Celebration of the 44th Anniversary of the Air Force of the Nicaraguan Army
July 31st 2023
Address by Daniel
It's 6.35 in the evening, practically night time. Beloved Nicaraguan brothers and sisters, beloved Families, beloved compañer@s, sisters and brothers, relatives of those who make up the Nicaraguan Air Force. Ever since 1926, and in the years 1928, 1929, the Nicaraguan People became familiar with air power, when the heroic soldiers commanded by our General Sandino, of the Army in Defense of National Sovereignty, when it was up to them to defend the nation facing the most powerful air force in the World, in the first combats in which the imperialist army of the United States of America used their air force to bombard towns and cities, where peasants and workers of a humble People were defending their Sovereignty, their Freedom.
And the Yankees bombed the guerrilla columns, and bombed the towns, launching their air force when the Army in Defense of National Sovereignty had surrounded the Yankee troops there in the north of our country. But the Heroic People of Nicaragua did not flee when the planes roared over, nor when the planes of the Yankee imperialists dropped their bombs, but rather confronted them with their rifles.
Of course, they did not have anti-aircraft artillery, much less anti-aircraft rockets, but they were fighting with the Soul, with the Conscience, with the Heart, with the Dignity of those who did not cower or panic in the face of the onslaughts of the Yankee aviation, combined with the infantry of the Yankee troops, because Yankee troops had already landed in our Country, and they could not defeat or force the surrender, nor overcome the Army in Defense of National Sovereignty.
That was the first contact of our People with an air force: the air force of Yankee Imperialism! And back then those songs appeared, improvised by the peasants, where they said in the Song of The Little Plane, mocking the little plane: "Here comes the little plane with its cardboard wings, coming to save the Gringos who can't stand up to Pedrón...!" To evacuate the Gringos! And more than one plane was shot down by the Army in Defense of National Sovereignty.
These are the roots of our heroes. In those battles that were being fought then, ran the blood of Diriangén, the blood of Nicarao, the blood of Andrés Castro, the blood of José Dolores Estrada, the blood of Benjamín Zeledón, all that heroic force accumulated throughout our history facing the imperialists of the Earth was there, facing the air force of the imperialists of the Earth.
Then came more battles of the People, the continuation of earlier heroic struggles, the battles of the People led by the Sandinista National Liberation Front. I remember perfectly well how Yankee Imperialism, which had an Air Force organized by them here, with soldiers and officers organized by them, trained by them, with planes and helicopters supplied by them, used their helicopters to capture peasants who supported the struggle of the Sandinista Front and then threw them from the helicopters.
And, as the struggle developed, and with the advent of the guerrilla offensives of the Sandinista Front, the first great offensive was the October Offensive in 1978, confronted with that Offensive theysent out their aviation; they sent it out to deal with the guerrilla squadrons fighting in San Carlos that managed heroically to take the San Carlos Barracks.
Then too, I remember perfectly well, in the department of Ocotal, in a hacienda known as San Fabián, we were there with a guerrilla detachment as part of the October Offensive, with Germán Pomares “El Danto”, and with Francisco Rivera, “El Zorro”, heroic combatants.
I remember that after we ambushed the National Guard, when the offensive had already started there and the Yankee National Guard troops were mobilized here, led by the Yankees, and with a chief, Somoza, installed by the Yankees, the troop movements took place and they were coming in trucks.
As they approached San Fabián, they were afraid of falling into an ambush with their trucks full of soldiers, so they got out of the trucks and began to advance on foot along both sides of the road, cautiously, and naturally ready for combat.
Meanwhile, as they were advancing and the combat was beginning, we were entrenched in a good position on the slopes of the hills there in San Fabian, and they were on foot, marching along the road, and they fell into the ambush. Immediately their helicopters appeared, helicopter gunships of course, the helicopters that the Yankees had delivered to Somoza's army.
And there also appeared, I really wasn't aware of this type of fighter plane, the Israeli-made Push and Pull,. Those planes, the government of Israel in collusion with the Yankee government delivered to Somoza's Army both some coast guard vessels, the Daburs, and also these fighter planes, the Push and Pull.
I remember that we were engaged in combat and the planes were coming, since the helicopters had to take cover because of the volume of fire we had, which was enough by then to shoot down a helicopter if they got too close. The planes could open fire from a greater distance, they were planes that I remember they were over us and they kind of slowed down when the rocket was launched, and the rocket came on and it seemed to us if the rocket was coming right for us, because that's the feeling when in combat against aviation; when they are firing it seems as thought that they are on target, but no, the rockets fell behind us. The same happens with helicopters, you feel that they have already discovered your position, but it's not like that.
And the second occasion in which the Yankee imperialism that had occupied Nicaragua used their aviation, now after October and September Offensives, was when the Final Offensive began, and they sent out all their aviation to bomb the cities that were being liberated or wherever the barracks of their units were surrounded.
The city of León, the city of Matagalpa, the city of Estelí, Managua; that is, tjose parts of Managua already taken by our brother and sister combatants of the Sandinista Front, what followed was sustained bombardment from helicopters and airplanes, airplanes with high-powered bombs that caused enormous destruction in Masaya as well.
That is to say, in all those departments where most of the fighting was taking place, there they concentrated their aviation fire power and caused destruction, they did not care about causing destruction in order to achieve their objective which was, that the bombardment would fill our combatants with terror, with fear and that they would flee. The same thing they had done when they attacked the Army in Defense of National Sovereignty.
And when we were already on the eve of the Triumph of the Revolution we improvised an air force, with Panamanian pilots, friends and comrades, and with these pilots airplanes were used to carry armaments to where the Sandinista Forces did not have enough weapons. And this was the first Patriotic, Revolutionary Air Force, fighting for the Dignity of our Nation, landing on roads, making extraordinary coordination with the compañeras and compañeros who were on the ground, so that they could guarantee the sites where the flights were going to land with weapons, and immediately once the weapons were delivered then the flight returned.
On one of the last flights that one of these pilots made, one who was very bold, when he was coming back he passed over the Presidential Residence, over Somoza's headquarters, throwing some small bombs. At least it caused them to fear, it already seemed to them that some larger bombs might follow those little bombs, and they did not imagine that it was an act of audacity of that pilot, throwing some bomblets at the Presidential Residence.
And the Revolution triumphed. And with the Revolution, from the roots of our Heroic, Patriotic history, of defense of Sovereignty, in the face of Imperialism, in the face of the Imperialists of the Earth, the Sandinista Army was born, and with the Army the Air Force was born, and today we are here, Nicaraguan brothers and sisters, commemorating the 44th Anniversary of the Nicaraguan Air Force.
But there was a much bigger trial by fire, I would say, although of course, given the circumstances, one might say rather a larger scale confrontation, because with the Triumph, with our struggle for Peace, Imperialism launched another war headed by the President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, against us. He dressed himself up and said that he was a "Contra“, the head of the ”Contras", the President of the United States.
And in that war, now with Nicaragua, the People of Nicaragua, and therefore too the Nicaraguan Army, the Police, the Ministry of the Interior, equipped with resources for defense that were supplied to us for that purpose, to defend ourselves, not to attack another People, but to defend ourselves, resources for defense. And well, by then we had a good fleet of helicopters, although we did not manage to have fighter planes.
That is to say, in the historical circumstances of the time, when our pilots had already been trained to be able to fly combat aircraft, the Yankee government informed the leaders of the Soviet Union, who were giving us that support, and which we always thank and recognize, that if they brought combat aircraft to Nicaragua, of course those planes would come on Soviet ships, then they would bomb and destroy them in Nicaragua's ports.
That was the threat they made, and certainly they would have done so, and that explains why we didn't get to have fighter jets, but we did have an Air Force with helicopters and with compañeros, brother pilots who heroically fought the forces of the Counterrevolution.
And while the Yankees were trying to terrorize us, they launched their supersonic planes every day, the so-called Blackbird, which buzzed Nicaraguan territory, over Nicaraguan skies... Ah, if we had had rockets we would have shot them down for sure! But of course, supersonic planes, and how they boomed, intending to frighten the People, and to frighten our Soldiers too, and to frighten the Air Force.
Here was a struggle where thousands of Nicaraguan sisters and brothers fell, more than 50,000 victims, thousands of them were left without arms, without legs, blind, mutilated, and how many brothers from the Air Force were casualties... Of course there were losses! Some helicopters went down, certainly! The enemy had good weaponry, supplied by the United States of course, they had enough weaponry to launch rockets that could shoot down a helicopter.
I remember that, in a humanitarian action of the Nicaraguan Army, in Ayapal, where they went to rescue some children, the helicopter arrived, managed to rescue the children, and then when it was taking off right there they shot it down, the children died and of course the brothers of the Air Force who were piloting the helicopter died. That should not be forgotten! That cannot be forgotten!
That does not mean living in the past, especially when we can see how air forces are used around the World to destroy entire Peoples, entire Nations. We are watching this happen right now. We are facing a Global War already, where NATO led by the United States are bent on defeating the Russian Federation.
That has been a historical aspiration, to seize Russia, to destroy Russia, to occupy Russia; a historical aspiration of the European Empires, since the famous battles that Napoleon fought occupying Europe, and then launched to occupy Russia. And he couldn't!
Then there was the war which was the most brutal, most barbaric manifestation of capitalism, of Imperialism, when a democratically elected ruler, democratically financed by American companies and European capitals, came to occupy the Head of the German State: Adolf Hitler.
We now know the history of how Hitler how went against Russia, to occupy Russia, to occupy the Soviet Union, and how really heroic, extraordinary battles are fought there, the siege of entire cities like Stalingrad but, in the end, the German Nazis were the ones who were defeated. It was Soviet troops with the Red Flag who were the first to occupy Hitler's bunker, and right there they raised their Flag.
We are lovers of Peace, we are not excited or happy about any confrontation of any kind, especially a confrontation like this that puts Humanity's existence at risk. Because this is not a question of Russia with its Special Operation facing the Ukrainian troops, although Ukraine too has had a fascist base, the Nazis had a fascist base there, but in Ukraine there have been brave people too.
It is not that Russia is confronted there with Ukraine whereby the Russian Federation is defending the rights, defending the lives of Russian citizens who have been being murdered by the Nazis who have been ruling in Ukraine via a coup d'état, and using terrorist practices.
This is not simply a war between two nations, this is a war where the United States is participating, conducting that war at the head of NATO, and the President of the United States and the European Presidents hold meetings. What are they meeting for? To prolong the war, to send more weapons, to train more Ukrainian soldiers.
So this is no longer a war between the Russian Federation and Ukraine, this is a war of the Imperialists of the Earth led by NATO, by the United States, trying to destroy the Russian Federation with the aim of installing themselves as the Masters of the Planet, and they do not realize that, now, times have changed and are still changing and that there is no alternative but Peace. It is the only alternative, Peace, and for NATO to withdraw and for the Russian Federation and Ukraine to agree to make Peace. Because the Russian Federation does not aspire to become the owner of Ukraine or to occupy Ukraine, it is not one of the objectives of the Special Operation as President Putin has explained well.
They claim their territory inhabited by the Russian population that has been persecuted and murdered, where the rules of so-called Democracy were not respected, because when there was a Government in Ukraine that had good relations with the Russian Federation, one that did not agree with Ukraine joining NATO, then came the coup d'état, brutal, terrible, with thousands of dead, thousands of murdered, workers set on fire because they resisted, and they set on fire the building with the workers inside... Brutal acts! Ah, but the countries that call themselves Democrats, human rights defenders, NATO, applauded and supported the coup.
There is no way there but Peace. There is no way but Peace! This is a war that is weakening the economy and social stability of the European countries themselves, and also of the United States. But so far they seem crazy, believing that it is possible to achieve a NATO victory to bury the Russian Federation. To continue in this endeavor is the greatest crime that the Imperialists of the Earth could commit in all history, because they may well be the murderers of Humanity.
Yes, there is no other alternative there, and they have to stop thinking that it's a matter of one side finishing off the other... No! Here, either we all stay coexisting on Earth, on this Planet, or there no one on this Planet will be left alive . And the message that we send to the Peoples of the World is that there is no other way in this case except to defend Peace, and to stop once and for all this war that the Imperialists of the Earth have been escalating and so in that way humanity will have the opportunity to continue developing in a New World.
Because look, we are in a moment where the conditions have opened up for the World to become a World of democratic, respectful relations between Nations, between Regions, where Nations like the People's Republic of China have made their way developing their own Project, their own Nation, their own People, while too they have also shaken hands with those Nations, those developing Peoples, who have been abandoned by the Capitalists, by the Imperialists of the Earth, reaching out to help in all fields, to Africa, to Latin America, to the different Regions of the World.
That sets the compass of what the behavior and attitudes of great powers should be. If the United States, if the Europeans, if the Imperialists of the Earth changed their policy of invading Peoples all over the World, and followed in the footsteps of the People's Republic of China, then we would have a World in which all the Powers would meet, and in which differences, confrontations, imperialist spirit would disappear, hegemonic positions would disappear.
And those conditions have been created, and it's as if with this NATO offensive they are trying to slow down progress towards a World truly with just, democratic relations, respectful of the Rights of Peoples, and therefore of the Human Rights of Nations.
Beloved brothers and sisters, beloved compañer@s, our congratulations to you because we know you have to work with great limitations, but always with great Heart, serving the People, supporting the People, the least protected families. In times of hurricanes, in times of floods, you greet the poorest Families, and also protect the country's Sovereignty, protecting the Security of the country, in the fight against drug trafficking, in the fight against organized crime.
And it is nothing less than an attitude of great morality, of great sensitivity, of great Revolutionary Commitment to our People, to our History, giving you the strength to go forward despite the difficulties, to go forward despite the challenges, to go forward despite the risks, to go forward willing to give your life for the Nation, for the Sovereignty, for the Dignity of our People.
Congratulations to you beloved brothers and sisters, to you, to your Families; Congratulations to General Aviles and to the General Staff who are at the forefront in the leadership of the Nicaraguan Army and who have managed to maintain cohesion and forge that sense of Loyalty that we inherited from our ancestors. Loyalty to the Nation is Loyalty to Nicaragua's Families, Loyalty to the Nation is Loyalty to Peace, and that is our Commitment.
Congratulations to you brothers and sisters, and there is no doubt you will do your duty and celebrate many more anniversaries, every day more strengthened, because we will continue to make efforts to strengthen the institutions of the Air Force and the Army. Even though it may be the case that we have limited resources, there are programs under way for the benefit of the Nicaraguan people.
Receive our embrace, our Love and our Affection to your Families, in the name of the Nicaraguan People.
Long live the 44th Anniversary of the Air Force, and Long live the Heroes and Martyrs of the Nicaraguan Air Force!
Sandino Lives On, the Struggle Continues!
Remarks by Rosario, Vice President of Nicaragua,
following the Celebration of the 44th Anniversary of the Nicaraguan Army’s Air Force
July 31st 2023
Good evening, Juan. And good evening to all the beloved families of our Proud, Privileged Nicaragua, because we are a People of Courage, of Bravery, of Honor; a People that truly demonstrates every day the great Spirit that fills us, that enlightens us and that guides us all. A Spirit of Struggle, of Work, of Justice, truly... a Spirit of Peace, because Peace is our Great Victory, and from that Peace we continue to build the Future, building this Country, in the way we all deserve and as the Families of all Nicaragua deserve.
Really, listening to Comandante Daniel give the historical account of our own Fighting Culture: Why are we brave, why are we so stalwart, with that sense of Valor, of Courage? Why are we such noble defenders of National Sovereignty? Something special enlightens this People.
And really I, as a someone of Faith, must say that God is present here in every Heart, in every Soul, in every Home, in every corner of our Nicaragua, in every corner... God is indeed Here! That's why we are Strong. That's why we are Brave. That's why we are noble. That's why no one can defeat us. That is why They Cannot Prevail, Could Not Prevail and Nor Will They, throughout our History!
God is Here...! And every time we recall those Heroic Acts of Boundless Bravery, of National Dignity, every time we recall them we learn more and more how to live out that Inspiration, that Example, an Example of Luminous Truth; to live building more and more Bravery, because Life is made up of challenges, of obstacles tp overcome, and we know that we have to be Strong, that we have to be Brave, that we must have Inner Strength and that we have to make that Strength grow from Faith. Because we say: We are a People of Christian, Socialist and Solidarity based Families, and our Strengths grow from that Faith.
When one thinks about what our Struggle has been like over the decades, of history, of Centuries, when one thinks about what that Day of such Light which was the Triumph of the Revolution... When one thinks of all that we have done defending this Revolution that belongs to the People, everything that we have done, all the problems, injustices that we have faced, all the lies to try and make the Nicaraguan People give way, and above all so much cruelty, malice. Such cruelty, perversion deployed by the Empires, by the Imperialists, against our Nicaragua. Why? Because they know that we are a People who fight and who do not let themselves be defeated, a People who fight from Faith, and with this Strength does not bend.
When one thinks about how each one of our Soldiers in the Army, of our Police Officers, of our Compañeros and Compañeras of the Ministry of the Interior, face the challenge of continuing to build the Future and what that means; when we also do not have an abundance of resources, but instead an abundance, a wealth of Spirit, of Courage, of Honesty, of Spiritual Integrity, when one thinks about everything that we are, one knows that every Home and every Family is Proud... Proud to be Nicaraguans!
In the midst of so many struggles, here we continue to develop all the programs that our People need and deserve; all the Housing Programs, New Victories, every house is a New Victory... The Roads, the Bridges, New Victories! Also production, in every kind of productive activity, New Victories with all the learning and the incorporation of new technologies, of new techniques!
How can anyone, unless they are perverse, not wish that their People prosper and progress? That suggests a stagnation, a putrefaction of the soul. When someone decides that their Country, their People, their Families should not progress, should not prosper, should not get out of Poverty, thinking like that, feeling like that is really a crime against humanity,.
When one sees how some people insist that they have to generate more and more poverty or insecurity in Nicaragua so as to defeat us, all we can say is: Poor, Poor devils! Because that's what they are: Poor devils!
While in this Blessed Nicaragua, here, with Love for God, we work hard and Go Forward, we are able to face all difficulties and transcend them. After all, what have the last few years been like? An example, a small sample of how, with the Great and full Soul of God, we have been able to face down the demons, and overcome them, defeat them, and defeat their base instincts, defeat their evil heart and evil desires.
We know what the People of Nicaragua represent and are. We know how we feel, how we think, and we know that it is Love that fills us all, that's why we say: LOVE TO NICARAGUA! And in these days to come, which are Days for Patriotism, LOVE for NICARAGUA everywhere, because with Love there is Loyalty, as our Comandante Daniel has said.
With Love every Deed, every Action is magnified... The Nation is magnified with Love and Hope, with Love, Dedication and Commitment. With Love, strengthening more and more our Tranquility, Security, Stability and Peace, in order to prosper, this is how We Go Forward. And we give a big embrace to all the Families who are also proud of their Air Force, proud of their Army, proud of their Police, the Ministry of the Interior, their Firefighters who are always there.
How many fire stations do we have now...? Compared to how many there were when the People returned to government in 2007...? How many there are, and thus everywhere mishaps, misfortunes, the sinister are attended to, because we are here to serve and above all to learn every day that our People is a People of Goodness, a People of Peace, a People of Affection, a People who in the midst of so much that others have wanted to throw at us one that has known how to exercise Christianity, to act as Christians via the Reconciliation that seeks Peace.
And in such a complicated world where evil warlike instincts prevail, we see and say: It cannot be! War cannot prosper! We have not only to achieve Peace at the world level, but to be an example of Peace and Well-being here in our Nicaragua, to be an example of what can be done when there is the Conviction, the Decision to Overcome, to Strive to Overcome, and to do so out of Love.
A big embrace to all our Nicaraguan families. Thank you.