Chamorro, Violeta Barrios de

Chamorro, Violeta Barrios de, 1929-, president of Nicaragua (1990-97). Widow of martyred newspaper editor Joaquim Chamorro, she briefly joined the ruling Sandinista junta following the 1979 revolution. Opposed to the direction of the revolution, she resigned and converted the Chamorro family newspaper, La Prensa, into a major opposition organ. She was elected president in an upset victory (1990), becoming the first woman to govern a Central American nation. In office, she instituted a program of national reconciliation, brought an end to the U.S.-backed Contra war, and ended Sandinista control of the military.

(born Oct. 18, 1929, Rivas province, Nic.) President of Nicaragua (1990–96). Born into a wealthy family, she married the publisher of La Prensa, a newspaper that opposed the Anastasio Somoza dictatorship (see Somoza family). After her husband was assassinated in 1978, she took his place as publisher. When the Sandinistas overthrew Somoza, she served briefly on a ruling civilian junta, but her newspaper soon became critical of Daniel Ortega and supportive of U.S. policies, which included extensive support for the anti-Sandinista contras. Advocating an end to military and economic conflicts with the U.S., she was elected president in 1990. Her presidency was troubled by continuing deep political divisions and the significant power still held by the Sandinistas.

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Barrios is a name of Hispanic origin. The name may refer to:

Persons

• Agustín Barrios (1885–1944), Paraguayan guitarist and composer
• Arturo Barrios (born 1962), Mexican long-distance runner and former world record holder
• Carlos Jongitud Barrios (1924—), Mexican union leader and governor of San Luis Potosí
• Donald Barrios (contemporary), American businessman, assisted the work of the DEA
• Eduardo Barrios (1884–1963), Chilean writer and poet
• Fannie Barrios (1964–2005), Venezuelan bodybuilder
• Fernando Gutiérrez Barrios (1927–2000), Mexican politician, head of the secret police, governor of Veracruz
• Francisco Barrios (1953–1982), Mexican-American professional baseball player
• Gerardo Barrios (1813–1865), President of El Salvador 1859–1863
• Goizeder Victoria Azúa Barríos (contemporary), Venezuelan beauty queen
• Jarrett Barrios (contemporary), American politician, state senator from Massachusetts
• Jorge Walter Barrios (1961—), Uruguyan footballer, world cup 86
• Jorge Rodrigo Barrios (1976—), Argentine professional boxer
• José María Reina Barrios (1854–1898), President of Guatemala 1892–1898
• Juan Luis Barrios (born 1983), Mexican middle distance and long-distance runner
• Justo Rufino Barrios (1835–1885), President of Guatemala 1873–1885
• Miguel de Barrios (1625–1701), Jewish Spanish poet and historian, fled Spain during the Inquisition
• Pilar Barrios (1889–1974), Uruguyan poet of the black community
• Paulo da Silva Barrios (1980—), Paraguyan professional football player
• Victor Barrios (contemporary), coach of the Puerto Rico national football team
• Violeta Barrios de Chamorro (1929—), President of Nicaragua 1990–1996

Places

• Alto Lucero de Gutiérrez Barrios, city in the Mexican state of Veracruz
• Barrios Unidos, division of the city of Bogotá, Colombia
• Ciudad Barrios, municipality in the San Miguel department of El Salvador
• Los Barrios, town in the province of Cádiz in the Andalusia region of Spain
• Puerto Barrios, city in Guatemala

Other

• Barrios Altos massacre, death squad massacre in Lima, Peru in 1991

See also

• Barrio, a district or neighborhood