The Sandinista Popular Army (or People's Army; Ejército Popular Sandinista, EPS) was the military established in 1979 by the new Sandinista government to replace the National Guard, following the overthow of Anastasio Somoza Debayle. In post-Sandinista Nicaragua, it has been remolded into the National Army of Nicaragua. Joaquín Cuadra was chief of staff, serving Defense Minister Humberto Ortega. A draft, called the Patriotic Military Service (Servicio Militar Patriótico), was instituted in 1983. The special forces Tropas Pablo Ubeda initially came under the Ministry of Interior.
Contents |
The following is a non-exhaustive listing.
| 1 | San Rafael del Norte |
| 4 | Matagalpa |
| 5 | Puerto Cabezas |
| 7 | Juigalpa |
| 9 | San Carlos |
| 21 | Somotillo |
| 52 | Santo Tomas |
| 55 | Juigalpa |
| 62 | Granada |
| 63 | Nueva Guinea |
| 242 | Altagracia |
| 243 | Jinotega |
| 311 | Quilalí |
| 312 | Ocotal |
| 313 | San Juan de Limay |
| 314 | Jalapa |
| 361 | Matiguás |
| 363 | San José de Bocay |
| 364 | San Sebastián de Yalí |
| 366 | Siuna |
Irregular Warfare Battalion (Batallón de Lucha Irregular) Recognizing the need for troops trained for counterinsurgency, the Sandinistas began deploying BLIs in 1983, and expanded their numbers after instituting the draft. BLIs could have from four to nine 120-man companies, but typically numbered around 700-800 men.It was the need of forming this battalions to try to stop the invasion of contras whose base was in Honduras and some in south border of Costa Rica,since the reagan admisnistration try to pushed the Nicaraguan revolution The Nicaraguan country was forced to defended and prepared the whole country against the attacks of the United states invasion,this is how hundreds of militantes joined or were forced into the militias.
Light Hunter Battalion (Batallón Ligero Cazador, BLC). The BLCs were another type of counterinsurgency unit, first deployed in early 1986. They were about half the size of the BLIs, at 300-400 men. While BLIs were designed to be able to operate independently, the light hunters worked in conjunction with other units, providing anti-ambush protection for more conventional forces. Reportedly, about 19 BLCs were raised.