Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega inaugurated Friday the new mandate of the Army's Chief Julio César Avilés, during a ceremony celebrating the 86th anniversary of the death of the revolutionary leader, General Augusto Nicolás Calderón Sandino.
RELATED:
US Imperialism in Nicaragua and the Making of Sandino
The National Assembly opened the session in Niquinohomo, where Sandino was born, as a tribute to the revolutionary leader.
"Sandino, our national hero, and with him, we walk through his heroic path with the flags and our dignity intact," said the country's Vice President Rosario Murillo.
Then Ortega gave Julio César Avilés the symbolic stick of mandate and took his oath.
"Today is a national day of mourning," said Ortega " since sadly, we do not have the conditions in this world to make peace a reality," adding that Nicaragua was fighting to get such peace.
Nicaragua has been a victim of U.S. expansionist policies, and Washington "continues to repeat its policies, not only against Nicaragua but against other peoples, disrespecting international law, the UN Chart, violating rights, and this is the biggest threat against peace."
Ortega said that powerful nations should be determinant factors to promote peace, but that they were not making efforts in that direction - the criminalization of immigrants while investing funds in problematic countries.
He highlighted the heritage of Sandino and his fight against U.S. occupation in the first half of the 20th century.