Somoza family

Three of the Somoza family members served as President of Nicaragua. They were: • Anastasio Somoza García "Tacho" (1896–1956; President 1937–1947, 1950–1956), the father. • Luis Somoza Debayle (1922–1967, President 1956–1963), his eldest legitimate son. • Anastasio Somoza Debayle "Tachito" (1925–1980, President 1967–1972, 1974–1979), his second legitimate son. Other members of the Somoza family include: • José R. Somoza, the half-brother of Anastasio Somoza Debayle • Hope Portocarrero, the wife of Anastasio Somoza Debayle • Lillian Somoza de Sevilla Sacasa, the daughter of Anastasio Somoza García • Isabel Urcuyo (1924–2014), the wife of Luis Somoza Debayle • Anastasio Somoza Portocarrero, a son of Anastasio Somoza Debayle and his wife • Luis Pallais Debayle, cousin of Anastasio Somoza Debayle • Carolina Somoza Portocarrero, a daughter of Anastasio Somoza Debayle and his wife, who is married to James Minskoff Sterling, son of New York real estate developer Henry H. Minskoff • Martha Debayle, a niece of Anastasio Somoza Debayle, Nicaraguan Mexican radio hostess and entrepreneur • Anastasia Somoza, American disability rights advocate and granddaughter of Luis Somoza Debayle ==Anastasio Somoza García==

Anastasio Somoza García (1 February 1896 – 29 September 1956) was the founder of the Somoza dictatorship. He was born into a wealthy coffee planter family as the son of senator Anastasio Somoza Reyes and Julia García. He was educated at the Instituto Nacional de Oriente and the Pierce School of Business Administration in Philadelphia. After returning to Nicaragua, Anastasio Somoza García joined the Liberal revolt in 1926. Somoza's policies focused on growing exports, as well as creating economic infrastructure and public agencies. Anastasio Somoza García was assassinated in 1956. He was shot by poet Rigoberto López Pérez and died several days later on 29 September 1956. ==Luis Somoza Debayle==

Luis Somoza Debayle (18 November 1922 – 13 April 1967) was the eldest son of Anastasio Somoza García. He was born in León, Nicaragua and received an American education at Saint Leo College Prep School, La Salle Military Academy and Louisiana State University. He became a captain in the National Guard by the age of eighteen and entered Congress by 1950. By 1956 he became the President of Congress, constitutionally empowering him to fill the Presidency in the instance of an unexpected vacancy. Upon his father's assassination in 1956, Luis Somoza Debayle became the Acting President of Nicaragua. He was formally elected to the presidency through fraudulent elections in 1957, making him the 26th President of Nicaragua. Luis Somoza Debayle's presidential term made attempts at modernisation and political liberalisation. In 1959, he restored the constitutional ban on immediate re-election and presidential succession by relatives. This prevented his younger brother, Anastasio Somoza Debayle, from running in the 1963 presidential election. In 1960, Nicaragua established the Central American Common Market alongside El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. This improved Nicaragua's Central American relations and led to rapid growth of the Nicaraguan economy. Luis maintained his father's favourability to the United States. Luis' government condemned the Cuban Revolution and played a leading role in the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion in 1961. He put in place numerous socio-economic reforms in public housing, education, social security and agrarian reform, closely coinciding with the United States’ Alliance for Progress initiative. While these policies created jobs, they further enriched the privileged and had limited benefit for impoverished Nicaraguans. Luis Somoza Debayle's presidential term ended in 1963. Between 1963 and 1967, he ruled through puppet presidents. René Schick won the 1963 presidential election and ruled until his death in 1966. He was succeeded by Lorenzo Guerrero. Luis Somoza Debayle died of a heart attack in 1967. ==Anastasio Somoza Debayle==

Anastasio Somoza Debayle (5 December 1925 – 17 September 1980) was the youngest son of Anastasio Somoza García. He received an American education at West Point and was the Head of the National Guard from 1955. in 1970 Anastasio Somoza Debayle's first presidential term was from 1967 to 1972. His leadership differed from his older brother's and marked a return to his father's harsher style of personalist dictatorship. He relied on military power and exercised no restraint in using public office for personal enrichment. He encouraged corruption and protected his officers from prosecution. He developed a reputation as a human rights violator and replaced his brother's skilled administrators with unqualified political allies. By the 1970s, the government was becoming corrupt and inefficient. While his first term was meant to expire in 1971, Anastasio Somoza Debayle amended the re-election ban in the constitution, allowing him to serve as president for an additional year. Somoza ruled through puppets in the period between his first and second presidential terms. He organised a pact with Fernando Agüero, the leader of the Conservative party, whereby he would transfer power to a triumvirate. Under the arrangement, the triumvirate would rule temporarily while an election was held, and a new constitution was written. When the transfer took place in 1972, Somoza returned to his role as the Head of the National Guard. He was later re-elected as president in 1974. The downfall of the Somoza dictatorship coincided with Anastasio Somoza Debayle's second presidential term. He resigned as president in July 1979 and was assassinated in September 1980. ==Downfall==

Managua earthquake, 1972 On 23 December 1972, an earthquake devastated the Nicaraguan capital city of Managua. The earthquake killed 10,000 people, left many homeless and caused widespread infrastructural damage. Carter had hoped to restrain Somoza by encouraging reform and democracy. However, the US Government found this policy difficult to implement. With little support from Washington, the Sandinistas made progress in their overthrow of the Somoza family. In the end, the Sandinistas quickly established themselves as the real winners of the Nicaraguan Revolution, despite the desperate maneuverings of the Carter administration. Somoza handed over power to President of the Chamber of Deputies Francisco Urcuyo who would in turn transfer the government to the junta. Anastasio Somoza Debayle lived in Paraguay until 17 September 1980 when he was assassinated by Argentine guerrillas. ==Timeline==