Nicaraguans return to Nicaragua
Nicaragua’s history is continually shaping its future. In 1978 a revolution was born out of the necessity to oust the Somoza family. The Somoza dictatorship had been in power for more than 4 decades and had turned Nicaragua into a country where there was no freedom of speech or opposition possible. The country had almost become the family’s personal farm. Governance was an exercise to secure businesses that were owned by the family across the nation. The Somoza family owned everything from blood banks to gold mines to textiles, shipping and cement.
The revolution of 1979 was inevitable and brought with it consequences which would ultimately up-root families and cause Nicaraguan’s to re-invent themselves in new places. Many people applauded the change that was brought forth by the revolution. Initially change signified hope that the nation would secure a path of modernity and democracy. The new leadership that came after Somoza proved to fall short of expectations and as freedom of speech and private enterprise were subdued, many Nicaraguans began to look for a life elsewhere. Many Nicaraguan’s who left because of the revolution sought political asylum in cities like New Orleans, Miami, Los Angles and Washington D.C..
Starting a new life from scratch in a new country was a challenge that brought with it new cultural understandings in a new setting. In the U.S. Nicaraguan’s were submerged into culture that brought fourth new civic values and a greater understanding of how business operated in the first world. Nicaraguan children were of course the greatest benefactors of these new values as American schooling would permanently shape their understanding of the world.
Many Nicaraguan’s lived in the U.S. during the entire decade of the 1980’s and returned to Nicaragua in the early 1990’s after Violeta Chamorro had been democratically elected. The returning generation was cleverly dubbed the “Miami boys” because most returning families were coming from Florida. These returning families boosted the economy of Nicaragua and brought hope to a war torn nation looking towards peace and prosperity.
Today the “Miami Boys’” make up a huge component of the business class of Nicaragua. Spanning ages 20 to 60 years old, the “Miami boys” are equipped with knowledge that makes them bicultural and bilingual at the same time. This helps when one of Nicaraguan’s most important business partners is the United States. The human capital component brought forth by the “Miami Boy” generation has revitalized Nicaragua’s ability to do business on a global level. The Miami boys have effectively made the leap from the US to Nicaragua bringing with them new elements that are necessary to develop Nicaragua into an economic contender on the Central American level.
In the coming years, Nicaragua is poised to receive the benefits from this unique business class as it enters the global arena in agreements such as the DR-CAFTA, a Central American free trade agreement with the United States. Participation from the “Miami boys” will be a vital component in the creation of lasting relationships with their partner to the north. In a growing country with limitless potential, the “Miami boys” are certain to be one of the most influential groups. They will continually shape Nicaragua’s future using the relevance of its past.