The Nicaraguan Crisis

The Nicaraguan Crisis primarily refers to the civil conflict that began in the late 1970s, leading to the overthrow of the Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza in 1979 by the Sandinista National Liberation Front. The Sandinistas established a leftist government, prompting opposition from groups like the Contras, supported by the U.S. This led to a brutal civil war, significant human rights abuses, and economic decline. The crisis ended in the 1990s with a democratic transition, but its legacy continues to affect Nicaragua's politics and society, illustrating the tensions between authoritarianism, democracy, and foreign influence.