As far as is known, the term was coined by (or at least first published by) political satirist and humorist PJ O'Rourke as an essay and later published in his book, Holidays in Hell regarding the Lefty-loving, hacky-sack playing dirtballs who mourned the Sandinista's (FSLN, led by Daniel Ortega) death as a political power in Nicaragua.
The Sandalista can be described as any number of unwashed, unshaven, greasy, long-haired psuedo-hippies who spent their time
lamenting the passing of Che Guevara, Paul Wellstone and most specifically, the death of Communism in Nicaragua. Their honorary political figurehead is now
Jimmy Carter. They are no longer welcomed by the decent people of Nicaragua, so they came back to the
United States to torment and pester the public here.
Sandalistas put no effort whatsoever into making themselves presentable to the public at large, nor any effort into obtaining job skills that would make them the least bit
employable. They can be identified by sandal-clad unwashed feet, unshaven pits and legs (females), scabs, foul breath, unshaven faces (male and female) and wild, matted, uncombed hair. Their stench announces their approach. Puka shells and love-beads are their choice of tribal adornment. Females typically wear long batik skirts (to identify them as female, allegedly) to hide the bug bites on their legs, and wear no make-up. Males may or may not wear black make-up around their eyes. Many are pierced all over their bodies and head, and most have some sort of tribal tattoo. In all, it is a failed attempt to appear the peasantry they want you to think they represent.
Their politics are always Leftist.
The only species of humanoid more vile smelling than the Sandalista is the feces-encrusted drunken wino and the elusive Skunk-Ape of the
Florida Everglades. Though the Skunk-Ape has better
personal hygiene.
