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Nicaragua: one-party state

Friday, August 31, 2012


WHAT Daniel Ortega´s Sandinista party is poised to win a near-sweep in mayoral elections, to be held in November in 163 cities and towns.

WHY The upcoming elections are representative of a larger phenomenon, in which Nicaragua as a whole has become essentially a one-party state. No fewer than 54% of Nicaraguans say they support the Sandinista National Liberation Front, according to a poll taken last June, compared to just 3% for all other political groups.

WHAT’S NEXT By offering stability and by easing entry requirements, the Sandinista government has attracted considerable amounts of investment, both domestic and foreign, to the point at which Nicaragua is creating jobs and opportunities, which were not available a decade ago. On the other hand, there is an almost total lack of opposition, both political and among media, many of which fear criticizing a government, which directly and indirectly controls major businesses and advertisers.

For more information, please contact Esteban Alvarez, at [email protected]