The endorsement of a rapist

10/12/2010

In July of ’91, Mike Tyson was still one of the best boxers in the world; aside from a slipup the year before against Buster Douglas, he remained a feared and respected opponent. While that fear wasn’t limited to the ring, however—respect most certainly was. By that point he’d already crashed several sports cars, beaten up a parking attendant, and been accused of domestic violence by his then wife, actress Robin Givens.

His reply to the domestic violence charge was classic Tyson:

“Anyone with a grain of sense would know that if I punched my wife I would rip her head off.”

Misogynistic quips like that that certainly didn’t help his cause when, in July ’91, he was formally charged with the rape of a beauty pageant contestant named Desiree Washington.

His subsequent conviction surprised few; another spoiled professional athlete who finally pushed the envelope as far as he could.

At the time of his sentencing in March of ’92, the Presidential election in the U.S. was still a ways off, and even if it hadn’t been, no GOP strategist in their right mind would’ve suggested calling in some favors to make sure Mike didn’t see jail time; even if he did contribute, say, all his winnings to the Republican Party; even if he did sport shorts with the Republican elephants on them and dedicate his next primetime fight to the President Bush reelection campaign.

The endorsement of a rapist isn’t usually sought after; that is unless you’re in Nicaragua.

One of the latest WikiLeaks gems to be released tells the story of Ricardo Moyorga. Like Tyson, Moyorga was also a boxer, and like Tyson, Moyorga was also an accused rapist. According to the release, Mayorga was facing charges in 2004 before he came to an agreement with the FSLN.

The deal was fairly simple: In exchange for diverting his winnings to Daniel Ortega and the FSLN, and advertising/campaigning on their behalf, an FSLN judge would make sure Mayorga never did any time.

A quid pro quo everyone could live with…

Mayorga fought in Chicago in 2005—in FSLN colors, dedicated the fight to Ortega, and that was that.

But I guess having a pugilist sex-offender stump for you isn’t really that serious when your former Interior Minister and his minions once helped Pablo Escobar load and unload cargo; when the profits of drug trafficking are regularly financing your party's campaigns in exchange for the dismissal of charges; when in more recent developments, members of your government return from Venezuela with suitcases full of money and no explanations.

In Ortega’s defense, it’s never exactly been a fair fight. Sleazy last minute Presidential pardons of the likes of Caspar Weinberger, Elliot Abrams and the rest of the Iran-Contra gang did nothing but remind Latin America how hypocritical American foreign policy in the region has been; yes, democracy. But only as long as the results are predetermined and the right person wins, be it Violetta Chamorro or really anyone who’s name isn’t Daniel Ortega.

True, if Ortega were an American politician he’d have resigned by now or be facing some sort of impeachment proceedings, but he’d probably also be a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice.

Mayorga, if he didn’t already have a show of his own, wouldn’t be far behind.