Leon, Nicaragua

Leon was founded in 1524 by the infamous Spanish conquistador Pedrarias Davila and throughout the entire colonial period served as the provincial capital of Nicaragua and one of the most important intellectual centers of Central America. After the declaration of independence of the region from Spain in 1821, Leon became the headquarters of the Liberal Party and continued to serve as the capital of the country. Down in the South, the city of Granada became the haven for Nicaraguan Conservatives. During the colonial period the merchants of Granada amassed great fortunes thanks to the city’s privileged location on the shore of Lake Nicaragua. The Granadian elite never accepted Leon’s political hegemony. This rivalry between the political and the economic capitals of the country lead to constant armed struggles through most of the formative years of the Nicaraguan nation state and forever determined the political evolution of this most convulsed country. Civil wars made Nicaragua an easy prey for ambitious demagogues, foreign adventurers and robber barons. However, in spite of its tragic political history, Nicaraguans have endured their tribulations through their art, their music and their strong sense of community. The murals on the streets of Leon, the traditional dance of the “gigantona,” the classic and modern paintings in the art gallery of the Ortiz-Gurdian family, the lively revolutionary music in the café in front of the cathedral, the reverence which our local guides showed in front of the tomb of Ruben Dario, the country’s greatest poet, and the beautiful courtyard garden of the ancient restored convent where we had lunch. All are testimonies of the love of life and beauty which Nicaraguans refuse to give up.

After spending an unforgettable morning immersed in Nicaragua’s past (which included climbing to the roof of the Cathedral), we proceeded to the town of Chichigalpa where we visited the Flor de Caña rum factory. The idea of visiting a rum factory at first did not seem to be very inspiring. However, a short explanation given by the experts of the factory changed our initial perception. Flor de Caña is a company that has obtained an ISO 14001 rating by becoming one of those extraordinary industries which not only do not pollute the environment, but actually prove to other industries that being “green” can actually be profitable. The creativity with which this Nicaraguan-owned company faces present and future challenges filled us with optimism of the capability of this nation to rise up.