Democracy Dialogues: A Conversation with Carlos Chamorro

Speakers

• Carlos Chamorro, Founder and Director, Confidencial
• Eric Farnsworth, Vice President, Americas Society/Council of the Americas (interviewer)

“Anyone who could defy the power of Ortega is now under repression in the situation of the police state in which we live in Nicaragua," said Carlos Chamorro during a Democracy Dialogues series conversation with Eric Farnsworth. With an election coming up on November 7, the two focused on how the Nicaraguan opposition and international community can work to restore democracy and political rights to the country.

“When Ortega came back to power, I was certain that he would try to stay in power and that he would not allow the continuing of a transition toward democracy," said Chamorro, who was once an ally of the revolutionary leader. He noted that Ortega has increasingly consolidated power and repressed criticism of his regime. Chamorro spoke about how he has watched his colleagues in journalism and his family members be arrested or exiled over the past few years. 

There has been a reaction from the international community, namely when 26 members of the Organization of American States condemned Ortega's pre-election actions. And there have been sanctions levied against the regime from the United States and the European Union. Still, "the crisis won't be solved in Washington or Brussels. The crisis will be solved in Managua," Chamorro affirmed, referencing a recent article he authored that provides a roadmap for democracy in Nicaragua. Both Chamorro and Farnsworth called for Central American unity to support Nicaragua's pro-democracy movement.

Additional reading: A Roadmap to Restore Democracy in Nicaragua?