Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - July 20, 1979, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg free july 1979 f a photo a band of sandinista guerrillas in Southern Nicaragua sing and chant slogans after hearing of Anastasio Somoza departure this night of horror ends with music Nicaragua it was a night of horror that one red Cross official called the worst of the War As renegade National guard soldiers not for their but for their lives in Small groups throughout the no one had told them the War was shortly before Managua woke up to the sound of music rebel hymns and songs of Triumph pouring from the National radio that Only wednesday had warned of death and destruction at the hand of the communist be the radio told act with the moment is coming when All regardless of their can go into the streets together and to the National guard the radio you have no reason to Somoza has interim presi Dent Urcuyo has National guard director Mejia and the entire command has there is nothing to dont lose your life go to the nearest the nearest red surrender your Early this sandinista guerrillas surrounded the the office and residence of former presi Dent Anastasio Somoza inside the National guard Headquarters rifles they moved cautiously Somoza Era ends with bunkers fall through the expecting soldiers to jump out from behind a Row of empty Mercedes cars and armoured the Only living thing they found inside was a Hal grown German abandoned by its master and wandering for a few the guerrillas stood in and it soon became apparent that they did not know which of the Many doors in the Complex led to the inner Sanctum that had been the focus of their hatred for so Many a foreign photographer recording their Entrance had to direct the Sandin Istas to Somoza by sandinista leaders Comandante Marcos and Coman Dante Oscar had set up their head quarters members of the popular Mili the Youthful sandinista supporters in Managua poor had launched Impromptu parades through out the hanging out of the windows and sitting on the roofs of commandeered pickup buses and National guard statue pulled Down at the sports stadium named for Somoza crowds pulled Down an equestrian statue of the dynasty founder and ripped the letters of his name from the with a sound like a thousand fourths of shots fired in the air rang throughout the by the Young rebels had filled National guard Headquarters and were helping them selves despite guerrilla orders to main Tain sent to temporary Refuge in an embassy or other Centre until their futures were straightened neither guerrillas nor guns were in at red Cross centres and hundreds of National guard soldiers lined up to seek most were in the civilian clothes they had worn under the uniforms that this morning littered the inside the refugee the sol Diers appeared More Shell shocked and confused than they were processed by red Cross who took Down their names and gave them numbers and told them they would be one Young guerrilla assigned to guard the National telecommunications Center stood with a smile on his face and a Large Orange Beach perched incongruously on his theres nothing to worry he told anxious motorists with a reference to the sandinista slogan a free or this is a free with no More the Washington Post Nicaragua the Bun Ker was once the seat of Power for president Anastasio Somoza of Nicara but now it is Only an eerie Symbol of Somoza fled the country before Dawn his Francisco followed him into exile 36 hours the new government picked by the sandinista rebels who won the civil was expected in Managua yesterday in the no one ruled the Bunker is a Complex of window less offices and rooms on a Small Hill that rises Over the earthquake shattered capital of Somoza used it As both an office and a and who refused to implement the peace agreement after Somoza used it As his office As yesterday the empty Bunker had the look of the unkempt apartment of a Bachelor who had left for work in a perhaps planning to make the bed on his Somoza army fatigues Lay across his unmade a Book in beat Lay on a bedside no one had tidied up the and Somoza shaving and toilet Arti cles were strewn along the rim of the his dining room had a bottle of Tabasco sauce on the rooms entered each like turns in a photographs of the almost two months of fighting in the civil War were scattered across the desk of his a huge Seal of the presidency of Nicaragua was carved into the wooden Wall behind one Small office hinted at the flight of a once powerful its floors were knee deep in shredded the remnants of old documents of a War operations with maps on its displayed an enlarged photo graph of his also named Anas Tasio a Man who used the american trained nicaraguan National guard to seize Power and begin the Somoza dynasty in the the Pic Tures included a photograph of Pope John Paul ii and a print of Lucy from the peanuts comic during the a group of sandinista rebels stormed the although there were exchanges of fire with some the sandinista met no real taxi Drivers waved them on like third base coaches sending runners to Home it didst take very Long for the Young rebels to seize the old seat of Somoza the los Angeles times an hour before the sandinista arrived at the a group of journalists had gone through Somoza quarters and found them As though their occupant had just gone out for a cup of papers Lay strewn across the recep Tion desk where Only hours before National guard soldiers had loaded their behind the office was the Small apartment where Somoza spent his last weeks in across an unmade bed Lay a military fatigue uniform with the name Somoza across the inside the closets Hung rows of dress each with the five stars of the supreme National guard commander on their when the sandinista finally came they ran about pocketing spying a Youthful portrait of Somoza on the they ripped it Tore it to shreds and one Man urinated on deposed Leader denies any role in Urcuyo plan the Celebration in Managua began but soon gathered momentum As residents realized the fighting was really crying and people ran for their cars and Tore through the streets with horns others stood on the curbs or wandered the streets in not quite knowing what to it seemed As though they Grin wave their fingers spread in a v for High As if out of the thousands of armed Young men and women a Miami Beach Nicaragua de posed Anasa Stio Here yesterday he had nothing to do with his successors Short lived plan to remain in office despite an agree ment to Transfer Power to the Somoza responded during a press conference in his House Here when he was asked if he was personally responsible for Francisco Urcuyo announced intention to fill Somoza term until 1981 rather than relinquish Power Somoza called Urcuyo statement a tremendous political mistake because a had Given our word that the Steps were going to be he said that Urcuyo after 36 hours in did a Telephone Call from Somo Somoza told reporters gathered in his formerly the residence of the archbishop of that he pointed out to lets be lets keep our word on this and after that everything fell into Somoza claimed he did not mention to Urcuyo Carter administration threats from the highest level that might be exiled from the United states if Urcuyo did not step Down As the former nicaraguan whose family dynasty controlled the Central american nation for 42 years after initial Maneu Werings by the United repeatedly referred to the Transfer of a govern ment As though it were a business depended on Deal Deputy Secretary of state Warren Somoza advised me if the Deal went through i was Welcome to the United but if the Deal did not go through i was not on other Points Somoza d said he tape recorded key conversations with officials As a record for d claimed that the United states Dis cussed logistical support for his National guard after a lapse of time so the guard could be a stabilizing the United states advocated for a time a combining of National guard and sandinista forces after a change in d said his family Fortune was about not million As some have and that million in riches were left behind in Somoza has said he declared to officials he was bringing into the country when he d challenged the United states and latin american countries to make Good on carrying out the Organiza Tion of american states Resolution calling for a democratic government in Nicaragua and enforcement of human Early elections and Money for it is not a democratic Somoza said of the it is a communist Junta dominated by com Somoza also said he might contemplate supporting a counterrevolution against any communist government in but he added that he is not trying to Start up anything while i am Here in the United states because i understand the he said his plans include a three month vacation in an other country where he will not be blamed for the Washington Post for Quick exit from sit on the aisle rules Are made to be but the extent to which there being Bent to facilitate expansion of the Winnipeg Arena is cause for the rules involve safety standards for the enlarged facility and have thrown the project into another Contro a City building inspector who was going by the Book had ruled that exits in the revamped Arena do not meet provincial building standards and could be potentially dangerous in Case of fire or other it was on that basis that building inspections supervisor Fred Nicholson refused to Issue a building permit to Winnipeg enterprises the corporation appealed the Deci Sion to civic environment convincing councillors that aisles and Alice Krueger stairways were adequate because it Only takes five minutes to Clear fans from seat to argued the other hockey facilities Don t comply with up Odate building codes some that like saying theres nothing wrong with jaywalking because everyone else does perhaps the building code is too stringent in this on the other Nicholson said expansion architects didst even come close to adhering to the intent of construction requirements and that sometimes it Doest make sense to go by the but when it comes to a matter As important As Public its better to err on the Side of no one wants to find out the hard a Chain letter with religious Over tones is making the rounds in Winnipeg and heres hoping it gets Short circuit de before it goes much although this one is not blatantly illegal in that it Doest ask for its a Chain letter of the worst kind because it plays on Peoples fears and it starts off with a prayer and then promises Good Luck within four Days of receiving the letter provided you in turn Send out 20 copies to friends and if you dire consequences will befall like the general in the Phillip Ines who lost his wife six Days after receiving the All because he broke the Joe Elliott received and lost it because he ignored the some one by the name of Belon Fairchild received the Chain and not believing in threw it he died nine Days Carlo Dewitt lost his Job because he forgot about the there is a Happy ending to this Carlo Reco Vered the letter and sent out 20 copies As per five Days later he found an even better there is the inference of monetary Constantino for won a lottery a few Days after receiving his the letter claims to have originated with a venezuelan Constable Gary of the Winni Peg police departments fraud says nothing much can be done about the letter because it appears to skirt the while there is the inference of monetary it Doest request a financial his advice just dispose of it unless your Smiths department is More concerned with Chain letters that request like the Chain of Gold scheme or the Circle of Gold which were in circulation about a month or two Smith says police received numerous complaints about the Circle of Gold Chain which promised a return on a the letter is in violation of the criminal code of and anyone originating such a scheme is liable to imprisonment for two persons who participate Are liable to a Fine of not More than or to imprisonment for six months or these Pyramid scams Are a Money making scheme for no one but the Guy who starts Smith to the party who sent the Good Luck Chain letter thanks for your goodness knows i need All the help i can just the i think ill take my chances and break the thank goodness skylab is that one less axe in the ceiling to worry ;