Famous Nicaraguan Leaders

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Nicaraguan military leader Humberto Ortega, the brother of Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega, was associated with the Sandinista Popular Army, which was built to overthrow the Nicaraguan National Guard. He later served as Nicaragua’s defense minister and also penned several books, such as Epic of the Insurrection.

Arlen Siu gained fame in Nicaragua as singer-songwriter and guitarist by the time she joined the Sandinistas. Killed by the soldiers of National Guard at just 20 years of age, Siu is counted among the first female martyrs of Sandinista revolution. Her works on Marxism and feminism remained a source of inspiration for the Sandinistas and the Nicaraguan women's movement.

Adolfo Calero was a Nicaraguan businessman who led the Nicaraguan Democratic Force, one of the first Contra groups of the country. The group was formed to oppose the Sandinista government. Adolfo Calero was portrayed in the 2017 American action comedy movie American Made, in which he was played by Daniel Lugo. 

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.

Nicaraguan revolutionary and guerrilla fighter Nora Astorga became associated with the Sandinistas while studying law. She worked as a corporate lawyer later, while continuing her revolutionary activities, this earning the reputation of a spy. She later served as the Nicaraguan ambassador to the United Nations.

Fabio Gadea Mantilla is a Nicaraguan writer, radio journalist, and politician. He is credited with co-founding Radio Corporación, a news radio station in Nicaragua. In 2010, Mantilla was selected to run for the presidency in the 2011 general election. He lost the election to the Sandinista National Liberation Front member Daniel Ortega.

Daisy Torres is a Nicaraguan politician who became the first female mayor of Managua in 2009. A popular politician, Torres held the post until 2018. Daisy Torres is one of the most important members of the Sandinista National Liberation Front.

Martha Elena Ruiz Sevilla is a Nicaraguan lawyer and politician. She is best known for her service as the Defence Minister of Nicaragua from 2013 to 2019. Ruiz Sevilla was the first woman to serve as Nicaragua's Minister of Defence.

Víctor Manuel Román y Reyes was a Nicaraguan political figure best remembered for his service as the President of Nicaragua from 1947 until his death in 1950. His actions during his presidency enabled the minority in Nicaragua to enter Congress.

Nicaraguan politician Julia Mena serves as the vice president of her country for a little more than a year. The Independent Liberal Party member is a school teacher by profession and filled in for Virgilio Godoy, former vice president of Nicaragua, after Godoy’s resignation.

Emilio Álvarez Montalván was a Nicaraguan ophthalmologist and political figure. He is best remembered for his service as the Foreign Minister of Nicaragua from 1997 to 1998. After his retirement, Emilio Alvarez continued to contribute to the national political culture, for which he was awarded honorary doctorates.

Nicaraguan guerrilla revolutionary commander and feminist Mónica Baltodano was a student when she began her activism with the Sandinistas and survived being captured and tortured. She has held important political positions, such as the minister of regional affairs. She later started the El Rescate movement.

Leticia Herrera Sánchez is a Nicaraguan politician who served as the National Assembly of Nicaragua's vice president from 1985 to 1990. A former guerrilla leader, Herrera was one of the first female commanders of a socialist political party called Sandinista National Liberation Front, which opposed Anastasio Somoza's dictatorial government.