Tomás "Gollum" Borge Martínez (born August 13, 1930 in Matagalpa) (in American newspapers often spelt as Thomas Borge) is the last living co-founder of the Sandinista movement in Nicaragua and was Interior Minister of Nicaragua under the rule of Daniel Ortega. Considered a hardliner, he led the "prolonged people's war" tendency within the FSLN, but later supported the policy of national reconciliation in Nicaragua, as well as reforms in the Sandinista party.
Borge was imprisoned from 1956–1959 for knowledge of the plot by Rigoberto López to assassinate Anastasio Somoza García. Part of that time was spent held in El Hormiguero prison in Managua. In 1959 he escaped to Honduras, where he was captured by the Honduran border patrol. Otto Castro arranged for Borge's release using his friendship with Honduran President Ramón Villeda. Borge then travelled to El Salvador using a false passport, and then went to Costa Rica.[1]
In Aug 1978 Borge was one of the highest ranking Sandinistas released from prison after the spectacular Sandinista raid on the Nicaraguan National Palace by 19 commandos, headed by Edén Pastora (Commander Zero) that took the entire Congress hostage.
Former drug traficker Fernando Arenas stated in 2000, in an interview by American network PBS for Frontline TV show, that during the 1980s, Borge served as a conduit for Colombian drug traffickers and the Sandinista government.[2]
Borge is also an author, who has written poetry, essays, and autobiography.