44:
297:. From 1979 until the end of the military conflict in 1990, Bermudez was the Contras' top military commander. In addition to being responsible for all of the Contras' military operations, Bermúdez ultimately helped manage the Contras' transition to an opposition political party in the early 1990s after the second election in post-Somoza Nicaragua ended in defeat for the Sandinistas. The first election, held in 1984 with severe irregularities, resulted in a victory for the
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campaigns, and that he hampered the
Contras' effectiveness by rewarding loyal cronies and ex-Guardsmen instead of the most able commanders. Discontent finally led to a council of field commanders ousting Bermúdez, as well as the purging of the Contras' predominantly Miami-based political leadership. Many of the members of the so-called Council were then suspects in his death, along with the Sandinista government.
550:. While serving as commander of the semi-secret Contra headquarters on the Nicaragua-Honduras border code named "Aguacate" - Spanish for Avocado - he was known for taking solitary walks in the nearby jungle, taking photographs of intricate spiderwebs. Bermúdez is survived by family members, most of whom live in
360:
Bermúdez moved almost immediately into armed opposition against the new government, ultimately becoming one of the most influential leaders in the armed opposition to the
Sandinista government. Together with Ricardo Lau, he created the 15th of September Legion, the first armed opposition movement
460:
magazine, Bermúdez told the most comprehensive account of his life, a lengthy autobiographical essay titled "The
Contras' Valley Forge: How I View the Nicaraguan Crisis", in which the Contra leader chronicled his life from his early career as a military attaché to Somoza through the height of the
414:
Assessments of Bermúdez's military and political leadership varied. His supporters believed that he provided stability among the fractious rebels, holding the FDN together while other Contra factions splintered. Critics, however, charged that he failed to provide strategic direction for the FDN's
442:
during the 1980s, but the predominant sentiment in
Congress was that continued aid to the Contras was critical both to establishing a non-communist government in Nicaragua and driving the Soviet Union from the American hemisphere during the height of the Cold War.
484:, were appeasing the Sandinista regime in ways that were inhibiting the Contras' in their effort to overthrow the Sandinista government. The article was authored by conservative author and writer (and then
406:, through which the U.S. believed it could drive the Soviet Union out of Central America and other regions around the world, the U.S. began supplying Bermúdez' Contras with arms and other support.
301:
and the
Sandinistas; it was the rejection of this questionable outcome that led the Contras to continue their insurgency until Ortega and the Sandinistas were ultimately ejected from office.
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Hotel. He was shot in the hotel's parking lot as he departed the hotel after those with whom he was meeting failed to show. In 1994, Bermúdez' daughter, Claudia Bermúdez, told
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and for betraying promises they made to establish a representative democracy. However, Bermúdez also issued some criticism at U.S. policy, writing that some
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conflicts, with the United States supporting the
Contras through overt and covert military assistance, and the Soviet Union, Cuba,
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554:. He was buried in Miami, following a funeral mass that was attended by many of his U.S. and Nicaraguan supporters.
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After graduating from the military academy in 1952, he took a commission in the engineer corps of the
Nicaraguan
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The
Contras' guerrilla war against the Sandinista government became one of the most contentious and prominent
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Bermúdez, however, was the key military leader behind the
Contras' war. He also was a key contact for the
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In the last years of the Contra War, Bermúdez had taken up reading the works of noted libertarian author
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671:"The Contras' Valley Forge: How I View the Nicaragua Crisis", by Enrique Bermudez (with Michael Johns),
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Enrique Bermúdez (with
Michael Johns), "The Contras' Valley Forge: How I View the Nicaraguan Crisis,"
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Critics of the Contras also alleged that Bermúdez was one of several figures who had been engaged in
278:. In this capacity, he became a central global figure in one of the most prominent conflicts of the
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In the article, Bermúdez staunchly criticized the Sandinistas for their alliances with the
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seat. She remains heavily engaged in public policy-related initiatives in the district.
526:: "There were a lot of people who would have benefited from having my dad put away--the
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Bermúdez founded the largest Contra army in the war against Nicaragua's Marxist
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In 2002 and 2004, his daughter, Claudia Bermúdez, now a resident of the
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Banana Diplomacy: The Making of American Policy in Nicaragua, 1981–1987
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849:"Sandinista Says Colonel's Election Shows Contras' 'True Character'"
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815:, June 19, 1988 (covering Bermúdez' Summer 1988 autobiography in
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United States Department of State, Special Report No. 174,
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soldier and rebel who founded and commanded the Nicaraguan
888:"Nicaraguan Aide Says Killer of Ex-Contra Might Be Dead"
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conflict between the Contras and Sandinista government.
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against the Sandinistas. In 1981, Bermúdez returned to
859:"Quick Solution is Sought in Ex-Contra Chief's Death"
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Everybody Had His Own Gringo: The CIA and the Contras
482:
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
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North American politicians assassinated in the 1990s
879:"Nicaragua Holds Suspect in Killing of Contra Chief"
810:"Shultz to Visit Central America on Faltering Talks"
706:"Shultz to Visit Central America on Faltering Talks"
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area, ran unsuccessfully against incumbent Democrat
492:, who interviewed Bermúdez over a series of days in
512:defeat in the 1990 elections, Bermúdez returned to
304:On February 16, 1991, Bermudez was assassinated in
266:(December 11, 1932 – February 16, 1991), known as
615:"Así fue el asesinato del Comandante 380 en 1991"
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31: and the second or maternal family name is
422:and other drug-running as a Contra commander.
402:nations supporting the Sandinistas. Under the
344:to the United States at the time of the 1979
323:
973:Nicaraguan expatriates in the United States
738:Plane's Crash Revives Contra Support Debate
316:Bermúdez was born on December 11, 1932, in
686:"1984: Sandinistas claim election victory"
675:magazine, Heritage Foundation, Summer 1988
538:. My dad died with a lot of information."
503:
110:
380:During the Contra war, Bermúdez held the
88:Learn how and when to remove this message
641:"Sandinistas Hold Their First Elections"
51:This article includes a list of general
869:"Leader's Slaying Incites Ex-Contras,"
826:Nicaraguan Biographies: A Resource Book
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567:California's 9th congressional district
289:government, which was supported by the
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736:The Fort Scott Tribune - Oct 17, 1986
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425:
839:"Bermudez Elected a Contra Director"
377:(FDN), the primary Contra movement.
37:
16:Nicaraguan Contra leader (1932–1991)
1013:People of the Nicaraguan Revolution
948:Assassinated Nicaraguan politicians
766:Nicaragua: Revolution in the Family
758:, Heritage Foundation, Summer 1988.
373:. He later became commander of the
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336:under former Nicaraguan President
57:it lacks sufficient corresponding
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828:, Bureau of Public Affairs, 1988.
1028:Politicians assassinated in 1991
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943:Assassinated military personnel
613:Digital, Edición (2017-02-16).
958:Deaths by firearm in Nicaragua
798:, Simon & Schuster, 1988,
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639:Kinzer, Stephen (1984-11-05).
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978:Nicaraguan military personnel
938:1991 murders in North America
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1003:People murdered in Nicaragua
454:In the Summer 1988 issue of
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988:People from León, Nicaragua
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375:Nicaraguan Democratic Force
232:Nicaraguan Democratic Force
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983:Nicaraguan revolutionaries
968:Nicaraguan anti-communists
923:1990s murders in Nicaragua
584:National Guard (Nicaragua)
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449:The Contras' Valley Forge
332:. He rose to the rank of
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579:List of unsolved murders
338:Anastasio Somoza Debayle
228:15th of September Legion
594:Sandinista Popular Army
504:Assassinated in Managua
264:Enrique Bermúdez Varela
72:more precise citations.
1008:People of the Cold War
898:"Assassins in Managua"
500:in May and June 1988.
440:United States Congress
589:Nicaraguan Revolution
432:Reagan administration
346:Nicaraguan Revolution
340:, and was serving as
206:Years of service
841:, Associated Press,
993:People from Managua
873:, February 20, 1991
865:, February 18, 1991
764:Shirley Christian,
725:The Washington Post
426:Relations with U.S.
902:The New York Times
892:The New York Times
882:The New York Times
871:The New York Times
863:The New York Times
853:The New York Times
843:The New York Times
813:The New York Times
710:The New York Times
645:The New York Times
334:Lieutenant Colonel
218:Lieutenant Colonel
998:People from Miami
963:Military attachés
894:, March 7, 1991].
768:, Vintage, 1986,
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249:Elsa Italia Mejía
241:Contra Insurgency
142:February 16, 1991
130:December 11, 1932
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722:"For the Record"
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690:. Retrieved
688:. 1984-11-05
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656:. Retrieved
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623:. Retrieved
621:(in Spanish)
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466:Soviet Union
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238:Battles/wars
144:(1991-02-16)
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21:Spanish name
933:1991 deaths
918:1932 births
890:, Reuters,
861:, Reuters,
563:Barbara Lee
528:Sandinistas
494:Tegucigalpa
480:, then the
363:Tegucigalpa
350:Sandinistas
119:Nickname(s)
70:introducing
912:Categories
747:References
692:2019-10-22
658:2019-10-22
625:2019-10-22
510:Sandinista
478:Jim Wright
476:, such as
410:Criticisms
398:and other
356:Contra war
312:Early life
287:Sandinista
272:Nicaraguan
159:Allegiance
53:references
653:0362-4331
619:La Prensa
474:Democrats
246:Spouse(s)
209:1952–1979
170:Nicaragua
153:Nicaragua
573:See also
548:Ayn Rand
542:Personal
532:Chamorro
498:Honduras
488:editor)
392:Cold War
367:Honduras
280:Cold War
270:, was a
254:Children
224:Commands
176:Service/
29:Bermúdez
19:In this
953:Contras
514:Managua
420:cocaine
348:by the
306:Managua
276:Contras
200:Contras
149:Managua
66:improve
25:surname
802:
787:
772:
651:
530:, the
178:branch
55:, but
33:Varela
600:Notes
552:Miami
371:Miami
800:ISBN
785:ISBN
770:ISBN
649:ISSN
565:for
470:Cuba
468:and
295:Cuba
293:and
214:Rank
139:Died
127:Born
27:is
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