A dance on occasion of the Nicaraguan patriotic festivities, Aug. 11, 2022. | Photo: Twitter/ @el19digital

Managua, August 13 (RHC)-- The government of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega launched the "2022 National Holidays," a campaign of celebrations that will culminate on September 15th.

Starting this week, all public schools will host parades, musical presentations, artistic shows, ecological exhibitions, gymnastics shows, sports competitions, and award ceremonies for students with high academic performance.  The launching of the 2022 national season took place at the San Jacinto Hacienda, in the northeast of Managua, the Nicaraguan capital.

"San Jacinto Battle is a symbol of our identity and struggle for national sovereignty.  It reflects our spirit full of victories, work, peace and defense of that which is sacred -- which is our national honor and decorum," Nicaraguan Vice President Rosario Murillo said, as reported by 19 Digital.

"In San Jacinto, we said we are a blessed, free, fraternal, and supportive homeland," she stressed, referring to the battle that occurred in the Tipitapa municipality on September 14, 1856.

In 1856, U.S. mercenaries invaded Nicaragua, overthrew the government and installed southern expansionist William Walker as “president.”  They did so to establish it as a slave colony; this clear determination to create a Slave Empire led to the Civil War. 

At that time, Colonel Jose Dolores Estrada and 160 Nicaraguan soldiers defeated in combat filibusters led by Lieutenant Colonel Byron Cole, who was trying to perpetuate the expedition of William Walker, a Tennessee-born slave owner.

Among the patriots were 60 Indigenous people from Matagalpa who fought with bows and arrows. They were declared national heroes by Congress in 2012 and are honored by the Nicaraguan people every September 14th.

"We are that free, dignified, sovereign homeland... That brave, noble and strong homeland... We are the homeland of everyone and for everyone," Murillo emphasized, recalling that Nicaraguans always look ahead "proud, confident, happy and strengthened."