Hi, I am Julio Pineda and these are my children, my son Cesar on the left, my daughter Alondra and Gema on the right. I was born in Leon City, the eighth child of 14. As you can imagine it was very difficult for my family with so many children and at 8 years old when my father left I went to live with my grandmother.

When I was 14, in the late 70’s, my friends and I were walking home from baseball and were stopped by the Somoza Army and accused of being “Sandinista Guerillas”. We were taken to jail where we endured unspeakable atrocities. Unlike some of my friends, I was able to stay strong and made it out alive with the help of the Canadian Red Cross. Shortly after I was enlisted into the Sandinista Army and fought in Nicaragua’s civil war for 12 years.

When the war ended there was little work in Nicaragua so I began traveling within Central America to find work. After a few years I returned to Nicaragua and had several jobs. I was a security guard, a taxi driver and bellboy, which turned out to be an opportunity that changed my life and the life of my family.

One of the wealthiest men in Nicaragua, Ortiz Gurdian (owner of Ortiz Gurdian Art Gallery) took me under his wing and paid for a university scholarship. I studied history, art and English and this wonderful gift from my guardian angel gave me the tools I needed to open my own business in 2007 and so with one small car I opened “Julio Tours Nicaragua”. With a lot of hard work and support from good friends I was able to turn my dream into a reality.

So when you choose Julio Tours Nicaragua, it is with great pleasure that I share my good fortune with you. My humble background and experiences allow me to tell an authentic story. I am committed to the future growth of my family, my people, and my country.