When the Earth Shook and Corruption Was Revealed - December 22, 1972

On December 22, 1972, a massive earthquake struck Managua, Nicaragua, killing thousands and destroying most of the capital city. But the tragedy was compounded when dictator Anastasio Somoza embezzled millions in international aid meant for victims, turning disaster relief into personal profit. Richard Backus examines both the earthquake itself and the systematic corruption that followed from the perspective of an investigator following the money. He explores how disasters reveal the character of governments, how corruption compounds tragedy and prolongs suffering, and how Somoza's theft helped spark the 1979 revolution. This isn't just about one earthquake—it's about the pattern of corruption during disaster response, what we owe to victims, and whether we've built systems to prevent aid from being stolen when people are most vulnerable.