Xavier Chamorro Cardenal


Xavier Chamorro Cardenal, a Nicaraguan journalist, was founding editor and publisher of El Nuevo Diario, which he founded in a Nicaraguan newspaper.

Background

He was born in Granada, Nicaragua, a son of Pedro Joaquín Chamorro Zelaya and his wife Margarita Cardenal Argüello. Through his father's line, he was a paternal grandson of Pedro Joaquín Chamorro Bolaños and wife and cousin Ana María Zelaya Bolaños, and through his mother's a maternal grandson of Julio Cardenal Argüello and wife and cousin Adela Argüello Cervantes. Chamarro's great-grandparents were Pedro Joaquín Chamorro Alfaro, 39th President of Nicaragua, and his wife María de la Luz Bolaños Bendaña.
Xavier had two brothers, Jaime Chamorro Cardenal and Pedro Joaquín Chamorro Cardenal, who succeeded their father as publisher of La Prensa newspaper. They had two sisters, Ligia Chamorro Cardenal and Ana María Chamorro Cardenal.

Career

Prior to 1980, Chamorro Cardenal had worked with La Prensa, a well-known Conservative publication. It had published criticism of the government. After his brother and editor Pedro Joaquín was assassinated in 1978 by alleged forces of Anastasio Somoza Debayle, Xavier took over as editor of the paper.
In 1980, he left La Prensa, taking eighty percent of the staff with him, as they favored the Sandinistas. Together, they founded El Nuevo Diario, with Chamorro Cardenal as director and editor. The newspaper has flourished, and provides a political view which is significantly different from that of La Prensa.

Personal

Xavier Chamorro Cardenal married Sonia García Cordova. They had the following children together: Francisco Xavier, Margarita, Gabriel, Ana María, and Juan Sebastián Chamorro García.
He also was a professional engineer and was active as an amateur radio operator, call sign YN1XC.
Chamorro Cardenal died in Managua on 4 January 2008, reportedly of heart disease.