Army General Julio César Avilés Castillo assumed his fourth consecutive term as commander-in-chief of the Nicaraguan Army for 6 years this Friday. The event was led by President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo at the Plaza de la Revolución in Managua, commemorating the 91st anniversary of the assassination of Augusto C. Sandino.
During the ceremony, Ortega handed over the military baton to General Avilés, 68 years old, who was ratified in his position despite the sanctions imposed by the United States in May 2020. These sanctions were based on his alleged involvement in acts of corruption and allowing the repression of opposition protesters against the Sandinista Government during the social outbreak of April 2018.
The decision to keep Avilés in office was a unanimous proposal from the Military Council, composed of high command. The general, who was first appointed as commander-in-chief in 2009, has held various military positions since then, including Chief of the General Staff and Head of Military Intelligence and Counterintelligence.
Avilés, founder of the Sandinista Popular Army, has faced criticism for his alleged inaction in disarming civilians who participated in anti-government protests in 2018. These events, characterized by the Executive as an attempted coup d'état, left hundreds dead according to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
With more than 20 years of military service, Avilés becomes the chief with the most years at the helm of the Armed Forces in Nicaragua, surpassing Humberto Ortega. The history of the Nicaraguan Army and its military leaders since its founding in 1979 also highlights the continuity of former Sandinista guerrillas in leadership positions within the institution.