Contras
57
9.2
- noun
- /ˈkɒntrəz/
- The Reagan administration, with the help of the former Argentinean military junta, armed, trained, and funded the Contras, a mercenary army led by former Nicaraguan National Guardsmen loyal to the ousted dictatorship.
- aid to the Contras
- support for the Contras
- Nicaraguan Contras
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Watch on YouTubeHe's kicking out boots, supplies for the Contras.
- He's kicking out boots, supplies for the Contras.
- I mean, the Contras contained some of the shadiest and most thuggish people.
- On the other hand, you're bringing it in through the CIA, the Contras, supporting them because, you know, Iran Contra and all that stuff.
- I mean, Oliver North had just been convicted right from Iran Contra.
- They set him up and whenever all that Oliver N stuff come about, arms for cocaine and Iran Contra deal, they just they just split.
- And as soon as the helicopter went down, my, my guys called me from the, the, the Contras.
- It was FBICIADECIACIAI mean, yeah, because we were working internationally and this is coming on the heels of the Iran Contra shit.
Examples
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To defeat the Sandinistas, the Contras had to erase the gains of the revolution.
Academic text (2007) -
Congress had prohibited U.S. government assistance to the Contras because of their pattern of human rights abuses.
Blog text (25) -
You think those Contras can win?
-
Are you gonna help with the Contras, Mr. President?
-
In the end, the Contras won.
Academic text (2007) -
Given their hopeless position, the Contras had few other choices.
Academic text (1991) -
Reagan believed strongly that the Contras deserved American funding and support.
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The Contras also destroyed bridges, phone lines, and port facilities as well as schools, clinics, and power stations.
Academic text (2007) -
The left was outraged over President Reagan secretly providing U.S. arms to the Contras in Nicaragua.
Blog text (23) -
Reagan believed strongly that the Contras deserved American funding and support.
Surface Forms
Etymology
Contras comes from Spanish and is short for contrarrevolucionarios, which means 'counter-revolutionaries' or people 'against' a revolution. The root contra- is like the English word 'counter' or 'contrary', so the name shows they were the group opposing the Sandinista government.