Uriel Molina and the Sandinista Popular Movement in Nicaragua

The struggle for Nicaraguan independence from U.S. military occupation raged from the 1920s well into the 1980s. Among those at the forefront in the later years was Padre Uriel Molina.

This social biography describes the life of Molina and his role in the Sandinista Revolution, interweaving history with personal recollections and perspectives. Compiled from primary sources and extensive interviews with Padre Molina himself, it concentrates on Molina’s worldview and the ways in which his perceptions influenced his stance on various issues. The primary focus of the work, however, is Padre Molina’s conflict with the Catholic church—most specifically with members of its hierarchy—and the ways in which this former Franciscan believed the church failed to live up to Christian precepts by falling short in its aid to the poor of Nicaragua. The authors emphasize how Uriel’s support for the popular rebellion and his dissatisfaction with the church’s lack of response shaped not only Uriel’s own life but the course of Nicaraguan history. A final chapter offers Padre Molina’s thoughts as he looks back on the decades of the revolution.