Yubrank’s Dance and the Spirit of Nicaragua

“This young man reminds the people of Nicaragua that the struggle continues, and that what is dreadful, worse than the prison where he was kept, is to stop denouncing injustice”

By Beto Liondeux  (Confidencial-Niu)

HAVANA TIMES – There are countless jokes, right on target about Nicaraguan idiosyncrasy which is known to be very peculiar. We all agree on that, don’t we?

We are witty. In the least suitable moment, we come out with a Chaplin-like comedy, a heroic act like busting a chair on the police’s back or the Andrés Castro style rock-throwing, and in other cases, dancing to the sweet and angry sounds of the marimba.

Yubrank Suazo brutally represents Nicaraguan idiosyncrasy and amidst all the joy present in the whole extent of Nicaragua, power and the abundance of life freed with the kisses and hugs among relatives and friends, Yubrank shook his whole spirit and sprayed blue and white across his surroundings, full of spirit. He demonstrated to all what a good Nicaraguan is made of: “pinol”, obsidian and a humor that can disarm any mortal.

Yubrank reminds you and me that no matter in what circumstances we may find ourselves, such as the crisis we are currently experiencing, no Nicaraguan is going to be crushed because we all share the same essence.  We all must respond with the best of attitudes in everything that is manifested and end any event in our lives, no matter how hard it is, with a never-ending coda of Nicaraguan euphoria, with a symphonic sway such as the “na na na na na” of the Hey Jude coda, or like the good Yubrank with steel mettle, as a Count of Masaya, dancing a great folklore.

Andy Dufresne opened his arms and got drenched in the rain when he escaped from Shawshank, Mahatma Gandhi would go on a hunger strike every time he was released, Edmond Dantes danced in the middle of the treasure in Monte Cristo, Martin Luther King continued marching for the Civil Rights Movement, Nelson Mandela came out vibrant and smiling to give a speech and later abolished Apartheid, and Yubrank Suazo reminds the Nicaraguan people that the struggle continues, that what is dreadful, worse than the prison where he was kept, is to stop denouncing injustice, to fall asleep in our glory. To continue allowing corrupt dictators who see the pockets of Nicaraguans as cash boxes without a ceiling and their fellow citizens as clay figurines who can be squashed at any moment.

Yubrank’s dance must represent the historical moment of the liberation of our political prisoners.

There’s no doubt that it’s a moving event and at the same time inspires courage and vigor, which makes all of “Sapolandia” (Ortega supporters), Ortega’s police and the Army look like a group of lame little tin soldiers…but lame of the head. Yubrank has shown these groups that a true Nicaraguan is not in uniform, nor has political power, nor millions of dollars, nor has a seat in Congress, nor clenches a hot, recently shot AK-47, but is one who has the capacity to dance a good folkloric “zapateado” after just being released from the halls of hell.

You and I have to dissolve the figures with which we have been identifying over all this time. Let’s give them a complete burial, I beg you.

Ironically, we are in the best of times in the sense that the history of Nicaragua has been transformed as it never has been before because we are now awake. We have lived the last 30 years identifying with caudillos, socialists, slaughterers, the wretched in power, corrupt, insensible, inept and incapable of governing Nicaragua.

Let’s begin identifying ourselves with the new generation which for the first time in the history of Nicaragua has achieved tremendous victories without pulling the trigger.

You and I must walk towards the horizon hand in hand, freeing Nicaragua, with the best of attitudes, with a willing heart, advancing towards democracy, weeding out the weeds, restoring the rule of law and every now and then doing Yubrank’s dance to remind us how honorable and beautiful it is to be Nicaraguan.