There were two armies with the acronym MILPAS in Nicaragua. The first, ''Milicias Populares Anti-Somocistas'', fought alongside the

Sandinista National Liberation Front The Sandinista National Liberation Front ( es, Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional, FSLN) is a socialist political party in Nicaragua. Its members are called Sandinistas () in both English and Spanish. The party is named after Augusto C ...

against the regime of

Anastasio Somoza Debayle Anastasio "Tachito" Somoza Debayle (; 5 December 1925 – 17 September 1980) was the President of Nicaragua from 1 May 1967 to 1 May 1972 and from 1 December 1974 to 17 July 1979. As head of the National Guard, he was ''de facto'' ruler of ...

. The second, ''Milicias Populares Anti-Sandinistas'', was one of the earliest rebel groups that would form the contra movement.

History

Beginning in September 1978, the

Frente Obrero Frente Obrero (Spanish for 'Workers Front') was a national trade union centre in Nicaragua. It was founded c. 1972-74, as the trade union wing of the MAP-ML. When the National Reconstruction Government was formed on July 19, 1979, FO had one of ...

and MAP-ML organized the Milicias Populares Anti-Somocistas. In rural areas, they fought in the north with Germán Pomares, "El Danto." They also played important roles in the liberation of Leon, Chinandega and other cities and towns, and in Managua they fought on the barricades put up in the working class barrios, taking part in the final destruction of the National Guard in its last stronghold. Among the hundreds of MILPAS fighters killed was Hernaldo Herrera Tellez, “Nano,” the general secretary of FO and a member of the national leadership of MAP-ML. MAP-ML and FO then dissolved the MILPAS they led on July 25,1979--several days after victory. Thereafter, MAP-ML and FO called upon the former Milicias Populares Anti-Somocistas fighters and others to support and join the Sandinista Popular Army and Militias as the contra war flared up against the new government, with many heeding their call. ''Prensa Proletaria'', May 1987 https://www.marxists.org/history/erol/ncm-1/workers-advocate/17-7.html#article2699 The earliest

contras The Contras were the various U.S.-backed and funded right-wing rebel groups that were active from 1979 to 1990 in opposition to the Marxist Sandinista Junta of National Reconstruction Government in Nicaragua, which came to power in 1979 ...

inside Nicaragua were the MILPAS (''Milicias Populares Anti-Sandinistas''), peasant militias led by disillusioned Sandinistas. Founded by Pedro Joaquín González, whose nom de guerre was "Dimas", the Contra Milpistas were also known as ''chilotes'' (green corn). Even after his death, other MILPAS bands sprouted during 1980–1981. The Milpistas were composed largely of the campesino highlanders and rural workers who would later form the rank and file of the rebellion. This MILPAS assimilated into the

Nicaraguan Democratic Force The Nicaraguan Democratic Force (', or FDN) was one of the earliest Contra groups, formed on August 11, 1981 in Guatemala City. It was formed to oppose Nicaragua's revolutionary Sandinista government following the 1979 overthrow of Anastasio Somo ...

(FDN). By 1985, most of the FDN's regional commands were headed by MILPAS veterans. By late 1987, the ranks of ex-MILPAS regional commanders included:

References

* * History of Nicaragua Nicaraguan rebels Contras Military wings of political parties Organizations of the Nicaraguan Revolution Guerrilla movements in Latin America {{mil-stub