'Free Fatherland or Death!' Sandinista heroes, Carlos Fonseca (left), who was a Sandinista leader murdered in 1974, and Augusto Cesar Sandino, one of the first to oppose US imperialism in the 1930s and form a guerilla force, the Sandinista movement takes his name. The flag are of Nicaragua (left) and the Sandinistas (right).Never have we been in a building which looks less like a museum, but had somebody explain its significance to us so ardently. It is in a once grand, but now decidedly tatty and crumbling building overlooking the main square in Leon. It was built in the 19th century as the Palace of Communications and went on to house the rightwing National Guard, the police of the Somoza dictatorships (set up by the CIA), until it was overthrown in 1979 by the Sandinista Revolution. Today it serves as a Sandinista hangout and 'museum', and so it has a combination of men sitting around watching a boxing match on tv, passionate guided tours and the most appallingly displayed collection of tatty artefacts in a museum ever.
Primary school staff across the country would be aghast at the sheer ineptitude shown in the quality of this display. However, what lacked in presentation was made up for in the personal testimony and passion of Juan, our Sandinista guide who had fought in Leon during the revolution, aged 14. He spent two hours talking non-stop in this room before taking us up to the roof for panoramic views across the city. He invited us to join them for a Sandinista march two days later, but unfortunately, we were out of town. 
On the roof with Juan and his pointing stick which he waved with animation at faded newspaper articles throughout his monologue. The minimalist pile of assorted artefacts included weapons used during the revolution - copies of homemade bombs, an old helmet, some street slabs used as barricades and these two weapons below.
It was a little odd to be peering through the sights of this US-manufactured rocket launcher into the sleepy main square outside. Juan told us that they captured this one from the National Guard and the 'yankies' or 'gringos'.
This was the more basic rocket launcher, with a distinctly homemade feel, widely used by the Sandinistas.
It was a little odd to be peering through the sights of this US-manufactured rocket launcher into the sleepy main square outside. Juan told us that they captured this one from the National Guard and the 'yankies' or 'gringos'.
This was the more basic rocket launcher, with a distinctly homemade feel, widely used by the Sandinistas.
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