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Nicaragua’s cuts to pensions and social security announced on 18 April have led to violent demonstrations in most of the country’s cities.

Reports state that over 300 people have died following the protests, which called on former Sandinista rebel leader Daniel Ortega to resign his presidency before his term ends in 2022.

Ortega, 72, has been in office since 2007. While the economy slightly improved during his 11-year leadership, Nicaragua was not spared by the global economic crisis of the last decade.

Meanwhile, President Ortega has alleged right-wing groups were instigating trouble in order to destabilise his government. While one cannot completely rule this out, there is no gainsaying that the recent uprising are of his making – and he must fix the situation before it gets completely out of hand.

Recent claims by the government that the country’s Catholic bishops, who have been mediating to end the crisis, were now “murderers” and “liars” supporting the opposition and promoting protests are signs that President Ortega wants to hang on to power rather than to resolve his nation’s problems.

It is worth noting that majority of people in Nicaragua strongly reject their government’s claims. In a recent protest in support of the church, backed by other religious faiths and atheists in the capital Managua, participants shouted for “Justice!” and “Freedom!” President Ortega would do well to listen.

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