NICARAGUA: Revolution in the Family

by Shirley Christian ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 30, 1985

Christian's fundamental hostility to the Sandinistas mars her story, the first part of which focuses on the political maneuvering between Somoza, the Carter White House, various Latin American heads of state, and the Nicaraguan opposition that led to Somoza's downfall in 1979. The second half discusses the gradual break between the Sandinistas and the other anti-Somoza groups following the revolution. Her theses: Carter should have moved forcefully to put moderates in power in 1978; the Sandinistas deceived their anti-Somoza allies who wanted democratic rule; the United States should continue to support the contras. Although she has spent much time in Central America as a reporter for the Miami Herald--she won the Pulitzer Prize in International Reporting in 1981--Christian's original material draws primarily on testimony from anti-Sandinistas. With few exceptions, Christian limits the Sandinistas' say to speeches or written declarations. On the other hand, anti-Sandinistas chat cozily--one even talks to Christian over breakfast in his Miami apartment. Too often Christian glosses over or omits information that might detract from her assertions. For example, she repeats accusations about Soviet-bloc and Arab military supplies being shipped through Nicaragua to El Salvador that were made in a 1981 State Department ""White Paper."" The Wall Street Journal has since found that the report, used by Secretary of State Alexander Haig as justification for beginning CIA support to the contras, has little basis in reality--as its author readily admits. Christian's narrow approach is unfortunate because the questions raised by the Nicaraguan revolution deserve unbiased treatment and a greater sensitivity to all sides. Despite a wealth of detail about the anti. Sandinista viewpoint, it fails as a constructive, enlightening study of the problems of Nicaragua.

Pub Date: July 30, 1985

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Random House

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 1985

Categories: NONFICTION