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Book SynopsisSergio Ramírez, Vice President of Nicaragua from 1984 to 1990, offers his memoir of the turbulent years that toppled the Samoza dictatorship in 1979 and the triumphs and shortcomings of the Sandinista National Liberation Front that was charged with national reconstruction and social transformation in a country besieged by internal conflicts and foreign aggression.Trade Review“In this poignant memoir, Ramírez extols the idealism of the youthful Sandinistas, too many of whom fell as martyrs in their bloody battles against the tyrannical Somoza dynasty. At the same time, he recognizes the many errors the inexperienced revolutionaries committed once in power. Ramírez paints vivid portraits of those Latin American leaders who assisted the Sandinistas.” - Richard Feinberg, Foreign Affairs“The English translation of Sergio Ramírez’s 1999 memoir allows the reader a fascinating entrée into the life and work of one of Central America’s most compelling personages and leading writers. This excellent translation of the former revolutionary junta member and vice president of Nicaragua’s 1998 book offers a fine introduction, filled with indispensable insights into the romance and tragedy of the revolution.” - Jeffrey L. Gould, The Americas“This is an analytically astute if, to say the least, idiosyncratically organizedaccount of the Sandinista Revolution (both and before and after the fall ofAnastasio Somoza Debayle). For those who consider the author one of the most thoughtful commentators on his country’s political life, the book is a treasure, and well worth close examination by scholars interested in Latin American political history in general and the history of revolutionary change in particular.” - Andrew J. Kirkendall, Human Rights Review“Beyond being a valid and interesting source, Ramírez is also an accomplished writer, whose literary skill shines through in every detail of the memoir. . . . In short, a lot can be learned from this book that transcends history and present day affairs. Adiós Muchachos provides the reader with inside knowledge of revolutions, global politics, and human aspirations. And perhaps the best gift this book offers is the opportunity to learn while enjoying a great read.” - Contemporary Sociology“Adiós Muchachos is an extraordinary memoir of the origins, triumphs, and ultimate decline of the Sandinista Revolution. It is written by Sergio Ramírez, one of Nicaragua’s and Central America’s leading literary figures and an influential politician and statesman during the crucial decades he discusses, the 1970s through the 1990s. Few memoirs of the Sandinista period treat the movement’s ultimate defeat from a critical perspective, and fewer still have been written by one of that period’s leading political actors, let alone crafted in such an engrossing fashion, with such an eye for intimate political and cultural detail.”—Gilbert M. Joseph, co-editor of A Century of Revolution: Insurgent and Counterinsurgent Violence during Latin America’s Long Cold War“Writers who become revolutionaries are a rare breed, and in our age, few compare to Sergio Ramírez. In this lovely, lyrical, but ultimately heartbreaking, book, he gives an insider’s view of how radicalism succeeds and fails. His account is thrilling, poignant, and frightening, decorated with vivid profiles of tyrants, bullies, and idealistic heroes. Ramírez has long since broken with the increasingly repressive Sandinistas; their loss is literature’s gain.”—Stephen Kinzer, author of Blood of Brothers: Life and War in Nicaragua“In this poignant memoir, Ramírez extols the idealism of the youthful Sandinistas, too many of whom fell as martyrs in their bloody battles against the tyrannical Somoza dynasty. At the same time, he recognizes the many errors the inexperienced revolutionaries committed once in power. Ramírez paints vivid portraits of those Latin American leaders who assisted the Sandinistas.” -- Richard Feinberg * Foreign Affairs *“The English translation of Sergio Ramírez’s 1999 memoir allows the reader a fascinating entrée into the life and work of one of Central America’s most compelling personages and leading writers. This excellent translation of the former revolutionary junta member and vice president of Nicaragua’s 1998 book offers a fine introduction, filled with indispensable insights into the romance and tragedy of the revolution.” -- Jeffrey L. Gould * The Americas *“This is an analytically astute if, to say the least, idiosyncratically organized account of the Sandinista Revolution (both and before and after the fall of Anastasio Somoza Debayle). For those who consider the author one of the most thoughtful commentators on his country’s political life, the book is a treasure, and well worth close examination by scholars interested in Latin American political history in general and the history of revolutionary change in particular.” -- Andrew J. Kirkendall * Human Rights Review *“Beyond being a valid and interesting source, Ramírez is also an accomplished writer, whose literary skill shines through in every detail of the memoir. . . . In short, a lot can be learned from this book that transcends history and present day affairs. Adiós Muchachos provides the reader with inside knowledge of revolutions, global politics, and human aspirations. And perhaps the best gift this book offers is the opportunity to learn while enjoying a great read.” * Contemporary Sociology *“Given his extensive direct experience of the events that captured the world’s imagination for more than a decade and his impressive talents as a writer, Sergio Ramírez is the perfect person to tell this story.” -- Steven F. White * Review: Literature and Arts of the Americas *Table of ContentsPreface to the Spanish Edition, Published in 2007 / The Shadow of the Caudillo xi Acknowledgments xix Introduction 1 1. Partial Confession 5 2. Saintly Living 17 3. The Age of Innocence 35 4. The Swan over the Burning Coals 49 5. The Age of Malice 65 6. Monkey on a Leash 81 7. Manifest Destiny 93 8. The Likely Number Thirteen 113 9. Heaven on Earth 127 10. The Year of the Pig 143 11. Rivers of Milk and Honey 159 12. The Palace at Last! 173 13. Saturn's Jaws 191 Epilogue 207 Chronology, 1979–1990 211 Glossary 223 Index 229

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Book SynopsisIn Rhythms of the Pachakuti, Raquel Gutiérrez Aguilar documents a series of popular indigenous uprisings against the country's antidemocratic policies, tracing the internal dynamics of such disruptions to consider how motivation and execution incite political change.Trade Review“[A] detailed examination of diverse political and social movements that between 2000 and 2005 challenged the neoliberal status quo, and in the course of a bitter electoral conflict brought the Indigenous leader Evo Morales to power. The author delves deeply into the history of Peru…. Highly recommended.” -- O. Pi-Sunyer * Choice *“[T]his book—as political memoir and social analysis—offers an intriguing inside view of the kinds of issues that drove debate among a few members of the intellectual vanguard during Bolivia’s most recent cycle of popular unrest.” -- Brooke Larson * Hispanic American Historical Review *"Rhythms of the Pachakuti is a well-researched, well-argued and productive text for scholars interested in understanding social movements. It gives rich accounts of the Bolivian uprisings it studies, making it a useful text for scholars of the region, and provides scholars with useful tools for thinking about the practices of these uprisings as meaning-making practices." -- Lauren E. Deal * Social Anthropology *"[T]his book has tremendous value for graduate students and general readers interested in following the contemporary Latin American left. The book, published originally in Spanish in 2008, also represents an excellent resource for those interested in solid Marxist theory and sociological analysis. For this reason, it will be an excellent addition to graduate courses in Latin American Revolutions and social change." -- Waskar T. Ari-Chachakí * American Historical Review *"Historians will long rely on this to better understand not only Bolivia’s early twenty-first century revolts, but also the post-statist ideas fueling recent anti-capitalist movements from Madrid to New York City." -- Thomas C. Field Jr. * Canadian Journal of History *"One of the most valuable aspects of this analytically sophisticated book, which could be assigned to graduate students and upper-level undergraduates, is that it defies encapsulating Bolivia’s popular uprisings under one single variable. In contrast to similar works that focus only on the ethnic dimensions, the book captures how multiple forces—indigenous people, migrants, peasants, and workers— together overthrew the Bolivian political system. This more complex picture better positions the reader to understand the challenges of post-insurrection Bolivia." -- Carmen Soliz * History: Reviews of New Books *"In presenting authentic grassroots forces of emancipation, Gutiérrez Aguilar has given us a rich and representative volume, with some important and challenging ideas. . . . This book serves as a critical foundation for the larger questions of social transformation and radical discourse." -- Yuliana Kenfield * Canadian Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Studies *"The work is an outstanding contribution to the political anthropology of Latin America. . . . It offers a decolonizing entrée into Bolivian political thought and practice that counters the often paternalistic and detached style of Northern writers." -- Bret Gustafson * Journal of Anthropological Research *"Of the many studies of Bolivia’s popular uprisings of 2000–2005, Raquel Gutiérrez Aguilar’s participatory-observer account stands out. In addition to furnishing an innovative framework for understanding the 'rhythms' of social struggle during those years, the book grapples with some of the tensions and dilemmas common to diverse emancipatory struggles." -- Kevin A. Young * Ethnohistory *“Gutiérrez-Aguilar provides a unique and valuable perspective on Bolivian politics.” -- Hans Buechler * American Ethnologist *"The depth of access and the richness of the sources make this book . . . a document that is close to being a primary source while it is also written with chronological and analytical distance." -- Carmen Martínez Novo * Latin American Research Review *Table of ContentsForeword: Beyond the Old Order of Things ix Preface xix Acknowledgments xlvii Part I. Community Uprisings and Grassroots Democratization 1 1. The Coalition for the Defense of Water and Life: The Massive Public Defiance of State Order 3 2. Aymara Roadblocks in La Paz: Community as a Mobilizing Force 28 3. The Disputed Territories of the Chapare: The Coca Growers' Struggles from 2000 to 2003 73 Part II. From Governmental Collapse to Pachakuti's Suspension, 2003-2005 97 4. Insurgent Politics: The Rebellious Year of 2003 99 5. Compromises and "Catastrophic Balance": The Confusing Year of 2004 129 6. The Growing Tension between Emancipation, Autonomy, Self-Governance, and State Reconstitution in 2005 152 Conclusion: Final Reflections 175 Appendix 1: Methodological Approach 191 Appendix 2: Positions of the Social Voices and Tables 195 Notes 223 References 265 Index 275

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