•Introduced land reform, overtook businesses, and helped the poor.

•Held free elections, generally disliked by the rich.

•Faced opposition by US backed contras.

•Leader of the Sandistas who overthrew dictator Somoza.

•Fought against the contras in the civil war.

•Won the free presidential election in 1984 and again in 2006.

•US supported the contras with money to get rid of the Sandinistas.

•Also placed an embargo to prevent Russian influences.

•They sold weapons to Iran to fund their support of the contras.

•He wanted Nicaragua to:

•Stop sending terrorist forces to other countries.

•End ties to Cuba and the Soviet Union.

•Practice basic human rights.

•Cease the buildup of arms.

•Declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, but still continued for 4 years. (Without reparations)

•1990- Violeta de Barrios Chamorro beat the Sandistas for control of Nicaragua. (National Opposition Union)

•First female president of Nicaragua.

•1996- Arnoldo Aleman: Convicted of embezzlement and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

•People unhappy about his rule and changes to social security.

•Protestors turned violent and started barricading roads and burned vehicles.

•Dozens have been reported killed by human rights organizations, with reports of police killings and bombings.

•GDP -1.5% yearly

•36,000% inflation

•Increased by embargo and hurricane Mitch

•60% unemployment in 1992

•Agriculture

•Poor people deprived of farmland

•Price of coffee (staple crop) dropped creating poverty

•Many people migrated to the US to escape hardships (500,000)