THE roots of these links extend back to the anti-imperialist struggle led by Augusto Sandino from 1927 to 1933. Sandino, considered a revolutionary hero in Latin America, led a rebellion against the US occupation of Nicaragua.

A Colombian-born Palestinian named Ghadeer Abu Sneineh joined Sandino’s guerilla army, recognising parallels between the oppression by colonial powers in Latin America and Palestine. Following Sandino’s assassination by the US-backed Somoza, Abu Sneineh travelled to Palestine to join the 1936 Arab revolt against British colonial rule.

Three years after the Establishment of the Sandinista National Liberation Front, (FSLN) in 1961, the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) was founded. The FSLN sent combatants to Lebanon to train alongside PLO fighters: one notable figure was Patricio Arguello, a Nicaraguan US, who trained in Palestinian camps in Jordan and was killed during an internationalist mission to free Palestinian prisoners.

During the 1970s, the PLO supported the FSLN’s struggle against the Somoza dictatorship, and many Nicaraguans of Palestinian heritage, with surnames such as Hassan, Halum, and Abdallah, joined the FSLN.

In 1980, a year after the FSLN overthrew Somoza, Nicaragua became the first Central American country to establish diplomatic relations with Palestine, continuing these solidarity links throughout the 1980s. In 1988, Nicaragua was among the first countries to support the establishment of Palestine as an independent state.

Meanwhile, Israel-US solidarity became well-established. By the 1970s Israe had cemented its reputation as a supplier of weaponry and training to US-backed military dictatorships including the Somoza family in Nicaragua. When the US escalated its illegal attempts to overthrow the Sandinista government in the 1980s, Israel provided weapons and training to the US-backed contra forces based in Honduras.

Nicaragua-Palestine solidarity since 2023, and the International Court of Justice

Over the past year, this two-way solidarity has been exemplified by people-to-people exchanges between the two countries and Nicaragua using its experience of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to expose the actions of Israel and its accomplices.

In the 1980s, the US waged a covert war against the Sandinista government through financing, training and politically supporting mercenaries based in Honduras known as the contras.

The Sandinista government responded not only with a military mobilisation but also by taking the US to the ICJ, arguing that the contra war violated international law.

Nicaragua’s David versus Goliath victory, showcased the contempt for international law by the US. Despite the ICJ ruling in Nicaragua’s favour the US refused to accept the verdict or pay $17 billion reparations owed to Nicaragua.

Nicaragua views the ICJ as a means of resistance, an “international legal weapon” and a “solidarity instrument.” Over the past year, Nicaragua has therefore used its legal experience to support cases against Israel at the ICJ, aiming at halting the Israeli war on Palestine.

This included backing South Africa’s case against Israel under the UN Genocide Convention and pursuing its own case against Germany for “facilitating the commission of genocide” in Palestine.

In its case against Germany, Nicaragua argued that by supplying arms to Israel and de-funding the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Germany was complicit in genocide.

Nicaragua’s legal efforts resulted in international embarrassment for Germany, a reduction in German arms sales to Israel, and the reinstatement of its funding to UNRWA.

This action sets a precedent for holding other countries, including Britain, accountable for their involvement in crimes committed by third-party states.

This partial legal victory, however, has had repercussions. Following the ICJ’s announcement, the US Senate threatened approval of further US sanctions on Nicaragua.

In a related development, the ICJ issued an unprecedented advisory opinion in July 2024, that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian lands dating back to 1957 is unlawful and must end.

Solidarity through people-to-people links: sharing medical knowledge

In July, renowned Palestinian resistance figure Leila Khaled visited Nicaragua to take part in the celebrations of the 45th anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution and to visit schools, colleges and universities to raise awareness of atrocities being committed in Gaza, and to strengthen Palestine-Nicaragua solidarity.

In her speech, Khaled said: “I am proud of this revolutionary leadership that has denounced before the International Court of Justice the murderers of children and babies, and those complicit in these crimes.”

Additionally, since the signing of a technical agreement in 2019, Palestine and Nicaragua have shared expertise, particularly in healthcare. A Palestinian doctor has trained Nicaraguan trauma specialists, enabling doctors to perform specialised spinal surgeries, making Nicaragua the only Central American country to offer these surgeries free.

Palestine will be free

As Palestinian deaths at the hands of Israel reach 50,000, the blatant contempt for international law on the part of Israel and its accomplices has been graphically exposed.

The momentum is growing globally, from UN denunciations to street mobilisations, from student encampments to pro-Palestine football … and escalating protests within Israel itself.

The ICJ cases are also an important part of this picture.

Nicaragua’s leaders are optimistic, arguing that the apartheid regime fell because of mobilisations inside South Africa and internationally leading to countries ceasing collaboration with South Africa. Could this happen in the case of Israel?  

For further information on the Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign Action Group visit www.nscag.org.uk.

Julie Lamin from NSCAG will make a special presentation on how Latin America stands with Palestine alongside guests from across Latin America at the major “Viva la Solidaridad! Stand with Latin America’s Left” event in Liverpool at 6.30pm on Monday September 23 at the Racquet Club Hotel and Ziba Restaurant, L3 9AG. Reserve a place in advance at www.bit.ly/latinamericasolidarity.