It's Not Just Venezuela. Central American Democracies Are Under Threat, Too.
It's Not Just Venezuela. Central American Democracies Are Under Threat, Too.
Leaders on both sides of the ideological spectrum are tempted by authoritarianism.
The first sign of trouble on my recent research trip to Nicaragua was that almost nobody would speak to me about President Daniel Ortega on the record.
“I just don’t want any problems with Ortega,” one person said. Félix Maradiaga, a social entrepreneur from Managua, told me: “The government leaves you alone as long as you don’t speak out against them. If you do, they make your life uncomfortable.”
Sometimes the message is sent in a subtle manner, sometimes less so. On several recent occasions, troublesome academics visiting Nicaragua have been politely asked to take the next...
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