This Ongoing Institutional Crisis Brought to You by

Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega

The election of Daniel Ortega to the presidency of Nicaragua in 2006 marked the commencement of his second presidential term following three unsuccessful bids for the office. As the leader of the Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional (FSLN), Ortega holds a place in Nicaraguan history for his role in the successful revolution of 1979. Then an idealistic leftist guerrilla leader, Ortega has since changed in a number of ways. During his 2006 campaign, he ostensibly embraced Christianity, adopted a more moderate political approach, and patched up traditionally sour relations with the Catholic Church by supporting a ban on abortion, which is now illegal even when the pregnancy endangers the life of the mother. Billboards around the capital city, such as one that pictures the president next to the words “Cristiana, Socialista, Solidaria,” illustrate Ortega’s conflicting ideology. His casual abandonment of revolutionary ideals has disillusioned once ardent followers, diminishing their faith in the democratic system. However, of greater detriment to Nicaraguan democracy is Ortega’s willingness to manipulate institutions to further consolidate his personal rule.
A former guerrilla leader of the revolutionary leftist movement that deposed the dynastic Somoza dictatorship in 1979, Ortega has since rid himself of his once cherished idealism. He has sought to extend his stay at the head of Nicaraguan politics by violating the Nicaraguan Constitution at the cost of the country’s precarious democracy. He has also restricted opportunities for loyal opposition, leaving his already weakened political opponents powerless. Over time, the Ortega-led FSLN has managed to politicize state institutions, subjecting them to presidential whim. By manipulating already corrupted institutions, Ortega has managed to exploit extra-constitutional channels to consolidate his rule without creating the image of a full autocracy. However, upon closer examination, many of the steps taken by the Ortega administration reveal his growing autocratic tendencies.

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This analysis was prepared by COHA Research Associate Brendan Riley