What happened to Nicaragua’s democracy?

Nicaragua has been in turmoil since the flare-up of protests against President Daniel Ortega for more than five months, since April.

Hundreds of people have been killed and thousands more have fled the country. Ortega calls the ongoing protests a ‘violent criminal coup’. Critics say he is the new Somoza.

Ortega insists that the unrest was, is being “perpetrated by a group of very radical and very violent activists” and that human rights groups feed off misinformation, information that is manipulated and it is based on false premises.

En Nicaragua se perdió todo respeto, toda moral, toda ética y más aún, toda humanidad, de parte de este gobierno y sus fanáticos.

Es imperdonable el actuar de la institución policial, que debería proteger al pueblo y hacer valer la ley. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/YqQ2FfkBmL

— Luis Enrique (@LuisEnrique) September 30, 2018

Human rights organizations have alleged abuses but the government denies them, even expelling United Nations observers.

So, does the Ortega government take any responsibility for the violence and chaos?

Thirty-nine years ago, Daniel Ortega and Sandinista rebels were victorious in taking out President Anastasio Somoza.

The rebel fighters called him (Somoza) a dictator – which is exactly what many are calling Ortega now.

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The three-time president has defied more than five months of protests.

So, what’s next for Nicaragua?

NICARAGUA VA A VOLVER A HACER LIBRE ???????? pic.twitter.com/CgjKO8IDLl

— Nicaragüenses por gracias a Dios❤ (@Nicaragua_19) September 30, 2018