Customer Reviews

Death of Somoza

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I just finished this book two weeks ago. It's short and engaging, so for anyone interested in central american history there is no excuse not to read this book. It's a day by day account of the plotting and carrying out of a murder of a man who probably deserved it. All the details are laid out: how they found out where Somoza was, how they got the safe house( which is a great story in itself which I won't reveal), their fears and gaffes, etc. What really struck me was the abscence of self-glorification. This group struck down the man who held the record for theft until Marcos and his wife left town about ten years later. You would think they were entitled to a little dance in the end zone, not them though, they were all business about it. So allow me to raise a toast for them. Though this isn't the kind of story that's supposed to warm one's heart, it does satisfy. In this age there are too many examples of dictators either dying of old age at home or living the life of riley in exile: stalin, pinochet, stroessner, imelda marcos, idi amin, and that guy from ethiopia whose name escapes me, and castro( technically he's neither but the man got away with it and that's my point) to name a few, it's good to know that justice prevails every once in awhile. And I think these people deserve our praise and more people should read and know this story.

.. without a doubt one of the best testimonials to ever be released to the Latin American revolutionary scene. This one definitely ranks right up there with Ana Guadalupe Martinez' "Las Carceles Clandestinas" and Roque Dalton's "Miguel Marmol". The reader will find the last chapter the best, when Comandante Ramon discusses the nervousness and apprehensions he and the "compas" feel when the moment for action is upon them. I had a hard time putting the book down, and for anyone who has ever lived/traveled in the Central American region and knows the hardships and history of the people well, this short piece is a must have, if for nothing else than its extraordinary retelling of one of the most remarkable events pertinent to the region in the last 50 years.

The slant on this book is toward the left. It tries to justify the murder of A. Somoza, Former President of Nicaragua as bringing to justice a brutal leader. I have some problems with those that committed this murder, and how the authors wrote the book.

First off, the murderers were Argentine ERT terrorists, who were infamous in their own country for their brutal killings and kidnapping. These guys and gals were not pikers. They were experienced terrorists.

Second, they stated they wanted to rid the world of a brutal dictator and help international solidarity. Why not kill a more brutal dictator than Somoza. His name is F. Castro. I equate international solidarity to socialist imperialism. They condemn American actions in Latin America, but do not condemn Cuban meddling on the continent.

Third, murderers claimed they did act out of their gracious nature. Where did they get the money? They got the money from either the Cuban or Nicaraguan government. Thats where they got it. They were just paid assasins. Nothing more and nothing less.

Do not glorify these guys or gals for what they did. They were paid to perform a hit. The Sandinistas were as bad as Somoza. The book glosses over all these facts.

The writing on this book was OK and the story of the stalking itself was interesting. However authors tried to place a positive spin on people who were murderers and terrorists.