| Country: | Nicaragua |
| Details of Formation: | In 1997 former Sandonista President Daniel Ortega alleged that paramilitary groups and former Somozist guards were reorganising and were protected by senior officials of Arnoldo Aleman's Liberal government. |
| Details of Termination: | There is no information regarding the termination of this group and it could possibly have been dissolved much earlier, however, with the end of Aleman’s presidency, we know for certain that the group does not classify as a PGM. |
| Purpose: | The paramilitary groups’ purpose was to intimidate political opposition, especially the Sandinistas. The government profited from the group’s act of violence and that it could then deny responsibility for the violence committed. |
| Organisation: | The paramilitary groups were allegedly protected by senior officials of the Liberal government and Deputy Minister of Government Rivas was reported to be licensing new paramilitary groups to operate, justifying that they were legitimate security services. The paramilitary groups include the Interamerican Security Services, licensed in 1997 by the Deputy Minister which is led by a Nicaraguan exile in Miami who had been the second in command of the EEBI, the shock troops run during the 1970s by “El Chiguin”, Somoza’s son. |
| Weapons and Training: | -- |
| Size: | -- |
| Reason for Membership: | -- |
| Treatment of Civilians: | The paramilitary groups committed violent actions against government critics; the government itself threatened violence. The Sandinist leader described them as gangs of murderers. |
| Other Information: | The government of Arnoldo Aleman's rejected the reports linking it to paramilitary groups, and claimed that the allegations were part of a disinformation campaign by those who were afraid of the policy of change without violence that the government was promoting. |
| References: | Information was taken from news sources listed in the PGMD. |