The Somoza Dynasty

Anastasio Somoza, general of the National Guard, deposed the president and made himself president in 1936. He ruled as a dictator until assassinated in 1956. Luis, his older son, succeeded to the presidency. During his term, the constitution was rewritten to prohibit any president from serving more than one term. In 1967 Anastasio Somoza, Luis' younger brother, was elected president. He revised the constitution and served as president for more than a decade. In the mid-1970's corruption in government, a faltering economy, and Somoza's authoritarian rule sparked a revolt. Support for the revolution, which was led by a Marxist group called the Sandinistas, was widespread. (The Sandinistas took their name from Augusto César Sandino, a guerrilla leader who fought against United States occupation in the 1920's and 1930's.) After bloody fighting, Somoza was overthrown in 1979.