Fernando Chamorro
Commander of UDN-FARN, an early Contra faction based in Costa Rica, a former Sandinista whose army included Cuban-American drug traffickers, and who was approached by Norwin Meneses about hauling cocaine.
Fernando "El Negro" Chamorro was the commander of UDN-FARN, an early Contra faction based in Costa Rica. A former Sandinista who turned against the revolution, Chamorro was an alcoholic whose army was described as teeming with Cuban-American drug traffickers, terrorists, and assorted other ne'er-do-wells.2
Background
Chamorro fought for the Sandinistas against Somoza and achieved notoriety by helping shoot rockets at Somoza's bunker from the roof of the Intercontinental Hotel in Managua in 1974. He was known to have a drinking problem and a questionable work ethic, and did not manage well within the new Sandinista government. He broke completely with the ruling Sandinistas and drifted to Costa Rica to join his brother Edmundo Chamorro, another former Sandinista.3 Together the Chamorro brothers became the military leaders of UDN-FARN. Both were only distantly related to the influential Chamorro clan that included martyred newspaper editor Pedro Joaquin Chamorro.2
UDN-FARN Leadership
Chamorro's UDN-FARN, with its connections to the Miami Cuban community, was further along in developing an organized opposition force than Bermúdez's Legion of September 15. Though based in Costa Rica, UDN-FARN established a small military camp in Honduras at the Cuban-owned Hacienda El Pescado outside Tegucigalpa.3
Resistance to FDN Merger
The Central Intelligence Agency pressured UDN-FARN to merge with Bermúdez's legion. The Chamorro brothers resisted, regarding the ex-National Guard men as war criminals: "The Legion was entirely composed of ex-National Guards. Naturally one couldn't make a big splash with that in Nicaragua," said UDN-FARN commander William Baltodano Herrera.3
The CIA forced the merger by having their Honduran allies withdraw support from the Chamorros. The Chamorro brothers boycotted the August 1981 signing meeting rather than sit in the same room with Bermúdez.3
Later Activities
While working for the CIA, Chamorro was approached by Norwin Meneses and asked to haul Cocaine to the United States from Costa Rica, but he was never directly implicated in cocaine trafficking.2 He died in Nicaragua in the early 1990s.2
Sources
- Webb, Gary. Dark Alliance: The CIA, the Contras, and the Crack Cocaine Explosion. Seven Stories Press, 1998. Chapter 4: "I never sent cash" ↩
- Webb, Gary. Dark Alliance: The CIA, the Contras, and the Crack Cocaine Explosion. Seven Stories Press, 1998. Cast of Characters ↩
- Webb, Gary. Dark Alliance: The CIA, the Contras, and the Crack Cocaine Explosion. Seven Stories Press, 1998. Chapter 4: "I never sent cash" ↩
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