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Elida GaleanoNicaraguan political and social activist
Date of Birth: 18.02.1965
Country:  Nicaragua |
Content:
- Nicaraguan Political Career and Peace Advocate
- Anti-Sandinista Movement
- Peace Negotiations and National Reconciliation
- Post-War Initiatives and Collaboration with the FSLN
- Parliamentary Career
- Social Reintegration and New Political Initiatives
- Family and Legacy
Nicaraguan Political Career and Peace Advocate
Early Life and ActivismÉlida María Galeano, a Nicaraguan political and social activist, was born into a peasant family in a rural village in Jinotega. Her family's hostility towards the Marxist Sandinista Front of National Liberation (FSLN) government, due to its collectivization policies, state control, and persecution of Catholicism, shaped her political views. In 1979, at the age of 14, she and her brother, Israel Galeano, joined the MILPAS anti-Sandinista militia and participated in armed operations.
Anti-Sandinista Movement
In 1981, Galeano joined the anti-communist organizations Legion 15 September and the Nicaraguan Democratic Forces (FDN). She became a member of the Contras' armed forces, known as the Nicaraguan Resistance Army (ERN), and fought against the Sandinistas in the departments of Jinotega and Nueva Segovia, earning the nickname "Comandante Chaparra" (Commander Shorty).
Peace Negotiations and National Reconciliation
On March 23, 1988, the Sandinista government and the Contras signed the Sapoa Peace Accords, ending the eight-year civil war. In 1990, the Sandinistas lost the national elections, and Israel Galeano accepted a position in the government of Violetta Barrios de Chamorro. Élida Galeano was present at the ceremony where her brother symbolically surrendered his weapon to symbolize national reconciliation. Two years later, Israel Galeano died in a car accident.
Post-War Initiatives and Collaboration with the FSLN
Galeano established the Resistance Association of Nicaragua in Israel Galeano's Name (ARNIG) and became a leader of the Democratic Movement of the Nicaraguan Resistance (MDRN). In 1996, the MDRN formed a political alliance with the FSLN, making Galeano one of the first Contras to join forces with the former enemy. This move was motivated by national interests and the social needs of the Contras.
Parliamentary Career
Galeano was elected to the National Assembly as a member of the FSLN in 2006 and re-elected in 2011. She serves on parliamentary committees related to defense, security, human rights, and foreign affairs. Galeano advocates for social policy, support for civil war veterans, public safety, transportation, and labor migration. In 2012, she initiated the creation of the National Resistance Day holiday on June 27th, recognizing the contributions of Nicaraguan men and women who fought in the war.
Social Reintegration and New Political Initiatives
In 2015, Galeano proposed a bill for the social reintegration of resistance veterans into the armed forces and the Ministry of the Interior. She also initiated the formation of the Nicaraguan Resistance Alliance Party (PARN). Galeano was re-elected to the National Assembly as an FSLN representative in 2016 and also serves as a member of the Central American Parliament.
Family and Legacy
Élida María Galeano is married and has four children. Her cousin, Lucíla Galeano, served as a nurse and radio operator with the Contras during the war and later worked in the health system of the Organization of American States (OAS). Galeano's contributions to the peace process, reconciliation, and social support for veterans have been recognized and honored.
