Kenia Chamorro while leaving St. Vincent’s Catholic Church in Los Angeles, where about 250 people gathered to celebrate a noon Mass in honor of the recent election victory in Nicaragua of the National Opposition Union (UNO).

The need for peace was also expressed at a pro-Sandinista rally at USC’s Davidson Conference Center Saturday night where about 300 participants cheered and applauded when several speakers mentioned the possible end of the 10 years of civil war in Nicaragua.

“Sure we are disappointed with the Sandinistas’ defeat, but what’s more important is to put an end to the blood bath,” said Ramon Diaz, a native of Nicaragua who is also a member of the Nicaraguan Cultural Center, a pro-Sandinista Organization in Los Angeles. “We want to become one people again to help Nicaragua blossom and grow to be strong.”

But Lydia Brazon of the Nicaraguan Elections Information Project, the organization that sponsored the pro-Sandinista rally, said the wounds between supporters of the right and the left wing would take much time to heal.

“The intensity of the hatred is appalling,” said Brazon, whose parents are Nicaraguan. “Entire families are divided. People need time to forget their political differences and come together.”

Most speakers at the pro-Sandinista rally steered away from criticism of the victorious UNO party, but they did criticize U.S. actions in Nicaragua.

Speakers accused the United States of buying votes for the UNO party by promising to stop sending aid to the Contras and to lift trade sanctions if Chamorro won.

An address from Nicaragua by Ortega was supposed to have been transmitted by satellite to the rallies in Los Angeles and 55 other U.S. cities. But technical problems prevented that from happening. Organizers said they suspect that the anti-Sandinista U.S. government somehow blocked the transmission.

Earlier in the day, participants in the pro-Chamorro Mass and rally had nothing but praise for U.S. actions.

“God bless Violeta Chamorro. God bless Oliver North. God bless President Reagan,” the demonstrators repeatedly shouted at a rally in MacArthur Park.

The same cheers could be heard as Chamorro supporters made their way from the church to the park three miles away in a caravan of cars adorned with Nicaraguan flags.

Some onlookers made thumbs-down motions at the procession of about 50 cars, and a driver in a pickup truck shouted in a thick accent, “Vivan Los Sandinistas.”

At a rally in MacArthur park, the crowd shouted, whistled and rejoiced as speakers addressed them in Spanish.

“No more pain. No more war. No more separation my fellow Nicaraguans,” organizer Cesar A. Aviles declared. Aviles, director of the Nicaraguan Patriotic Coalition in Los Angeles, added it was important that Nicaraguans put politics aside and unite.

“There are no words to describe the happiness we feel as a people,” Adam Torres, one of the participants, said. “Nicaragua is free. We have been liberated. Much of it, thanks to the Americans.”

Torres, who immigrated to the United States in 1979, said many exiled Nicaraguans plan to return to their homeland if there is a smooth transition of power from Ortega’s administration to Chamorro’s.

“We are all brothers,” he said. “We can’t let hatred get between us. There will soon be peace in our country, I hope that will also bring peace to our hearts.”