Nicaraguan general election, 1947

General elections were held in Nicaragua to elect a president and parliament on 2 February 1947.

The agreement between the Conservatives and the Independent Liberals, signed on 17 August, pledged both parties to overthrow the dictatorship, guarantee civil liberties, initiate governmental and constitutional reforms, and establish a government that would provide minority representation. Subsequently, the Independent Liberals met in a convention in León and ratified the choice of an elderly Liberal, Dr. Enoc Aguado, as the presidential candidate of the two parties.

The Liberal convention, in early August, remained deadlocked between Lorenzo Guerrero and Alejandro Abaunza. Somoza “engineered another master stroke by arranging the nomination of seventy-one-year-old Leonardo Argüello Barreto, who combined the dual advantages of a ‘big name’ Liberal likely to attract support from the Independent Liberals. His malleability, lack of vigor, and reported feeble health made Somoza’s indirect ‘continuismo’ probable”.

The Communists made the most of the opportunity to function without government interference. By December, 1946, they claimed 1500 members and the support of 25 percent of the electorate. Since Somoza relied considerably on the Nicaraguan Socialist Party for support, the Communists began to press him for influence within the government. They wanted government jobs, and even put in a bid for seats in Congress. However, Somoza resisted this pressure. At the same time the opposition, which was preparing for the elections of 1947, also sought the Communists’ support. It offered to name six Communists on its ticket for members of the Chamber of Deputies. In the end the Communists threw their support to the opposition candidate, Enoc Aguado.

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