Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition 5.7.2026: Brian Willson’s Speech on Internationalist Hero Day (April 28); Nicaragua’s May 4 National Dignity Day Speeches
Public Opinion Poll on Confidence in the Nicaraguan Government, from 2007- 2026
Co-Presidents Comandante Daniel and Compañera Rosario Speeches in the Central Event in Celebration of the Day of National Dignity Daniel: Even without his legs, he did not give up, but kept on fighting, and Brian Willson keeps up the struggle, keeps fighting; and he said a phrase that I believe was already there in the hearts of those who resisted the colonialist invasion, of those who resisted and defeated the Yankees in San Jacinto; of those who joined with Sandino, when Sandino was left alone, and then there were only 29 and with Sandino they were 30. Imagine that, 30! Who decided to take on the United States Army.
There comes a time, he[Brian Willson] says, when one loses fear of fear, loses the fear of being afraid. And here this People has lost the fear of being afraid, this Youth has lost the fear of being afraid.
And here we have been fighting daily for Peace, Peace is fundamental to be able to develop all the public works that we are developing, projects in which thousands of young people participate; there in the construction of Schools, Hospitals, Roads, there are Nicaraguans, men and women who have already lost their fear, are no longer afraid of fear….After so many battles, that example of General Sandino and the Army in Defense of National Sovereignty was forever marked in the Soul and in the Heart of Nicaraguans, in the Soul and in the Heart of our Youth, as the example of the Heroes of San Jacinto is also engraved there.
The seal of Dignity remains on the soul of Nicaraguans and that is what most fills us with pride, to be a People full of Dignity, to be a People unafraid of fear, and when they threaten as so many times they have threatened this People, when they are threatened, with what do the Nicaraguan People simply defend themselves? They defend themselves with Peace. For it has been proved that if the Nicaraguan people are attacked, then the Nicaraguan People have the Duty and the Right to defend themselves from aggressors and invaders.
Nicaragua Marks 99th Year of National Dignity Day Nicaragua marked the 99th anniversary of National Dignity Day on May 4, commemorating General Augusto Sandino’s 1927 rejection of a U.S.-backed agreement and reaffirming national sovereignty. The date honors Sandino’s refusal to sign the Espino Negro Pact, an agreement imposed by the United States that sought to maintain a conservative government and disarm national forces. His decision marked the beginning of an anti-imperialist struggle against foreign intervention and domestic power structures that perpetuated inequality.
Stalin Vladimir Centeno: Linder and Palme: Two Internationalists who Loved the Revolution The National Assembly passed a law declaring April 28th as “Internationalist Hero Day,” to recognize citizens of other nations who participated in processes related to Nicaragua, particularly during the years of armed conflict in the 1980s. The law establishes commemorative events throughout the country and designates as a historical reference point the assassination of Ben Linder on April 28, 1987, in the municipality of El Cuá, Jinotega Department, while he was developing small energy projects in rural areas.
Another internationalist is Olof Palme, Swedish prime minister. During his tenure he maintained critical positions on various world conflicts, including the Vietnam War and the apartheid system in South Africa, as well as positions related to Latin America in the context of the Cold War. Palme visited Nicaragua in 1984 and during his stay expressed his support for the Revolution. In public statements, he condemned the military and economic actions directed against the country and emphasized the need to respect international law. On February 28, 1986, he was shot and killed in Stockholm while walking with his wife after leaving a movie theater, on their way home.
Sandinista Youth celebrate Comrade Ben Linder (photos)
Becca Renk: They Can Never Stop the Spring: Nicaragua Proclaims Internationalist Hero Day Benjamin Linder moved to Nicaragua in 1983 to contribute his skills to the Sandinista People's Revolution. As an engineer, he worked to bring electricity to the war zones of northern Nicaragua, where the US-backed counterrevolution attacked villages in the dark; electricity provided them with greater security. On April 28, 1987, Benjamín traveled upriver to take measurements for a dam with two local bricklayers—Pablo Rosales, a father of four, and Sergio Hernández, a father of seven—both volunteers on the project. All three were ambushed and killed by counterrevolutionary forces.
Upon arriving in San José de Bocay the previous evening, we learned that the National Assembly had just declared April 28th Internationalist Hero Day in Nicaragua. It is an honor to share this proud moment with the people of Los Ángeles, the village where Benjamín was killed.
Juan Ramón Obregón Valdivia, the National Assembly deputy who represents the region, shared the text of the law with those gathered there. "Nicaragua has been blessed with a legion of internationalist heroes and heroines who, throughout our history and in the different stages of struggle for our sovereignty, have embraced our ideals and defended peace," it reads. “Our American brother, Benjamin Linder, was murdered…becoming an eternal symbol of the people’s struggle against injustice. We must commemorate all our internationalist heroes, reaffirming the unbreakable bond between the Nicaraguan people and international solidarity, making the ideal of internationalism a guiding light in the quest for progress and the construction of a future of unity and peace.They fought to see an organized community, to see young people studying, to see professional doctors who are from the same community providing medical care to the same population," the congressman concluded.
Ambrosio Mogorrón Martínez, a Basque nurse from Spain. Ambrosio, known as "El Doctorcito" (The Little Doctor), was also killed in Bocay, just a month after Benjamín. He was on his way to deliver medicine to the community when a U.S.-made anti-tank mine detonated under his truck, killing him and nine other people who were with him. The primary hospital in Bocay is named after Ambrosio Mogorrón.
Comrade Brian Willson: “I Lost the Fear of Being Afraid” at Special Session of the National Assembly in commemoration of Internationalist Hero Day In 1986 I decided to come to Nicaragua to study both the war and the language, just to educate myself because I had been so naïve and so really brainwashed and I came to study in Estelí and the very first week in that school, Reagan’s terrorist Contras had attacked three farming cooperatives near Estelí and killed eleven campesinos.
It deeply shocked me that I was witnessing the same behavior I had witnessed in Vietnam where virtually every village was considered a military target. I discovered that it was a war of body counts and that was so disgusting and so appalling that when I saw the eleven campesinos coming into the cemetery in Estelí in their coffins I realized this is exactly how the Western world was founded and sustained.
Later that year in the United States I met with a lot of veterans, US veterans who like me had become anti-war, anti-imperial and four of us, three Vietnam War veterans and one World War Two veteran, to go on an open-ended, water only fast on the steps of the Capitol, protesting Reagan’s terrorist wars in Nicaragua and El Salvador. So we had to discuss whether we were going to continue the open-ended fast or stop to save one of us who was near death. So at the end of the 47th day we began to eat but we also discovered that the FBI had investigated us as domestic terrorists, believe it or not.
So I describe these experiences to help people understand why one would not feel heroic at all, but just simply following the empathy that I feel for other people and the suffering of other people. So the idea of being a hero never occurred to me and I was just doing what I thought a human being should do when they’ve been thrust into these experiences where all the suffering becomes so obvious. So I cannot be thankful enough for the Nicaraguan Revolution because it was a beacon to the whole world and certainly in my world and certainly to many people in the United States so it’s kind of like I am joining Nicaraguans in the struggle against imperialism and I do it with great appreciation.
Rosario Murillo: "That extraordinary testimony that Brian gave us this morning moved us all, first because of his humility, first because of his simplicity, first because of his infinite truths." How deeply moved and touched we were this morning by the great Brian Willson, Hero of Humanity. Today, April 28th, we, recognizing that heroism has been immense, infinite, and fruitful in our Nicaragua, declared it a day to pay homage, honor, and glory to the internationalist heroes who number in the hundreds, from Sandino and before, fighting for peace and fighting against injustices and crimes against humanity in our Nicaragua. And that extraordinary testimony that Brian gave us this morning moved us all, first by his humility, first by his simplicity, first by his profound truths. How much he taught us, how much he taught us to live as if all those times were today… How proud we are to have been accompanied, throughout all times, by great beings, exceptional beings, special beings like Brian Willson, and all those brothers who came from so many parts of the world to accompany and fight, shoulder to shoulder, soul to soul, hand in hand, spirit to spirit, for peace in so many countries and among so many peoples. Brian moved us to tears. Brian touched our hearts once again. I saw him sitting there, simple, without frills, without airs, without grandeur. And yet how great he is! Commander Daniel told me: "He is a living hero; he was willing to give his all. He is a hero of whom we are all proud and grateful, a hero who inspires us, who is an example of great humanity. Thank you, Brian!"
Sandinista Youth meet with internationalist hero Brian Willson (photos)
John Perry: Exaggerated Claims About Latino Migration To US By White Nationalists Earlier this year, a chart appeared on social media sites like X by claiming that during President Biden’s four years in office, 8% of Nicaragua’s population entered the US illegally. Jonatan Pallesen’s X account reveals his motivation in posting such patently bogus data. His screeds are full of anti-immigrant talking points. The chart may be wildly wrong, but it has served its purpose in feeding an anti-immigrant message. The real loss of population is much less than half of Pallesen’s percentage and far below the figures claimed by opposition pundits. Apart from double counting, the main reason for this huge discrepancy is that large numbers of Nicaraguans return home. They do not stay permanently in either the US or Costa Rica. The real picture then is that migration from Nicaragua is minimal. In the case of both Venezuela and Cuba, outward migration is very significant, but it is driven by hostile policies pursued by successive US administrations. Alarmism about the numbers of migrants who have arrived in the US from Latin American countries has brought together two, previously distinct elements of right-wing politics.
Video: Back from Nicaragua (1984) Featuring Pete Seeger, Holly Near, Joan Baez, The Looters and Don Chase talking and singing about their visits to Sandinista Nicaragua.
Interview with Comrade Johana Flores, Minister of Labor “Nicaragua celebrates this May 1st, reaffirming the constitutional principle that in Nicaragua, work is a right, a social responsibility, and the principal source of human dignity. This is enshrined in our Political Constitution, and our Government of Reconciliation and National Unity, led by our Co-Presidents, Commander Daniel and Comrade Rosario, guarantees the protection of workers' rights through compliance with labor and social security legislation.
But it is also very important to say that this is achieved through a model of dialogue, tripartite consensus, labor justice, and social peace among employers, workers, and the State…Looking back, we see that in 2006, for example, the minimum wage was 1,285 córdobas. Today, the minimum wage is over 9,000 córdobas. We have the lowest inflation rate in Central America. Lower inflation means greater purchasing power for workers in terms of their wages.
Another very important aspect is the comprehensive support provided to Nicaraguan workers and families: transportation subsidies, guaranteed free, quality education, and free, quality healthcare with universal access to education. This also protects wages, as it means workers no longer have to worry about covering these essential needs for themselves and their families…
The development that has been fostered at the academic and training levels means that women are increasingly occupying more space, even in professions that were once exclusive to men. Now we are practically in every sphere, performing all professions and all activities, from management positions to the most basic ones. We see that every day we are conquering more ground, and this is part of the Gender Equity Policy. Throughout the government, in all institutions, all programs have this policy that we promote, guarantee, and defend.
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