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1986 – Salman Rushdie gives a unique view of the Nicaragua he saw on his visit there
The Jaguar Smile
What you need to know before your trail
Salman Rushdie visited Nicaragua in 1986 and spent three weeks there at the invitation of Sandinista Association of Cultural Workers , a kind of umbrella organisation bringing writers, and other creative people together.
In the book, which he wrote when taking a break from writing his Satanic Verses, he covers his experiences of travelling in and around the country, the people he meets along the way and most importantly writes about the political situation in the country at the time. The Sandinista regime ruled the country the political chaos reigned.
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The title Jaguar Smile comes from a rhyming song which tells of a young woman who climbed onto a jaguar only to be swallowed up. The Jaguar never stopped smiling after his tasty meal..
This is the image of how Salman Rushdie wanders into Nicaragua for the threat of that smiling Jaguar is all around.
These were troubled times in Nicaragua and Rushdie spent some three weeks touring around meeting leading figures such as the President himself Daniel Ortega, government ministers, newspaper journalists and a range of other quirky characters (one lady lives with her cow!)
This year was the seven year anniversary of the Sandinista’s rise to power. An important time for the country and its people. Rushdie revels in his time with the Jaguar but he prods it several times – asking about corruption, press reform and other matters. Still, the jaguar smiles away. He even meets Violeta Charmorro who was editor of one of the most censored newspapers who later became president herself!
Nicaragua is a land of fascinating contradictions and Rushdie examines many of them. The mix of US influence, interference and the country’s inner turmoil is an explosive mix.
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