Famous Nicaraguan People

Nicaraguan professional boxer Alexis Arguello had once held the world featherweight, lightweight, and junior lightweight titles. He fought for the Contras against the Sandinista regime, and then continued his boxing career in the US, before returning to politics and becoming the mayor of Managua. He eventually died by suicide.

Bianca Jagger is a Nicaraguan social rights advocate. She is credited with founding the Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation, where she is currently serving as the chairperson. For her work as a humanitarian, Jagger has received several awards, including the Champion of Justice Award. A former actress, Jagger appeared in many movies and TV shows throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

Ricardo Mayorga is a Nicaraguan former boxer and mixed martial artist. Often referred to as the craziest man in boxing, Mayorga is known for his antics outside the ring as much as for his achievements inside the ring. An entertaining boxer, 26 out of his 32 wins were knockouts. From 2005 to 2006, he held the WBC super welterweight title.

The leader of the 19th-century Spanish-American Modernismo movement, Nicaraguan poet Rubén Darío had been a prodigy who had started writing poems at age 14. Best remembered for his works such as Azul, he earned the tag of the Prince of Castilian Letters. He had also held various diplomatic posts.

Augusto César Sandino was a Nicaraguan revolutionary. From 1927 to 1933, Sandino led a rebellion against the United States occupation of Nicaragua, due to which he was lauded as a hero throughout Latin America. Although the US government labeled him a bandit, Sandino went on to become a symbol of resistance and is revered as a national hero in Nicaragua.

The only woman to ever serve as the president of Nicaragua, Violeta Chamorro, was born to an affluent cattle rancher and was mostly educated in the U.S. She was married to La Prensa heir Pedro Joaquim Chamorro Cardenal and later took over the operations of the paper.

Anastasio Somoza García was a Nicaraguan leader who served as the president of Nicaragua from 1937 to 1947 and again from 1950 to 1956. Before becoming the president of Nicaragua, Somoza played a major role in ousting the then-President Adolfo Díaz. Somoza is credited with starting the Somoza family, which had absolute control over Nicaragua for more than four decades. 

Nicaraguan priest Ernesto Cardenal was one of the most significant poets of his country. His works despised American imperialism and capitalism and used slogans as symbols. He was also part of the Sandinista Front that removed Anastasio Somoza, following which he became the minister of culture in the new cabinet.

Nicaraguan novelist and poet Gioconda Belli is noted for works like the semi-autobiographical novel La Mujer Habitada and the allegory El infinito en la palma de la mano that won her Premio Biblioteca Breve. A prominent member of Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), which established a revolutionary government overthrowing Anastasio Somoza DeBayle, Belli handled media relations for the FSLN government  

José Santos Zelaya was a Nicaraguan political figure best remembered for his service as the President of Nicaragua from 1893 to 1909. During his presidency, Zelaya enacted many progressive programs, such as established steam ship lines and improved railroads and public education. José Santos Zelaya also enacted a number of constitutional rights.

Anastasio Somoza Debayle was a dictator and de facto ruler of Nicaragua between 1972 and 1974. He served as the President of Nicaragua on two ocassions; from 1967 to 1972 and then from 1974 to 1979. He was the last member of the infamous Somoza family to serve as Nicaraguan president. His life inspired the 1983 movie Last Plane Out.

Rigoberto López Pérez was a Nicaraguan poet, composer, and artist. He is best remembered for murdering the longtime dictator of Nicaragua, Anastasio Somoza García. 25 years after his death, Rigoberto López Pérez was declared a national hero by the Sandinista government of Nicaragua on September 21, 1981.

Juan Bautista Sacasa was a Nicaraguan political figure best remembered for his service as the President of Nicaragua from 1933 to 1936. An influential politician, Sacasa also served as the Vice President of Nicaragua from 1925 to 1926. The decline of his popularity at the end of his presidency marked the rise of the infamous dictator, Anastasio Somoza García.

Rosario Murillo is a Nicaraguan poet and politician. She is the current Vice President and First Lady of Nicaragua; she is the wife of the current President Daniel Ortega. A polyglot, Murillo speaks English, Spanish, French, and Italian. Murillo is also known for her controversial personality. Renowned for her New Age beliefs, Murillo has struggled with alcohol and drug addiction.

Tomás Borge was a Nicaraguan statesman and writer. He is credited with co-founding the Sandinista National Liberation Front, a socialist political party in Nicaragua. A revolutionary at heart, Tomás Borge formed friendships with Tamara Bunke and Che Guevara in an attempt to end the dictatorship of Anastasio Somoza García. Tomás Borge also authored several poems and essays.

Nicaraguan-Salvadoran author and poet Clara Isabel Alegría Vides, better known as Claribel Alegría, was an influential name in Central American literature. The Neustadt Prize winner was known for her masterpieces such as Flowers from the Volcano. She was highly critical of the Salvadoran military government and often wrote on socio-political issues.

Arnoldo Alemán is a Nicaraguan politician who became the 81st President of Nicaragua on 10 January 1997. A qualified lawyer, he practiced law for several years before entering politics. As the president, he was successful in promoting economic growth in the country. After his term ended in 2002, he was convicted of corruption. These convictions were later overturned. 

Enrique Bolaños is a Nicaraguan former politician. He served as the president of Nicaragua from January 2002 to January 2007. Prior to this, he had been the vice president under his predecessor, Arnoldo Alemán. He was a successful businessman before he ventured into politics. As the president, he implemented many reforms to fight corruption. He has since retired from politics.

Claudia Chamorro Barrios is a Nicaraguan writer and former ambassador of Nicaragua to Costa Rica and Cuba. During the 1980s, she worked as a diplomat for the Sandinista government. Chamorro is perhaps best known for her memoir, Tiempo de Vivir, which narrates her son's sickness and death from leukemia.

The son of former Nicaraguan president Anastasio Somoza Debayle, Luis Somoza Debayle led the country as its president after his father’s assassination. His regime was liberal, and he made efforts to modernize his country. After stepping down from his presidential position, he became a senator.

Sergio Ramírez is a Nicaraguan intellectual and writer who played an important role during the revolution of 1979. He is best known for his service as the Vice President of Nicaragua from 1985 to 1990. Ramírez is the recipient of many prestigious awards such as the Miguel de Cervantes Prize, Jose Donoso Award, and Casa de las Américas Novel Prize.

Emiliano Chamorro Vargas was a Nicaraguan political figure best remembered for his service as the President of Nicaragua on two occasions; he first served from 1917 to 1921 and again from March 1926 to November 1926. During his presidency, Emiliano Chamorro Vargas made an honest attempt to pay off Nicaragua's creditors.