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Adiós muchachos: Una memoria de la revolucion sandinista (Spanish Edition)

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The life of Sergio Ramirez has been an effort to bring about logical, intelligent change to the Central American isthmus and to develop his narrative along revolutionary lines. This book is a prime example of the importance of Sergio as one of the most essential and overlooked authors in Latin American literature. His ability to bring alive the dreams, plights, success and defeat of the Nicaraguan revolution, more than 10 years their electoral downfall, shows how politics and human sensitivity are intertwined in Latin America. His account of the Sandinista revolution is excellent because from its start, he was a player, and although he did not fall within the dogmas of some of his contemporaries, he is not without fault. At its core, his account continues that old school adage "Don't mess with Uncle Sam".

Book Review: Adios Muchachos ( In Spanish) Author: Sergio Ramirez

The Author: Sergio Ramirez is re-known nicaraguan writer, a lawyer, and former member of the sandinista governing Junta throughout the eighties, then vice-president and more recently, chairman of the Sandinista political party. As a novelist he is known as author of several novels, his mosr recent is "Margarita Esta Linda La Mar" (1996), essayist and short story writer.

More than one country in Latina America had a writer for president. Costa Rica, Peru and Cuba (Marti), are only a few to name. Sergio managed to stay at the highest ranking governing circles for almost two decades from 1979 until his resignation in 1999 from his seat as Chairman of the Sandinista powerful political party. This was 3 years after his defeat running for his second term as vice-president candidate in 1996.

This book reveals a credible account from a true insider of the preamble to the war, the glory of victory, and the un-expected political struggle that the Sandinistas went through to stay in power and ultimately lose it. Because the free elections took place in a country that had been for ten years fighting a Contra War which depleted the national budget making it almost impossible to rule.

In his narrative, the protagonists come and go ( or die) like characters in a play. Some manage to come back "with a different costume" like a in giant theater, and history becomes a play with episodes. As Sergio relates, "I am glad I was not born before or after this chapter of history, because I would have missed it". Asked if he has any regrets, Sergio answers: "We did what it was right back then, what happened later we had few idea, how it would be "

Apparently, after reading the Epilog it seems that the true protagonist (if any other than the revolution itself) is Idania ( who was my sister) symbolizing the spirit of sacrifice and heroism that made this chapter of the nicaraguan history possible. Her martyrdom symbolizes the crushing of a dream. I was particularly moved by this. Idania, Araceli and Dora Maria were for the nicaraguan revolution what Haydee Santamaria and Celia Sanchez were for its cuban counterpart.

Sergio concludes his story with an interview with Claudia, the daughter that Idania had left in care of her parents ( and mine) when death came by surprise ( and to her 5 comrades) as member of the Sandinista Commando that was actually running the war in the Western Front in April 1979. The interview takes place in a Deli shop in Arlington, Virginia, an area of town where lobbyists, journalists and essayists meet for lunch and discuss policies and legislation. As she waves good bye before boarding the subway train, the scene symbolizes the return to normal lives of the protagonists of this Episode in the nicaraguan history. Apparently as if nothing has happened in last 20 years. Or has it? Is there a legacy or rewards? Sergio says there is...

Segio Ramíres ha plasmado en el papel los momentos heróicos y gloriosos de la revolución sandinista. L amagia de su estilo describe la alegria y el sufrimiento, las penas y las glorias, los trinfos y las derrotas, las ilusiones y frustaciones, los sueños y las realidades, del alma del nicaragüense durante las décadas de lucha para derribar una dictadura.

Este libro, el único en su estilo, será de gran valor para generaciones que dentro de unos 10 ó 20 años lo lean. Aprenderán a querer y servir a Nicaragua, a respetar a todos aquellos héroes y mártires que como Leonel Rugama vivieron vida de santaos y murieron mártires. Las futuras genraciones aprenderán también a valorar y hacer una crítica justa y constructiva por los desatinos, productos de la misma naturaleza humana.

Las futuras generaciones sabrán juzgar los hechos que fueron por encima de todo heróicos y gloriosis

Ademas de un poco de Historia de la Revolucion Sandinista encontramos al estilo unico de Sergio Ramirez una gran Novela, Daniel Ortega(Lider Sandinista y ex-presidente de NIC) lo califico en signo de burla como un gran "Cuentista" y no lo podemos negar este Señor es un gran Narrador sus novelas han triunfado a nivel internacional y a ayudado a muchos otros escritores Nicaraguenses a salir adelante. Adios Muchachos esta lleno de sinceridad me agrado mucho ver que se aceptan que hubo muchos errores en la decada de los 80 cuando el regimen sandinista estaba a cargo,lo recomiendo tanto para todos aquellos que se enamoraron y apoyaron la revolucion en sus inicios como para todos aquellos que salieron de Nicaragua por motivos politicos, "un libro escrito con valor"

This political memoir is very fair, lucid, and self-aware. Very helpful if you would like to understand more about what has gone on, and is going on in Nicaragua.

Todo perfecto, el libro en buen estado pese a ser de segunda mano. Los plazos de envio rapidosy recibido en el plazo esperado

A nuestro amigo Sergio Ramirez parese que la memoria le esta fallando o quiere hacer parecer a Daniel Ortega como unico rsponsable de todos los crimenes, abusos, vejaciones, torturas y asesinatos que tuvieron lugar en Nicaragua durante su "democratico" gobierno, que como el mismo dice en el libro esa es precisamente el gran legado que dejaron en Nicaragua, yo y muchas personas que conocemos la realidad de Nicaragua sabemos que el gran legado que dejaron fueron la fatidica Pinata, y la cantidad de madres con hijos muertos en nombre de la Robo-lucion y un pais que solamente es superado en miseria por Haiti en este hemisferio, es facil hecharle la culpa a los americanos de todos los males que aquejan a Nicaragua, cuando la revolucion triunfo el 99% de la poblacion apoyo al nuevo gobierno, pero la prepotencia, el desprecio y la creencia de que ellos eran invencibles los llevo a manubriar de una manera que iba en contra de la misma indiosincrecia de los Nicaraguenses, ahora nos llega este senor con estas memorias de la fatidica revolucion, y nos quiere hacer creer que los errores fueron por simples equivocaciones, por favor senor Ramirez o ud se quedo sin memoria o ud anda fumado de marihuana, por que fueron once largos anos de errores y equivocaciones, yo creo que tiempo suficiente tuvieron para tratar de enderezar un barco que poco a poco se hundia, y uds nunca quisieron rectificar, por eso en las elecciones del 96" el pueblo de Nicaragua le mando un mensaje bien claro a ud, nunca mas el pueblo de Nicaragua quiere saber de proyectos y experimentos de gobiernos en la que el pueblo tenga que pagar una cuota tan elevada de sangre, muerte y destruccion, y en una eleccion libre ud nunca llegara a nada, si no intentelo, y buena suerte.

El poder corrompe y el poder absoluto corrompe absolutamente, ha dicho Garcia Marquez. El libro de Ramirez es sin duda una prueba adicional de esta afirmacion, dolorosa prueba para aquellos que crecimos creyendo que la revolucion sandinista marcaba un rumbo para latinoamerica.

Extraniamente, la energia personal de Ramirez refleja la corrosion (no puedo decir corrupcion) del poder: nunca he conocido a otra persona con tan mala energia y desilusion del genero humano, hablando de ideales y de luchas en las que no cree. Juraria que este señor se levanta añorando las tardes dulces del poder, como el coronel Aureliano Buendia con sus calzoncillos de godo, la bacinilla en la mano, camino al taller de orfebreria.....