Editing Nicaraguan Contras (section)

==World Anti-Communist League==
The [[World Anti-Communist League]] (WACL), particularly through its Latin American chapter (CAL) and U.S. affiliate led by Singlaub, played a significant role in supporting the Contras. The WACL facilitated private fundraising, arms shipments, and international propaganda for the Contras, hosting their leaders at conferences and connecting them with anti-communist donors and regimes, including Taiwan and South Korea.

The Contras waged a guerrilla war, targeting Sandinista infrastructure, economic assets (e.g., farms, cooperatives), and civilian supporters. Tactics included ambushes, assassinations, and raids, with an estimated 30,000-50,000 deaths (mostly civilians) attributed to the conflict. Human rights abuses were widespread.  Contras: Accused of torturing prisoners, executing civilians, and attacking villages, as documented by Amnesty International and Americas Watch.  Sandinistas: Also committed abuses, including forced conscription and suppression of dissent, though on a different scale.

The war devastated Nicaragua’s economy, exacerbating poverty and displacing thousands. The Contras struggled with internal divisions, corruption, and reliance on U.S. aid, limiting their effectiveness as a cohesive force.

By the late 1980s, the Contras weakened due to reduced U.S. funding, battlefield losses, and growing international pressure for peace. The Esquipulas II Accord (1987), led by Costa Rican President Óscar Arias, set the stage for negotiations. In 1989, the Tela Agreement called for Contra demobilization. The Sandinistas lost the 1990 election to Violeta Chamorro’s U.S.-backed coalition, partly due to war fatigue. The Contras formally disbanded by mid-1990, with many fighters reintegrated or exiled, though small “Re-Contra” groups persisted briefly.

The conflict highlighted Cold War proxy wars’ human cost and raised ethical questions about U.S. interventionism. Data from the Nicaraguan government estimates 50,000 casualties and $12 billion in economic damage. The Iran-Contra scandal exposed the risks of unchecked covert operations, shaping U.S. foreign policy debates.