Nicaragua: Death of a militant
Por: Pastor Valle-Garay
Senior Scholar, Universidad de York
Toronto – Over the long distance phone lines Herty Lewites asked me to keep calm. “Screw that!” I replied. “Easy for you to say it. These bastards surrounded my house, damaged the property and terrorized my family for two hours before a single cop showed up.”
“Don’t let assholes intimidate you! Worse things have happened. More will probably come. Just watch your back, brother!” said Herty. End of the conversation. The following day Nicaragua’s Ministry of External Affairs presented an official protest before the Canadian Government for leaving unprotected the integrity of the Consulate General of Nicaragua in Toronto, located in my residence.
The mob, made up of 60 members of the Jewish Defence League (JDL) had responded violently to a perverse an unfounded accusation by journalist Barbara Amiel in her Toronto Sun column in which Amiel demanded that the Jewish community demonstrated against the Nicaraguan Government’s anti-Semitism. The JDL thugs obeyed Amiel and attacked the Consulate.
A couple of months later Herty, a Nicaraguan Jew and Chief of Protocol in External Affairs, invited the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC) to Managua to see for themselves that in Nicaragua no one practiced anti-Semitism. And so it was. The CJC delegation returned to Canada convinced that the false accusation and the embarrassing incident were part of an anti sandinista campaign organized by Ronald Reagan’s White House and its attempts to overthrow the Sandinista Government. The CJC left Nicaragua without offering apologies. “Screw them! The revolution has more important things to do that persecute Jews,” said Herty. End of the incident. Typical reaction from Lewites.
On Sunday Lewites died of a massive heart attack. His death devastated Nicaragua and Sandinista sympathizers around the world. Herty gave his heart and his soul to Nicaragua’s revolutionary struggle and when there was no more to give, he gave his life. An extraordinary political strategist, the genial and untiring pillar of the Sandinista revolution was a man on a mission. Characteristically humble Lewites briefly resumed his quest: “I was born in a dictatorship and I don’t want to die under another dictatorship.”
Herty was 66 year old. In spite of numerous complications with his heart, bypasses, a pacemaker and several surgeries, he never slowed down. It was inevitable that in the end his struggle for the Nicaraguan people and for the Sandinista revolution which he loved so much would wear out the human meteorite. He would not be the first Lewites to go down with the boots on. His brother Israel, a fighter with the Sandinista National Liberation Front, died in combat against dictator Somoza’s National Guard.
Herty was a Sandinista militant for 35 years. He lived in exile, was jailed in the United States after purchasing weapons for the revolution in that country and fought in the Southern Front. We met in the ‘70’s. Herty coordinated solidarity in the United Status while I did the same in Canada. We spoke frequently with each other and met in the United States, Venezuela, Cuba, Costa Rica y finally, after the triumph of the Sandinista revolution in ’79, in Nicaragua.
Herty was successively appointed Chief of Protocol and Minister of Tourism in the new Nicaraguan Government while I became Charges d’Affaires and Consul General of Nicaragua in Toronto. The attacks by the Reagan government and the Contras further strengthened our friendship and our communications although the constant, long-distance strategy consultations irritated him. Nicaragua was in the eye of a US-sponsored military hurricane and the international media reported even the most inconsequential news in the Central American phenomenon. Herty always presented his best face to the foreign press. In private, however, it annoyed him. He would tell me not to send him any more reporters. “These assholes think the revolutionary commanders have nothing better to do than grant them interviews. We can’t run a government and fight a war at the same time with so many reporters getting in our way.” He was right of course but he was also smart enough to recognize that with the US press in Nicaragua, we had a terrific opportunity to present our position on the US aggression against Nicaragua before the American people. And we did.
More recently Herty would become the most successful Mayor of Managua, an office riddle by corruption by previous mayors and bureaucrats. Emboldened by his success and the resulting popularity among all levels of society, Herty announced in 2005 his decision to run for the presidency of Nicaragua in the November 2006 elections. In spite of losing the last three presidential elections Daniel Ortega, leader of the Sandinista party, planned to run for a fourth time and would not tolerate any challenges to his leadership. Ortega rejected Lewites’ candidacy and expelled him from the Sandinista militancy.
The unwarranted decision by Ortega caused great pain to Lewites. He strongly felt that presidential candidates ought to be chosen at a Convention by the rank and file of the Sandinista party. Ortega thought otherwise. Lewites did not back down. Enthusiastically supported by Sandinista militants who were unhappy with Ortega’s unilateral decision, the Movimiento Renovador Sandinista (MRS) party was formed. It intended to back Lewites’ candidacy, restructure the fragmented Sandista party and rid Nicaragua of the galloping corruption and the dirty political pacts which had the nation on the brink of economic, political and social disaster.
Herty’s popularity quickly placed him among the favourites to win the November presidential elections. Besides he counted on the formidable support of revolutionary commanders Luis Carrión, Víctor Tirado, Joaquín Cuadra, Henry Ruiz, Hugo Torres, Dora María Téllez y Mónica Baltodano, economist Edmundo Jarquín, former Nicaraguan Ambassador to Washington, literary figures Ernesto Cardenal, Sergio Ramírez, Gioconda Belli, Daisy Zamora y Alejandro Bendaña y other prominent sandinistas such as Víctor Hugo Tinoco, former Deputy Minister of External Affaire y director of Lewites presidential campaign, Fernando Cardenal, former Minister of Education, y Luis Enrique y Carlos Mejía Godoy, popular Nicaraguan composers and singers.
Herty’s electoral battle started to move full speed ahead. He was honest, enthusiastic, untiring, charismatic and straight as an arrow. No false modesty. No arrogance. A Sandinista in the style of Sandino. His electoral ticket included economist Jarquin as his Vice President. On Sunday destiny placed a dirty trick on the candidate and on the Nicaraguan people. Herty collapsed at home and died of a massive heart attack at the hospital.
In one of those delicious ironies that fascinated Herty so much the funeral services, attended by former presidents, dignitaries and thousands Nicaraguans from all walks of life, were held in the Santiago Apóstol Catholic Church in Jinotepe, the city of his birth. The casket of the ‘Jew from Jinotepe’ as Herty called himself, entered the Catholic church draped in the flag of Nicaragua and in the red and black emblem of the Sandinista Liberation National Front. Officiating the High Mass were the Archbishop of Managua Monsignor Leopoldo Brenes, the Vatican’s Apostolic Envoy Jean Paul Goebel and father Nagib Esqualit, a priest for the church of Santiago Apóstol.
In death Herty, the charismatic Nicaraguan Jew, managed once more to gather together under a Catholic roof the diverse Nicaraguan kaleidoscope. He did so without distinctions of creed, social classes or political affiliations. “Lewites’ death has united the Nicaraguan family,” indicated Monsignor Brenes in his homily.
“Around the body of Herty we have seen the reunited family; not just his biological family but also the Nicaraguan family. And at this moment we must believe that we truly are his family. Herty has awakened that feeling and we see that in everyone around him: a family of diverse religious, political and social creeds,” said Monsignor Brenes while Lewites’ body lied in state for the official Catholic High Mass. .
“If the grain of wheat does not fall to earth and dies, it remains infertile. Today a seed has been sown. That seed is Herty with his ideals, his mystique and his charisma. This seed will grow for the well-being of his family and also for the well-being of those around him,” concluded Monsignor Brenes.
Quite true. True also are the words of Nicaraguan journalist Edwin Sanchez who had lunch with Herty two days before his death. “In Nicaragua the trade of providing hope is dangerous.” Herty knew it. His commitment cost him his life. Nevertheles, just as he reacted when the mob attacked the Consulate, nothing and no one ever intimidated Herty Lewites in his struggle for the Nicaraguan people. He stayed true to the end. He leaves behind his example. He leaves behind the seed. Perhaps Lewites’ death will now accomplish Lewites’ dream of bringing together the Sandinista family.
Por: Pastor Valle-Garay
Senior Scholar, Universidad de York
Toronto – Over the long distance phone lines Herty Lewites asked me to keep calm. “Screw that!” I replied. “Easy for you to say it. These bastards surrounded my house, damaged the property and terrorized my family for two hours before a single cop showed up.”
“Don’t let assholes intimidate you! Worse things have happened. More will probably come. Just watch your back, brother!” said Herty. End of the conversation. The following day Nicaragua’s Ministry of External Affairs presented an official protest before the Canadian Government for leaving unprotected the integrity of the Consulate General of Nicaragua in Toronto, located in my residence.
The mob, made up of 60 members of the Jewish Defence League (JDL) had responded violently to a perverse an unfounded accusation by journalist Barbara Amiel in her Toronto Sun column in which Amiel demanded that the Jewish community demonstrated against the Nicaraguan Government’s anti-Semitism. The JDL thugs obeyed Amiel and attacked the Consulate.
A couple of months later Herty, a Nicaraguan Jew and Chief of Protocol in External Affairs, invited the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC) to Managua to see for themselves that in Nicaragua no one practiced anti-Semitism. And so it was. The CJC delegation returned to Canada convinced that the false accusation and the embarrassing incident were part of an anti sandinista campaign organized by Ronald Reagan’s White House and its attempts to overthrow the Sandinista Government. The CJC left Nicaragua without offering apologies. “Screw them! The revolution has more important things to do that persecute Jews,” said Herty. End of the incident. Typical reaction from Lewites.
On Sunday Lewites died of a massive heart attack. His death devastated Nicaragua and Sandinista sympathizers around the world. Herty gave his heart and his soul to Nicaragua’s revolutionary struggle and when there was no more to give, he gave his life. An extraordinary political strategist, the genial and untiring pillar of the Sandinista revolution was a man on a mission. Characteristically humble Lewites briefly resumed his quest: “I was born in a dictatorship and I don’t want to die under another dictatorship.”
Herty was 66 year old. In spite of numerous complications with his heart, bypasses, a pacemaker and several surgeries, he never slowed down. It was inevitable that in the end his struggle for the Nicaraguan people and for the Sandinista revolution which he loved so much would wear out the human meteorite. He would not be the first Lewites to go down with the boots on. His brother Israel, a fighter with the Sandinista National Liberation Front, died in combat against dictator Somoza’s National Guard.
Herty was a Sandinista militant for 35 years. He lived in exile, was jailed in the United States after purchasing weapons for the revolution in that country and fought in the Southern Front. We met in the ‘70’s. Herty coordinated solidarity in the United Status while I did the same in Canada. We spoke frequently with each other and met in the United States, Venezuela, Cuba, Costa Rica y finally, after the triumph of the Sandinista revolution in ’79, in Nicaragua.
Herty was successively appointed Chief of Protocol and Minister of Tourism in the new Nicaraguan Government while I became Charges d’Affaires and Consul General of Nicaragua in Toronto. The attacks by the Reagan government and the Contras further strengthened our friendship and our communications although the constant, long-distance strategy consultations irritated him. Nicaragua was in the eye of a US-sponsored military hurricane and the international media reported even the most inconsequential news in the Central American phenomenon. Herty always presented his best face to the foreign press. In private, however, it annoyed him. He would tell me not to send him any more reporters. “These assholes think the revolutionary commanders have nothing better to do than grant them interviews. We can’t run a government and fight a war at the same time with so many reporters getting in our way.” He was right of course but he was also smart enough to recognize that with the US press in Nicaragua, we had a terrific opportunity to present our position on the US aggression against Nicaragua before the American people. And we did.
More recently Herty would become the most successful Mayor of Managua, an office riddle by corruption by previous mayors and bureaucrats. Emboldened by his success and the resulting popularity among all levels of society, Herty announced in 2005 his decision to run for the presidency of Nicaragua in the November 2006 elections. In spite of losing the last three presidential elections Daniel Ortega, leader of the Sandinista party, planned to run for a fourth time and would not tolerate any challenges to his leadership. Ortega rejected Lewites’ candidacy and expelled him from the Sandinista militancy.
The unwarranted decision by Ortega caused great pain to Lewites. He strongly felt that presidential candidates ought to be chosen at a Convention by the rank and file of the Sandinista party. Ortega thought otherwise. Lewites did not back down. Enthusiastically supported by Sandinista militants who were unhappy with Ortega’s unilateral decision, the Movimiento Renovador Sandinista (MRS) party was formed. It intended to back Lewites’ candidacy, restructure the fragmented Sandista party and rid Nicaragua of the galloping corruption and the dirty political pacts which had the nation on the brink of economic, political and social disaster.
Herty’s popularity quickly placed him among the favourites to win the November presidential elections. Besides he counted on the formidable support of revolutionary commanders Luis Carrión, Víctor Tirado, Joaquín Cuadra, Henry Ruiz, Hugo Torres, Dora María Téllez y Mónica Baltodano, economist Edmundo Jarquín, former Nicaraguan Ambassador to Washington, literary figures Ernesto Cardenal, Sergio Ramírez, Gioconda Belli, Daisy Zamora y Alejandro Bendaña y other prominent sandinistas such as Víctor Hugo Tinoco, former Deputy Minister of External Affaire y director of Lewites presidential campaign, Fernando Cardenal, former Minister of Education, y Luis Enrique y Carlos Mejía Godoy, popular Nicaraguan composers and singers.
Herty’s electoral battle started to move full speed ahead. He was honest, enthusiastic, untiring, charismatic and straight as an arrow. No false modesty. No arrogance. A Sandinista in the style of Sandino. His electoral ticket included economist Jarquin as his Vice President. On Sunday destiny placed a dirty trick on the candidate and on the Nicaraguan people. Herty collapsed at home and died of a massive heart attack at the hospital.
In one of those delicious ironies that fascinated Herty so much the funeral services, attended by former presidents, dignitaries and thousands Nicaraguans from all walks of life, were held in the Santiago Apóstol Catholic Church in Jinotepe, the city of his birth. The casket of the ‘Jew from Jinotepe’ as Herty called himself, entered the Catholic church draped in the flag of Nicaragua and in the red and black emblem of the Sandinista Liberation National Front. Officiating the High Mass were the Archbishop of Managua Monsignor Leopoldo Brenes, the Vatican’s Apostolic Envoy Jean Paul Goebel and father Nagib Esqualit, a priest for the church of Santiago Apóstol.
In death Herty, the charismatic Nicaraguan Jew, managed once more to gather together under a Catholic roof the diverse Nicaraguan kaleidoscope. He did so without distinctions of creed, social classes or political affiliations. “Lewites’ death has united the Nicaraguan family,” indicated Monsignor Brenes in his homily.
“Around the body of Herty we have seen the reunited family; not just his biological family but also the Nicaraguan family. And at this moment we must believe that we truly are his family. Herty has awakened that feeling and we see that in everyone around him: a family of diverse religious, political and social creeds,” said Monsignor Brenes while Lewites’ body lied in state for the official Catholic High Mass. .
“If the grain of wheat does not fall to earth and dies, it remains infertile. Today a seed has been sown. That seed is Herty with his ideals, his mystique and his charisma. This seed will grow for the well-being of his family and also for the well-being of those around him,” concluded Monsignor Brenes.
Quite true. True also are the words of Nicaraguan journalist Edwin Sanchez who had lunch with Herty two days before his death. “In Nicaragua the trade of providing hope is dangerous.” Herty knew it. His commitment cost him his life. Nevertheles, just as he reacted when the mob attacked the Consulate, nothing and no one ever intimidated Herty Lewites in his struggle for the Nicaraguan people. He stayed true to the end. He leaves behind his example. He leaves behind the seed. Perhaps Lewites’ death will now accomplish Lewites’ dream of bringing together the Sandinista family.
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