Gobierno de Reconciliación y Unidad Nacional
Unida Nicaragua Triunfa
IN ALGERIA, FORUM “THE CRIMES OF COLONIALISM IN HUMAN HISTORY:
FROM THE WOUNDS OF COLLECTIVE MEMORY TO THE DEMAND FOR HISTORICAL JUSTICE”
Speech FSLN / Johnny Hodgson
Sisters and Brothers, Comrades,
Allow me to begin by conveying fraternal greetings to Comrade Abdelmadjid Tebboune, President of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, on behalf of the Co-Presidents of the Republic of Nicaragua, Commander Daniel Ortega and Comrade Rosario Murillo. We also express our sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Mujahideen and Rights Holders for the warm invitation to participate in this important gathering.
We are honored to participate on behalf of the Nicaraguan people, who are not only witnesses to history but also brave heirs of a collective memory that cries out for justice. A memory that compels us to denounce the incalculable crimes of colonialism and imperialism—rapacious and extractive systems that have exposed and continue to expose entire civilizations to genocide, cultural extermination, slavery, abject poverty, and underdevelopment.
The Nicaraguan people, lovers of freedom and defenders of peace, cannot turn a blind eye when speaking of the deep scars that colonialism has left on the soul of our nations. We speak of systematic genocides and decimated populations. We speak of cultural extermination where languages were banned, beliefs persecuted, and ancestral traditions ridiculed or eradicated—all in the name of a supposed "civilization" that, in reality, was barbarism disguised as progress. We also speak of slavery, that indelible stain on human history, which tore millions from their homes, chained them, and subjected them to lives of torture and servitude to fill the coffers of colonial empires.
The great revolutionary Frantz Fanon described colonialism as a model of domination that imposes, through violence, the belief in white-European racial superiority over other races or ethnicities. He also argued that anti-colonial violence acquires an emancipatory potential for oppressed peoples, compelling humans to reinvent themselves and break the physical and psychological chains imposed by the oppressor.
That is why, time and again, amid the grim narrative of oppression, the glow of resistance emerges—the unbreakable will of peoples for their liberation.
In that glorious chapter of the anti-colonial struggle, the glorious Algerian Revolution and the victorious struggle of the National Liberation Front (FLN) hold a prominent place. The Algerian people, under French colonial rule for more than 130 years, waged an unrelenting war of liberation, becoming an inexhaustible source of inspiration for revolutionary movements worldwide, particularly for the Sandinista National Liberation Front and the Nicaraguan people, who were preparing to lead their own revolutionary movement against the Somoza dictatorship and U.S. imperialism.
The victory of the Algerian Revolution was not just that of a people against an empire; it was the affirmation that dignity and self-determination are non-negotiable, that the will of a free people is invincible. The brutality of French repression, which claimed more than 1.5 million innocent lives, fueled the flames of resistance, demonstrating that the fiercest oppression generates the most tenacious rebellion.
The decolonization process, driven by the courage of Peoples like the Algerian, has been a monumental advance in human history. This blow to colonial empires marked the beginning of a new era—an era in which millions of human beings saw their national dignity restored and conquered the sovereign and inalienable right of every people to decide their destiny in peace, freedom, and free from threats and aggressions.
We must not, however, forget that entire peoples still suffer under the yoke of colonialism. Therefore, Nicaragua supports the right to independence and the just anti-colonialist struggle of the Saharawi Arab Republic, the Puerto Rican people, the Palestinian people, and many other peoples who deserve to live in freedom.
In this forum, Nicaragua raises its voice to condemn the Zionist regime of Israel, in the face of the barbarity of the genocide it commits against the heroic Palestinian people, the occupation of their legitimate territory, and the systematic actions of ethnic cleansing that violate every principle of humanity and international law.
We also raise our voice against injustice, aggression, and the provocation of the 12-day war against the Iranian people—a clear example of the ongoing interventionist threat of hegemonism. We denounce with the same force the criminal blockade against the noble Cuban people—a genocidal policy that seeks to subdue a sovereign nation simply for its unwavering determination to build its own socialist path.
We cannot fail to reject the imposition of unilateral, coercive, and extraterritorial measures against more than 30 countries—the so-called "sanctions," which are, in essence, acts of economic warfare, violations of international law, and completely immoral. These measures aim to stifle economies, generate destabilization, and overthrow governments that do not bow to imperial dictates.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Comrades,
It is important to celebrate our heroic victories; however, we must not fall into the grave error of complacency. Imperialism and colonialism persist in all their nefarious manifestations.
In the face of colonialism and imperialism, firm unity and cooperation among the countries of the Global South become more crucial than ever. Our voice, unified and strong, is essential to counter hegemony and build a new multipolar world order.
History teaches us that the victory of dignity over oppression is inevitable. Let us follow the example of Algeria and all the peoples who have broken their chains. United, with the firmness of our anti-imperialist and anti-colonialist principles, we will build a future of peace, justice, and true freedom for all humanity.
The Struggle Continues, and Victory is Certain!
Until Victory Always!
A Free Nation or Death!