Museo Camilo Ortega

Camilo (Mundo or Ramiro) Ortega Saavedra was a Sandinista leader, revolutionary and a brother of Nicaraguan president José Daniel Ortega Saavedra. A small museum dedicated to him is located on the Masaya city limits.

The museum mainly consists of old newspaper clippings and flags, although there are also displays of Camilo Ortega’s clothing and personal items. All the descriptions are in Spanish.

Camilio Ortega was born on Dec. 13, 1950, in Managua. As a student, Ortega became involved in politics and was particularly outspoken in denouncing poor prison conditions under the Somoza dictatorship. He also became involved in the underground military movement called Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional (Sandinista National Liberation Front) or FSLN, helping to train and arm young Sandinista commandos.

After graduating from college, Ortega worked with FSLN Commander José Benito Escobar and created a magazine that promoted the cause. He was arrested for his work and held for several days. Despite the arrest, Ortega continued his revolutionary efforts and fell in with similarly minded intellectuals and artists.

In 1972, Ortega traveled to Cuba for military and political training. He returned to Masaya, Nicaragua in 1975 and started working on a comprehensive review of the FSLN operations. As a commander of the Sandinista organization, Ortega established contacts and helped grow support for FSLN throughout the country.

Ortega led the FSLN in an attack on the city of Granada in 1977. He died in February 1978 during a raid by Somoza forces on a FSLN safe house in the town of Las Sabogal. His body, along with those of two other commanders, was transported to Managua for burial.

To get to the museum follow the main road to Rivas south for about a kilometer past the city limits. A slideshow of the musum holdings and personal account (in Spanish) of Ortega’s life can be found at: www.manfut.org/museos/camiloortega.html

Location:

Masaya, Nicaragua

Museum

Price Description: Free

Contact Information:

Phone: 505-475-8237

Here are other activities in and around Masaya that may be of interest: Museo Galería Héroes y Martires