Riot cops-election related violence, Nagarote

Yesterday was the official vote tallying day across the country for Sunday's mayoral elections. Juan Gabriel, the Sandinista candidate won the election here. It was an official vacation day and most people opted to stay at home due to wide spread reports of violence. Those reports hit home in the afternoon quite literally and at around 2pm I heard screaming coming from the street. In front of my house and all around, neighbors had assembled and were yelling at riot cops who were struggling with a group of men who were shoving and obviously drunk. Then, in a mad scramble the cops shot off tear gas canisters and in an instant the air was filled with the thick, choking smog. After about 15 minutes, we all reemerged from our houses, and returned to our spectator perches and watched on as the cops continued with the roundup. Some of my neighbors were brandishing rocks in what was an undeniable macho provocation. The Liberal party headquarters, on the next street over from my house, had a few burnt tires in front of it as well as glass and tons of trash and the doors were broken when I walked by early this morning.
There were reports of violence in Managua and accusations of electoral fraud across the country. Last count, the Sandinistas gained 93 mayoral seats while the Liberales won 47.
After being so euphoric about our victory back home, yesterday's violence was disheartening. It also seemed politically orchestrated and an irresponsible display of senseless aggression, both parties egging on young people-mostly men- who have little to gain and much more left to lose.
Both political parties have become more and more indistinguishable and the lining of elected officials' pockets is, and has always been, a bipartisan practice.
It was a sad moment yesterday, standing there on my porch watching the cops round up more young men, struggling in vain and against an imagined enemy they have little experience or point of reference to understand accurately. Many of the dyed in the wool Sandinistas I work with, Virginia most notably, lament about the political fever aroused in youth these days by the Sandinista administration and see it being heartbreakingly devoid of any historical analysis. She might argue that this generation doesn't know what was lost during the war and has little sensitivity for the lives that were destroyed and sacrifices made. Yesterday, I was simply an onlooker to this unfolding national drama. History marches on and the people stand ready, dust in their face and tears in their eyes.