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Dr. Domingo Mairena Hernández resigns his commission in the EDSN

     "Rash, fruitless, and harmful."  That is how the medical doctor Domingo Mairena Hernández described Sandino's plans to continue rebelling against the Marines and Nicaraguan government after Moncada's election.  In this letter to the guerrilla chieftain, penned from exile in Tegucigalpa, Mairena resigned his commission in the Defending Army.  Having served with evident enthusiasm for most of 1928 as the only medical doctor in Sandino's jungle camps, in early 1929 Dr. Mairena gave up the fight.  He pleads with Sandino to lay down his arms.  His beloved homeland of Nicaragua now has a legitimately elected government, he proclaims. Continuing the struggle is pointless.  (Photos of Sandinista rebels, n.d., from the collection of Walter C. Sandino)
 
     Dr. Mairena's change of heart is puzzling, for in December 1928, after the elections, he proclaims his enduring commitment to the cause. To help curious readers puzzle it out, his letter of resignation is accompanied by several ancillary documents:

 1 

A 5 Dec. 1928 open letter by his comrade, Mexican José de Paredes, to Mexico City's El Universal, which says that Dr. Mairena lost an eye in 1922 from a US bullet.

 2 

Dr. Mairena's 22 August 1928 letter to a colleague, Dr. Miralda of Tegucigalpa, describing his steely resolve to continue the fight.

 3 

Mairena's 8 December 1928 letter to the Salvadoran newspaper Diario de Ahuachapán, affirming his commitment to Sandino's cause.

 4 

Mairena's November 1928 appointment by Sandino as the Defending Army's Special Delegate to Pedro José Zepeda in Mexico City.

 5 

Mairena's July 1929 letter to El Centroamericano of León, describing his dismaying encounter with Froylán Turcios in Tegucigalpa and his disillusionment with Sandino's cause.

 6 

Biographical sketch of Dr. Mairena by Sergio Ramírez (1984), who sees Mairena as a sellout & traitor.

     Dr. Mairena's letter of resignation and the accompanying documents illustrate several broader themes including the exceptionally difficult straits the rebel movement found itself in early 1929, and the challenges Sandino faced in retaining the allegiance of liberal-minded professionals and educated elites who sympathized with his goals but disagreed with his means.
 
     Why did Mairena quit?  My own sense is that he grew weary of the physical hardships of living in the bush, yearned for a more comfortable life, and found Sandino's autocratic style increasingly hard to stomach.  He probably wanted to get the hell out of what he saw as the endless maze of rude jungle camps called El Chipotón and return to something he recognized as civilization.  Clearly he was torn.  But maybe there's more.

 

Tegucigalpa, Honduras

February 1st, 1929

 

General A. C. Sandino

     His Encampment

 

My distinguished General:

 

     It is with the interest you know I have put forth towards serving the Cause that I am addressing you the present in which I hope there is a reflection of the sincerity with which I have served you and the will that prompts me.

 

     You have fought like a true patriot during 21 months but now that the government of General Moncada has been recognized by all the world -- even by those governments who had retired their representations in the times of Adolfo Diaz, to keep the same idea at this time it is rash, fruitless, and harmful.  To say the least, if the Army was called Dignified, under the present circumstances will be considered by all as disturbing of the public order and in view of this Honduras and Costa Rica, the neighbors with whom we could count upon, will have to leave us out for international morality of their sisterly frontiers.  The situation, therefore, for you and your Army, is now difficult, if not impossible to maintain.  Besides, talking to Dr. Ulises Irias, Secretary to the Nicaraguan Mission, I have been convinced that the situation of the country, with our systematic attitude, makes it go round in a vicious circle:  because you say you will not quit whilst the Americans are in National territory, and they say that while you maintain such purpose they will not leave.  That is to say, My General, that while you are in your idea, the invaders are in theirs also.  In such predicament, does it not seem to you that the prudent, just, and patriotic thing for you to do is to stop your purpose?  Once the present government of Nicaragua is recognized, the [Invict] Legion is no longer bearer of the National dignity; in view of this I comply with the duty of insinuating that in order that the glory of your rebelliousness is not lost in the chaos of appreciations which would rise from your stubbornness in maintaining your attitude, already censored.  So that the sublimity of that rebellion is not lost, you must quit with a gesture of convincement, leaving history to justify you when it will say that you did what you could to have the ghost of brutal intervention disappear in your country and let the responsibility fall on those who were indifferent to your call, permitting the shackles of Sovereignty.  This is patriotic and dignifying not to be rashly killed and letting the interest and holy rights of the Country be lessened.

 

     Another thing:  Your life is precious to the country, it demands you to sacrifice it if possible but with the hopes of a fruit.  Is it not better, General Sandino, that your energies should be put to the service of the Country, trying to obtain through reasonable means what is useless to ask from a stubborn fight in which your legions are engaged?  When I was in the mountains I could not tell you this, my soul was strangled by rage in the face of the merciless invasion, and blind as our eyes are there; but fortunately I left and I see the truth of things which was never told to you by those who should have done it, but rather prompted you knavely, it is then when I have to quit dreaming and tell you frankly what is going on.  Will you attend to me?  Let us hope so for the profit of our beloved country and for your welfare and that of the Army.  I expect it.

 

     I, although fearing I will be called a traitor, I want to put my last effort for the benefit of our Cause which was accepted by my soul with the greatest enthusiasm and good faith.  Failing in my purpose, I shall be satisfied for having contributed until my efforts could to [lead to] the libeation of the Country.

 

     At least the above good intentions will remain stagnant in the hands of a representative who kept the communications which were sent to you a long time ago from many Nicaraguans who tried to arrange the national problem with you.

 

     Wishing you good health as well as to your companions of the [Inviet] Legion, I am yours devoted as ever,

 

     Country and Liberty

 

     /s/  D. Mairena H.

                M.D. of the Army

English Only.  IR29.02.12: 11-12

 Ancillary Documents

1.  José de Paredes to El Universal, Mexico City, Dec. 5, 1928

What a Young Mexican Says, Ex-Secretary of Sandino.

 

     The young man, José de Paredes, gave to the Universal de Mexico information where he states he was with Sandino, acting as his private secretary, until he was seriously wounded by a bullet received from the American troops operating in Las Segovias against the rebel chief.  Sailed from San Francisco, California in the SS City of Panama landing in Salvador on Feb. 14 last and Dr. J. Jesus Zamora recommended him to Froylán Turcios in Tegucigalpa, Honduras and the latter showed him how he could reach the rebels' settlement and he found on his way to the border line a patrol commanded by the Honduran Colonel Ramon Mondragon, who took him as a suspicious character, in view of being dressed with breeches, strong boots, and raincoat.  He took him to Santa Maria and delivered him to Capt. O'Day of that place.  It was on May 10th and that night, taking advantage of four soldiers asleep under whose custody he was, he could escape, take a bag of mail for Sandino and passed the Hondo River, he crossed it . . .

 

     A Sandinista Colonel, Pastor Ramírez, helped him and furnished him with a guide.  His woman who accompanies him is called Teresa Espinal [Villatoro], a brunette with ardent eyes, as his wife Blanca Arauz the telegraph operator of San Rafael del Norte is in her home, inasmuch as his matrimony was only a gesture of the General who wanted thus to quiet down the gossip as he visited, every time he could, the beautiful Blanca Arauz.  But the other one, Teresa Espinal [Villatoro], is the one accompanying him through the dangers.  She has in the forehead a big scar, caused by one of the 75 mm shells thrown by the planes of the US aviators.  They appear in really big flocks.  At 9:45 exactly they propeller's noise can be heard and hell starts then.  Almost touching the tree tops they open machine gun fire and drop bombs, and it is necessary to hide, leave the encampment alone, to reorganize again, gather the wounded, who never remain in the field, and fight against the first patrol to appear. . . .

 

     Air raids were every day until I took part in the Lobo contact, where I was wounded.  I fell with a bullet wound and General Sandino ordered my being picked up.  They took me in arms to the encampment where Dr. Domingo Mairena Hernández who lost one eye in 1922 by a US bullet.  He cured me with hot water only and a bad bandage. . . . I went from there to La Union, a port in the Fonseca Gulf . . . About the death of the Manager of Bonanza, La Luz, and Los Angeles Mines, Mr. Geo. B. Marshall, what can you tell us?  The General had a great regard for him.  He called him familiarly Don Marcial; but due to military reasons those mines were destroyed and he was made a prisoner.  He could never get used to the food consisting of wasted meat and stewed plantains and he fell sick with dysentery on June 26, surrounded by us who wished to show him always we were his friends.  He was buried in Matiguas. . . .

RG127/206/Misc-1928

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El Chipoton
Wed, August 22, 1928
 
To Dr. Miralda
Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
 
Sir:
 
I am a soldier who, in the hour of danger takes his rifle and his post in the ranks of the liberators. After the battles and in the days of trial, I am the Surgeon-Doctor who devotes himself to attending to my sick and wounded comrades. If this data is not enough it suffices [to say] that I form part of the Army in Defense of the National Sovereignty of Nicaragua, whose prowess will certainly be admired in future centuries more earnestly than it is venerated today. With these preliminary remarks I come to the matter that moves me to write.
 
On the 18th of this month the General Staff, with its protecting columns, halted its march toward the west of this country, toward which region it was moving to attack the pirates in the strongholds ceded to them by the soldiers of their country -- halted for the purpose of receiving an emissary coming from your republic to discuss certain matters with the bandits. The emissary presented himself at 11:47 a.m.
 
We had expected to hear from this envoy, the young man Constantino Tenorio, something in praise of the Cause, and that might be uplifting. But we were greatly disenchanted to hear verbally the conditions of the Yankee proposal, just as though they owned the Nation whose Army of Honor rejects them with loathing. And when we learned that you -- a citizen of the fatherland of Bonilla -- were the means of enabling this emissary to reach us, even prudence could hardly restrain our indignities.
 
If it had not been for Tenorio's know record he would have been placed under arrest immediately, tried by a Council of War as a traitor, a coward; if you had been one of our group, you would at that instant have been hurled out of our communion. However, as general conditions are not unfavorable to you, I tell you this: 1st: Tenorio remains with us, because he desires to rectify his unpardonable mistake; 2nd: That we do not care to treat with the Yankees, nor with Diaz, nor with Moncada, nor with any of their crew.
 
Some time ago General Sandino made known the conditions under which he would suspend his activities: Immediate withdrawal of the invaders; a National Government. Whoever thinks he is going to deviate from this had better understand that ours is not a revolution in favor of some particular leader, who drops his plans when they meet his price and pay his men. No. Ours is the hurricane that is going to tear up the forest by the roots and level right down to the floor the temples of corruption, in order to sow and build anew and let the sun's rays fall on a purified landscape. If we do not succeed in this, the price we of the Holy War are prepared to pay is Death, with the eternal smile of satisfaction.
 
So, Doctor Miralda, your solicitude and that of all the others who think as do the assassins of my country, does nothing more than provoke the anger of the Army, and in the future you can deal with such matters with our Representative, Don Froylan Turcios -- so vilely dealt with by your Government in the suppression of our [publication] Ariel, for it is he who will hear any proposals concerning agreements with us -- if such agreements are in any way honorable.
 
The Supreme Commander of this war for autonomy will soon let it be known how little he cares for such insolent, meddling politicians; he will soon explain, to any who may doubt, his final determination; I, interpreting the sentiments of the Army, send you this, urging you to devote a little more effort for Honduras, the next to be delivered to the Medusa, the insatiable devourer of our peoples.
 
In the name of the Liberty of the Continent, I am yours very truly,
 
Patria y Libertad,
 
(signed) Domingo Mairena Hernandez.

IR28.10.08: 12-13. 43A/3RG127/212/1

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3.  Domingo Mairena Hernández, Open Letter to Diario de Ahuachapán, San Salvador, Dec. 8, 1928

After the Electoral Farce

Dr. Domingo Mairena Hernandez says:
 
In spite of our strong desire we could not do what we wanted to do because of the maneuvers we were developing and certain works which I keep to myself now. There have come to our hands leaflets proposing that we lay down our arms, offering us guarantees and remuneration as if we were like those who gave their arms for ten dollars and which were sacred arms because they had been gotten with blood and struggle. General Sandino's reply has been his usual one, which is that the day he sees his country free of the invaders, then he will quit fighting, as well as all those who are accompanying him, who are not all Nicaraguans, otherwise he will be always in his post. Afterwards there have been many letters from those who pretend to be his friends speaking about the legality of the farce. Against all of the above he is always strongly opposed.
 
The Conservatives, thinking we are spurious like themselves, and that we are fighting for ambition of power to empty the national treasury, have made us proposals and a few days ago a fellow was shot who came to make us similar proposals because we do not traffic in the National Honor and do not want to see our country in a more ruinous condition.
 
Lately, through our secret service in different parts of the country, we have learned that a peace mission was coming and that the father of General Sandino, Sr. Gregorio Sandino, wanted to have an interview with his son. Our chief went to a suitable place and sure enough a powerful Fokker flew near one of our sectors against which we did not fire because of special orders given to us by the General. The next day the plane came nearer and we believe the plane did not see us in the jungles but they did throw leaflets in many places, bleating a lot.
 
In these leaflets they talked about the desires of the father and about other things, tending to make us quit the arms, because, the leaflets said, there were big preparations to finish us. These are the threats we have heard since a year ago. Besides, in small leaflets signed by Sandino's father, he spoke of the sickness of Sandino's mother, Sra. Margarita Calderon de Sandino, who wants him to go and see her before she dies.
 
In view of the failure of their efforts, the plane left. Surely they will now say we are finished, because they did not see us and that means to them the end of our activities.
 
It must be understood that those who are here are conscious, that we know what we are doing and that it is not possible to judge us hurriedly; either our redeeming purposes will triumph or we will die.
 
We have all made up our minds on this. I made my last will and testament some time ago. In it, it says what I was and how I fought to regain possession of the Homeland.
 
I cannot tell you any more because big happenings are coming. If Sra. Margarita's sickness is true we shall know about it. And, if it is so, we are sure that the General can go to see her and feel the vigilance as he has done on many occasions.
 
We are always firm.
 
Patria y Libertad,
 
(Signed) Domingo Mairena Hernandez
Surgeon of the Army.

IR28.12.31: 3-4. RG127/209/11

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... face to face with the results of the Yankee interference in the presidential elections of the 4th of this month ... I have decided to invite the Liberal Republican and Laborite parties and the Solidarity group to unite their activities with those of our army. ...

 

I have named Dr. Domingo Mairena Hernández as our special delegate to Dr. Pedro Jose Zepeda, resident in Mexico, D.F., for the purposes indicated ... and to take steps concerning matters about which I have given him precise and positive instructions, ... his trip should not be delayed at any transit point, and I am confident that he will make every effort to reach Mexico quickly, even to the extent of making a forced march. ... .
 
Patria y Libertad, (seal and signature)

 

A. C. Sandino

REC 211-12.  ASG 109-10.

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León, Julio 23 de 1929.
Sr. Director de "El Centroamericano." Pte.
 
Muy Sr. Mio:
 
El 26 de Noviembre del año pasado salí de las Pampas de Oconguas con diez dólares en el bolsillo, de los cuales dí cinco, conforme instrucctiones, a otro Coronel de Ejército Libertador, quien debia separárseme, en el lugar que estimara conveniente a la misión que llevaba. Enfermo, descalzo, a pié, con todo el entusiasmo que embarga mi corazón cuando adopto una "Causa", y burlándome de las consiguientes penalidades, llegué a Danlí, Honduras, el 11 de Diciembre, donde tuve que esperar tres días al primer encargado por el Jefe Autonomista para entregarme el necesario dinero, a fin de llegar a México, D. F., antes del 1o. de Enero del año actual, época en que, de acuerdo con el Dr. Pedro José Zepeda y otros simpatizadores de la causa nicaragüense, había de lanzarse el Manifiesto de desconocimiento del actual Presidente de Nicaragua, de la proclamación del que hubiéremos convenido, y de la continuación, por consiguiente de la lucha libertaria en mi país. Y, habiéndoseme dado el encargo a que hice referencia, con cinco pesos plata hondureña, (dos y medio dollars), salí de Danlí en la mañana del 16, para llegar a Tegucigalpa el 17 a las 3 de la tarde.
 
Ahí, inmediatamente hice llegar noticias de mi presencia al poeta Froylán Turcios, "Representante del Ejército en el Continente", y, cuya voz, como cabeza de la "Causa" (el brazo era el Gral. Sandino, palabras de éste) se oía y acataba siempre. Y bien que yo traía instrucciones de pasar sobre cualquier objeción, al hecho de que Turcios no me diera el dinero necesario para mi viaje, por no tener dinero del Gral. según su propio decir, y porque informado por las copias, de la documentación que me llevaban a la capital azteca, no estuvo conforme con ella, me dijo que esperara la vuelta de un correo a mata caballo hacia Sandino, a cuyo regreso, si el Gral. no le atendía sus indicaciones, no sólo no me daba el dinero, que el Jefe Supremo del Ejército Libertador le indicaba, sino que inmediatamente dimitiría de la "Representación" (sic.) En tales condiciones, señor Abuanza [Director of El Centroamericano], estaba o no cohibido para salir en marcha?
 
Seguramente de que a pié y enfermo como llegué a Tegucigalpa no llegaría oportunamente a México. No hice la sandez de marchar, y si dediqué la estadía para trabajar por la "Causa", como lo probarán cartas dirigidas a Juan Felipe Toruño, Director del "Diario de Ahuachapán" y a Salomón de la Selva, si es que las recibieron, y las declaraciones, mejor dicho, rectificaciones pro Sandino, que hice publicar en "El Sol", de Tegucigalpa.
 
De ésto, a la venta que se dice hice, hay una gran diferencia; y sin haber atentido las indicaciones de Turcios, de Humberto Sosa, de los doctores Julián y Ulises Irías, más otros nicaragüenses, para mejor procurar interponer más insinuaciones a fin de que el Gral. Sandino cesara en una lucha que a la Patria sólo le aportaba aniquilamiento y ruina sin haber visto mejor, entonces que podía justipreciar las cosas sin el embotamiento de la montaña, ni el odio de bregar obstinado; si esto es crimen, traición o lo que se quiera, acepto gustoso el tildado del ex jefe y compañero.
 
Pero no; yo no soy bandido, ni traidor. Lo que sucede es que el Gral. Sandino entre su ejército logró imponer su voluntad, de manera que no sólo el que no estaba con el era su enemigo, sino también el que no pensaba u optaba por su razonamiento. Esto es lo justo.
 
Por lo demás, si no quise atender la indicación de algunos amigos, de audienciarme con el Pdte. Moncada, conformándome con su telegrama de garantías dirigido a Choluteca, y las reiteradas del Jefe Político de León, Dn. Luis A. Balladares Torres y el Secretario de la Comandancia Gral. Anastasio Somoza, ni con esto me siento satisfecho lo suficiente para el que quiera trabajar, si hay lugar, de otro modo, en la liberación de la Patria; bien se ve que el asiento de Oficial Mayor de Gobernación, es un decir necio, ya que no se puede decir otra cosa.
 
Con muestras de mi mejor estima y aprecio, quedo de Ud. Sr. Director, su muy Atto. y s. s.
 
/s/ Domingo Mairena Hernández

Ex-Cirujano-Médico del Ejército Defensor de la Soberanía de Nicaragua

ASG 138-39.

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6.  Sergio Ramírez on Domingo Mairena Hernández (1984)

Mairena Hernández, Domingo:  Pasante de medicina, de filiación liberal. El general Sandino le encomienda cumplir una misión en el exterior, en 1929. Irresponsablemente, Mairena traciona la confianza en él depositada. Se le ordena el regreso a Nicaragua, en donde rehúye enfrentarse a la justicia sandinista. Posteriormente se vende, por un puesto público, al régimen pro norteamericano de José María Moncada.

PV2 504.

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