---
aliases:
- ARDE
- Alianza Revolucionaria Democrática
- Democratic Revolutionary Alliance
category: Paramilitary
created: 2026-05-17
location: Costa Rica
start: 1982-09-01
summary: Alianza Revolucionaria Democrática (ARDE) was a Contra faction based in Costa
  Rica and commanded by former Sandinista war hero Eden Pastora, formed when UDN-FARN
  merged with Pastora's group in September 1982.
tags:
- Organization
- Contra
- Nicaragua
- CostaRica
- 1980s
- DarkAllianceInvestigation
title: ARDE
updated: 2026-05-17
---

The Alianza Revolucionaria Democrática (ARDE) was a [Contra](/organizations/contras/) faction based in [Costa Rica](/places/costa-rica/) and commanded by [Eden Pastora](/people/eden-pastora/), a former [Sandinista](/organizations/sandinistas/) war hero known as "Commandante Zero."[^1]

### Formation

ARDE was formed in September 1982 when [UDN-FARN](/organizations/udn-farn/), under the leadership of ["El Negro" Chamorro](/people/fernando-chamorro/) and his brother [Edmundo Chamorro](/people/edmundo-chamorro/), broke away from the [FDN](/organizations/fdn/) and united with Pastora's group. The merger made political sense because both factions shared a common trait: as former Sandinistas, they hated the ex-[National Guard](/organizations/nicaraguan-national-guard/) officers who made up the FDN.[^2]

Pastora frequently outraged his [Central Intelligence Agency](/organizations/central-intelligence-agency/) handlers by publicly complaining about the FDN, once referring to them as "criminal mummies and gorillas." [Bermúdez](/people/enrique-bermudez/) and the FDN considered Pastora a closet Communist and suspected him of being a Sandinista mole.[^2]

### CIA Oversight

Like Bermúdez, Pastora was put on the CIA's payroll, where he remained until mid-1984. When the Chamorros switched from the FDN to ARDE, they changed their line of command - reporting to Pastora instead of Bermúdez - but both Pastora and Bermúdez still reported to the CIA.[^2]

Cocaine profits from [Norwin Meneses](/people/norwin-meneses/)'s [San Francisco](/places/san-francisco/) drug operation, previously channeled through UDN-FARN to the FDN, likely began being used to benefit ARDE after the September 1982 merger. The CIA retained oversight responsibility throughout.[^2]

### Later Evolution

UDN-FARN later left ARDE and rejoined the FDN under the umbrella group [UNO](/organizations/uno/).[^1]

[^1]: Webb, Gary. *Dark Alliance: The CIA, the Contras, and the Crack Cocaine Explosion.* Seven Stories Press, 1998. Glossary of Organizations and Locations
[^2]: Webb, Gary. *Dark Alliance: The CIA, the Contras, and the Crack Cocaine Explosion.* Seven Stories Press, 1998. Chapter 5: "God, Fatherland and Freedom"