Pro-Government Militias
Sandinista Popular/People's Militias (Nicaragua)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | no |
| PGM ID Number: | 358 |
| Country: | Nicaragua |
| Date formed: | Jan. 1, 1980 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | year |
| Details of Formation: | The Sandinista Popular/People’s Militia was formed in early 1980 and had developed out of the Sandinista insurrection. |
| Date dissolved: | April 25, 1990 |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | day |
| Details of Termination: | The army and militia were drastically reduced as part of a peace deal signed after a new administration took office under Mrs Violeta Barrios de Chamorro as President and Minister of Defence. The group did not disappear altogether, though, but gradually diminished in size. |
| Termination Type(s): | change in government |
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): | none |
| Successor group(s): | none |
| Private Military Company? | no |
| Former Group? | yes |
| Former Armed Group? | yes |
| Former Rebel Group? | yes |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: | 758 |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? | no |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: | semi-official (type 2) |
| Created by the Government?: | no | Main Creating Government Institution: | no information |
| Government Link(s): | political party |
| If link to party, name of party: | FSLN |
| Training and Equipment: | yes |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | yes |
| Shared Personnel: | no information |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | domestic government |
| State Sponsor(s): | none |
| Other Connection(s): |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | village/rural; urban; adolescents; party activists; workers; students; peasants |
| Primary Membership: | political |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | Nationwide |
| Force Strength: | [50000, 300000] |
| Target(s): | rebels, insurgents, or other armed group; foreigners |
| Purpose(s): | protect state, national or religious institutions; protect national borders and integrity; protect property and investment; self-defense and security; intelligence gathering |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Membership: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Purpose: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: | not applicable |
Other Information
| Other Information: |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | The militia served a wide arrange of purposes. Initially its role was mainly to be an auxiliary police force and provide public security. With time, its prevailing purpose became to protect national integrity by fighting against Contra rebels. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | local presence |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | unknown |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | no |
| PGM Members Paid? | no information |
| Reasons for Membership: | Members were supporters of President Ortega. Many had already fought for the Sandinists in the final stages of the 1979 revolution. |
| PGM Members Killed? | sometimes |
PGM Size
| Size: | The estimates vary significantly. News sources reported for 1982 70,000 militia members, for 1983 100,000 and for 1984 at least 50,000. In 1987, a news source mentions that Ortega handed out weapons to more than 300,000 citizens, in a move resembling the building of the militia. |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: | In 1981, there were 100 training centres organised by the government. Militia members were encouraged to join the training several afternoons a month; members with outstanding performances receive additional training and join reserve battalions. The training was led by the military. In 1985, the government supplied the militia with 200,000 rifles, submachine guns and machine pistols. In 1987 again, it distributed rifles to 300,000 Nicaraguans. The militia’s weapons included Soviet AK-47 rifles. |
Organisation
| Organisation: | The militia is linked to the Sandinist party and organized into territorial units. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.