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declarations of captured rebels Pilar López & Felix Zambrana, El Jícaro (Dec 1930)
 
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Declarations of captured rebels Pilar López & Felix Zambrana, El Jícaro

     These statements by two Sandinistas captured by the Guardia near El Jícaro offer yet another local perspective on the occupation and rebellion.  One sees here the rebels' intricate intelligence network; the family-based nature of local bands; and the very local horizons of the region's inhabitants (Pilar López's comment that he didn't know the names of some other Sandinistas because "they are from the other side of El Zapotillal" captures this localism pretty well).  Also noteworthy is the name of Cirilio Morán, who was involved in the original San Albino uprising of late October 1926, at the beginning of the civil war.  It's surprising to see him still active and involved with the rebellion.  Maybe Pilar López was lying.

     Meanwhile, the lists of Sandinistas being compiled by the Guardia keep growing longer.  (Photograph of Sandinista column in the mountains, n.d., from the collection of Walter C. Sandino)

 

 

GUARDIA NACIONAL DE NICARAGUA.
DISTRICT OF JICARO, NUEVA SEGOVIA.
31 December, 1930.

Declaration given by the bandit Pilar Lopez to First Sergeant Juan J. Diaz and Cpl. H. C. Juan Umana. Lopez was captured by the same sergeant Diaz and Umana in this town at 9 p.m. on this date.
 
When asked by me, the already mentioned man declared the following:
 
That his name is Pilar Lopez, that he lives in Palacaguina and that he belongs to the group of bandits of Pedro Blandon. That he is a mail carrier. That he went to Jicaro 3 days ago to see his wife that is sick. That he had been away about 10 months. That his family lives in Las Animas. His mother's name is Rosa Hernandez. His brother's names are Esteban Lopez, Francisco Lopez, Benito Lopez, and Doroteo Lopez. They live in Las Animas.
 
That Pedro Blandon is in Chipote with 200 men well armed. That the men that come frequently to Jicaro are Rafael Garmendia, of Potrerillo and Demetrio Garcia, Jose Garcia, all of the same place and they take information to the bandits. That the people that give them this information are Victoriano Bellorin, Camilo Reyes, Francisco Carcamo and Rafael Reyes. These men give them an exact statement of the operations of the Guardia in this district.
 
That another Jefe called Silva and called by his people "CHICHARRA" have a group of 15 men, sometimes he joins Roque Vargas. Then the group is of about 25 men.

Their names They live.
Silva alias (Chicharra) Las Posas.
Bernabe Espinales San Jeronimo
Antonio Espinales   "     "
Rosendo Flores   "     "
Marcelino Espinales   "     "
Felipe Espinales   "     "
Leonidas Centeno Los Sitios
Sabas Gonzalez El Bosque
Francisco Gonzalez   "     "
Doroteo Gonzalez   "     "
Sinforoso Gonzalez   "     "
Juan Perez   "     "
Leonardo Gradis Las Posas
  De San Antonio al lado abajo a mano izquierda

The informer says that he don't know the names of the others because they are from the other side of El Zapotillal. From El Bosque.
 
That 5 days ago, Leonardo Gradis came to this town and he took information to the mentioned people.
 
That Sandino is now in the place called Rempujon with 800, well armed with 150 rounds of ammunition each. That their thoughts are to attack Jicaro, then Apali, Ocotal, and the last Somoto. That these people, all, are from Honduras, rifles, ammunition etc Springfield, Con Con, Lewis Machine Gun, Thompsons. That they have 7 mules loaded with ammunition. He entered Nicaragua in November, by Malacate / p. 2 / by land, and then he arrived in Rempujon on the 8th of the same month.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The information given by the other prisoner called Felix Zambrana, captured by the same Sgt. Diaz and Lopez.
 
That he knows that Tranquilino Rosales is a Jefe and that he has 50 men. That he was told by Pilar Lopez (prisoner) that he is now in the place called El Cua.
 
Zambrana says that Silva Chicharra is now in the place called La Jimerita after passing (ahead) of San Gregorio. That he belonged to his group but that he left it about 1 year ago. That he prefers to work. He gives us names and places of the men that are with the already mentioned Jefe.

NAMES PLACE
Cirilio Moran  2nd Jefe San Gregorio
Pancho Moran [Francisco Moran] San Gregorio
Antonio Chavarria San Gregorio
Juan Tinoco La Lampara
Pedro Chavarria San Gregorio
Santos Garcia San Gregorio
Victoriano Fernandez La Montanita
Chon Martinez Santa Rosa
Antonio Martinez Santa Rosa
Santiago Patrulla Quebrada Grande
Tomas Mendez   3rd Jefe Turrango
Antonio Espinales San Jeronomo  1 Rifle  6 rounds
Bernabe Espinales   "   "   "   "
Felipe Espinales   "   "   "   "
Marcelino Espinales   "   "   "   "
Ramon Espinales   "   "   "   "
Claudio Martinez   "   "   "   "
Martin Patrulla Quebrada Grande   "   "
Telefor Patrulla Quebrada Grande   "   "
Santos Garcia Monte Rico    "   "   "
Tomas Arauz   "   "   "   "
Crescencio Lopez   "   "   "   "
Ciprencio Quintero Quebrada Grande   "   "
Felix Mendoza San Jeronimo      "   "
Justo Mendoza   "   "   "   "
Melecio Blandon   "   "   "   "
Carmen Mendoza   "   "   "   "
Indalecio Mendoza   "   "   "   "
Justo Cuello   "   "   "   "

Place of meeting (La Bujona) (Quilali) Tranquilino Rosales the Jefe. That Antonio Olivas, of this town, gives information to Micaela Ceron who lives in San Jeronimo. This is an old lady and she comes to Jicaro on Sundays. She boards in the house of the Olivas family.
 
That she gives the information to Tranquilino Roasales of El Cua.
 
That the persons hereby denounced have been detained (captured) with the exception of Victoriano Bellorin who left today for Ocotal on personal business.

M30.12.31. RG127/192/1


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