Belaustegigoitia, the (oft-omitted) Basque nationalist who was recently awarded Nicaragua’s highest honor, the Order of Rubén Darío

Our more regular readers may well remember our references to Ramón Belaustegigoitia.  Today, we’re speaking of him again because the government of Nicaragua has chosen to posthumously grant him the nation’s highest honor, the Order of Cultural Independence of Rubén Darío.

This recognition — collected by his granddaughter, Gentzane Belausteguigoitia — was granted to the (Basque) author, politician, attorney, and journalist for his book “With Sandino in Nicaragua, the Time for Peace (Con Sandino en Nicaragua, la hora de paz)”, which came about from his encounters with General Augusto César Sandino during the latter’s struggle against the US occupation of his country.  This book was published in 1934, which was the same year the dictator Somoza, the “gift” the Americans left the people of Nicaragua when they left, betrayed and assassinated Sandino.

Moreover, as we blogged here in 2012, in Nicaragua, it is admitted that the General Sandino had a significant influence on the way cooperativist ideas were promoted in agriculture.

He wrote other books, such as “Apportionment of Land and National Production” where he developed his cooperativist ideas.  But one he published during his stay in Mexico, where he resided after 1925, is especially important; it’s titled “Euzkadi en llamas (Euskadi on Fire)“.  This book, published 81 years ago, discusses the 1936 war in our country and was published at the height of Francoism, forcing the whole Belaustegigoitia family, including his parents, into exile.

We’re thrilled by this recognition.  We always like to recall that we have fellow countrymen who have extraordinary talent, intellect, and influence, and even so, they are still not given the recognition they deserve in our country.

But there is one thing that disappointed us in this report broadcast from Nicaragua.  He was born in Llodio, Araba; was an attorney; played for Athletic Bilbao; promoted agricultural projects in the Americas; was an author, journalist, and soldier for the Mexican Army fighting against the Nazis; was a member of the Basque Studies Society and an active member of the Basque Center in Mexico and against Francoism; traveler…but, above all, he was a Basque nationalist and a member of the Basque Nationalist Party.

We’re shocked that there is not even a single reference to this fundamental part of his biography, especially when it is stated that he is receiving this award for his relationship with a historical figure that’s as important as General Sandino, the “General of Free Men and Women” who fought against the occupation of his country.

It’s quite shocking that this very basic part of his personality is completely left out.  The EFE Agency also “informs” us about this award with a note titled:

“The President of Nicaragua gives a Spanish author the Order of Rubén Darío”.

We can’t even imagine what this abertzale would think if he read that.  We imagine it would be similar to what he’d feel on reading the “balancing act” of the author to skip over Belausteguigoitia’s ideology.

El Gobierno nicaragüense destacó que el periodista nació el 27 de octubre de 1891 en Llodio (España), en una familia católica con un ambiente cultural muy intenso tanto vasco como internacional, al ser el décimo de 12 hermanos (8 varones y 4 mujeres).
Fue abogado de formación y futbolista del Athletic de Bilbao, luego se hizo economista, periodista, novelista, “combatiente internacionalista, siempre con un alto espíritu humanista”, de acuerdo con el Ejecutivo nicaragüense.

The Nicaraguan government awarded this journalist, born on October 27, 1891 in Llodio, Spain to a Catholic family that hada very intense cultural ambiance, both Basque and international, as he was the tenth of twelve siblings (8 boys and 4 girls).
He was an attorney by trade and a player for Athletic Bilbao, and then he became an economist, journalist, novelist, “international combatant, always with a very humanist spirit”, as states the Nicaraguan President.

This just goes to show, yet again, that when dealing with the Basques, the history of the “the best” is always attributed to others.

On the other hand, Nicaraguan media, the Cuban press agency Prensa Latina, while still not discussing his politics, do state that he is Basque and nothing else.

Yahoo Noticias – 5/8/2019 – Nicaragua

El presidente de Nicaragua condecora a escritor español con la orden Rubén Darío

El presidente nicaragüense, Daniel Ortega, condecoró este lunes con la orden de la independencia cultural Rubén Darío al escritor y periodista español Ramón Belausteguigoitia, autor del libro “Con Sandino en Nicaragua: la hora de la paz”.

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La Voz del Sandinismo – 6/8/2019 – Nicaragua

Entregan orden Independencia cultural Rubén Darío a familiares de Ramón Belausteguigoitia

El Gobierno de Nicaragua a través del ministro de Relaciones Exteriores, Denis Moncada Colindres hizo efectiva la entrega de la Orden Independencia Cultural Rubén Darío a la familia del gran escritor y jurista Ramón Belausteguigoitia.

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Prensa Latina – 6/8/2019 – Havana

Last Updated on Dec 20, 2020 by About Basque Country