From Publishers Weekly
Son of a Nicaraguan politician, the author served in Washington as diplomatic representative of the Sandinistas and later the contras , and was privy to their internal squabbling over political and military strategy, the issue and ramifications of U.S. support and sundry personal rivalries. Though readers may find his account disappointing and confusing, his report of Oliver North's United Nicaraguan Opposition (UNO) activities will interest followers of the Iran- contra affair. Cruz believes that North never intended UNO to get off the ground, but created it to satisfy the demands of Congress. The author argues that "Americans enjoyed the spectacle of Nicaraguans feuding bitterly among themselves"; commenting on our ignorance of the Nicaraguan psyche, he writes, "The American is rational, individualistic, self-responsible. We aren't." Of his affair with Fawn Hall, Cruz merely remarks that the two argued over whether the attraction was based on love or politics.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
This memoir provides a rare perspective on the events of Nicaragua over the past decade--that of a political insider. Cruz, son of the official opposition presidential candidate in the 1984 Nicaraguan elections, details infighting among the Sandinistas and the contras alike, characterizing it as Nicaraguan politics as usual. He reveals how these Central Americans perceived the American attempts to influence the course of events in the region. Cruz shares views, insights, and gossip as he chronicles his movement from Sandinista diplomat to contra official and, finally, to an analyst withdrawn from Nicaraguan politics. His journey brought him into contact with the many actors of Contragate, including a romantic liaison with Oliver North's secretary Fawn Hall. This is lively reading and brings human lives to the forefront of international political events in Central America.
- James A. Rhodes, Luther Coll . , Decorah, Ia.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
- James A. Rhodes, Luther Coll . , Decorah, Ia.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
