Aristides Sánchez

Who was Aristides Sánchez?

José Aristides Sánchez Herdocia served as a key political figure among the Nicaraguan Contras. Early on, he joined Enrique Bermúdez in efforts to start a rebel opposition to the new Sandinista government. As the conduit between political leader Adolfo Calero in Miami and rebel base camps in Honduras, he spent more time in the camps than other Contra politicians and had the trust of the rebel field commanders. After working largely behind the scenes, in 1987 he joined the directorate of the Nicaraguan Resistance.

Sánchez's Contra career embodied striking contrasts. He was the key ally of the Contra leaders most favored by the CIA, yet he himself was detested by the CIA. Unlike many Contra political leaders, chosen for their ability to woo American Congressmen, he did not speak English. He has been characterized as a Somocista oligarch, but also as an anti-American nationalist.

Sánchez came from a family that had been prominent in Nicaragua's Liberal Party early in the 20th century. Exiled by the 1979 Sandinista Revolution, he joined Enrique Bermúdez in recruiting for the 15th of September Legion.

When the 15th of September Legion merged with the Nicaraguan Democratic Union in August 1981 to form the Nicaraguan Democratic Force, he joined the FDN's political triumvirate along with the UDN's José Francisco Cardenal and Mariano Mendoza. But when the FDN replaced the triumvirate with a directorate in late 1982, the CIA's hostility forced Sánchez to recede into background roles.