During a Christmas party held to honor the U.S. ambassador, FSLNguerrillas stormed in and took 40 hostages, including high-ranking officials. The raid brought worldwide recognition to the FSLN. Somoza announced a state of siege, leading to brutal repression in rural areas.
PEDRO JOAQUÍN CHAMORRO WAS ASSASSINATED, allegedly by Somoza gunmen. The murder touched off demonstrations, strikes, and widespread violence. It moved many middle-class and elite groups to join the movement to end the dictatorship. The Catholic Church also withdrew its support of the government. The FSLN, meanwhile, had moderated its platform and was seeking to ally itself with all opponents of the Somoza regime.
AnFSLNunit stormed the National Palace during a session of Congress, taking over 2,000 prisoners and demanding the release of political prisoners and publication of their agenda. Numerous Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, and Cuba, had extended offers of both material aid and safe haven to the FSLN.
TheFSLNlaunched insurrections in five cities, but was defeated by National Guard assaults preceded by extremely heavy bombing of urban areas. In the “cleanup” operation, government forces killed over 5,000 persons. In the aftermath the FSLN grew radically, as grassroots groups emerged to oppose Somoza. In the U.S., the Carter administration announced an arms freeze against Nicaragua.
