DONA VIOLETA

Richard Boudreaux’s “The Great Conciliator” (Jan. 6) is the most comprehensive and illustrative report yet on post-civil-war Nicaragua. Now, in the light of day, it is obvious that the election of Violeta Chamorro symbolized not only that “the Contras had won the political battle,” as Boudreaux writes, but that they, indeed, won the political war . With this in mind, I cannot devote enough energies to wishing Dona Violeta and the people of Nicaragua a democratic, peaceful, prosperous and enduring reconstruction. To be honest, they have quite a long way to go. But I also believe that--with visionary leadership, shrewd compromise and the principles of freedom--they’ll ultimately get there.

ROBERT MILTENBERG

Agoura Hills