Violeta Chamorro

Violeta Chamorro is a newspaper publisher and politician who served as president of Nicaragua from 1990 to 1997. She was Central America’s first female president.

Chamorro became active in politics 1978 as a member of the Sandinista National Liberation Front. She, however, resigned from the front in 1980 and was drafted as the presidential candidate of the 14-part National Opposition Union for the 1990 elections. During her presidency, Chamorro reversed a number of policies imposed by the Sandinista regime. Most notably, she privatized several state-owned industries, lifted censorship laws, and reduced the size of the military.

 

Chamorro is an Emeritus Member of the Dialogue.