i Patrick W. Staib Anthropology This dissertation is approved, and it ...

effort. As Don Ramón put it, “la Contra convenció las comunidades (The Contra
convinced the communities).”
La Piñata: 35 Land Acquisition after the Fall of the Revolution
According to Augusto Zamora, Sandinista lawyer and author, the Sandinista Revolution
had not anticipated the electoral loss in 1989, nor did they expect that a minority within
the party would engage in corruption such as the “Piñata.” In brief, the Piñata was the
nickname given to the free-for-all that Sandinista officials engaged in during the last days
of the Sandinista-controlled government. Sandinista sympathizers, employees, and
leaders all benefited from state-owned properties during the FSLN government rule.
However, after the electoral loss, the majority of houses, land, and vehicles that belonged
to the state had no legal title and were illegally seized (Zamora 1995). The following are
two second-hand accounts of how individuals who worked within the Sandinista state
apparatus obtained land and prestige through dubious methods.
Augusto Lazo and Ernesto Valle both worked as agronomists during the Agrarian
Reform in San Juan del Río Coco. They have since become prominent coffee growers in
the San Juan community as a result of their maneuverings during the revolutionary era.
Both work independently and export directly to reliable markets in Europe and North
America. Although I never established a close relationship with either of these larger-
scale farmers, this section reflects community members’ commentaries and attitudes on
how these farmers acquired their lands. This exemplifies how the Sandinista regime
rearranged power structures in rural areas. However, for the purpose of my analysis, it is
35 A piñata is a papier-mâché container of candy or small gifts that is hung from the
ceiling or from a tree. Blindfolded people hit it with sticks to break it open, releasing the
presents inside, which cascade down on the celebrants.
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