ONLINE EVENT: Nicaragua 2022 – Is a Political Transition Possible?

On January 10, just two months after Nicaragua’s electoral fraud, Daniel Ortega will officially begin his fourth consecutive term as president. By all measures the situation continues to deteriorate. Ortega’s repressive rule has resulted in more 150 Nicaraguans jailed on false charges and without due process. In 2021 the economy underperformed, with migrant family remittances and lending from international financial institutions accounting for much of the growth. Notably, in 2021 more than 170,000 Nicaraguans fled the country, over half to the United States in unprecedented numbers. In November, the government announced its withdrawal from the Organization of American States, and last month it broke diplomatic ties with Taiwan and established relations with the People’s Republic of China. Relations with Russia remain strong. And on Covid, vaccination rates have been among the lowest in the Americas, without transparent measures of contagion rates. Against such a troubling backdrop, the session will address the following key questions:

• To what extent is it possible to mount an organized opposition in the face of such repression? 
• Is the international community united to pressure Nicaragua to release prisoners?  
• Does the United States, Canada, the OAS and other countries share a common position on Nicaragua? 
• Is it realistic to expect a dialogue and negotiations for political reforms? 
• What would it take for all parties to bring about a political and economic transition in Nicaragua? Is there a path forward or a roadmap?
• To what extent will continued deterioration in Nicaragua affect regional stability in Central America?

We hope you will be able to join us for an open and wide-ranging conversation about Nicaragua’s outlook with leading experts. 

Follow this event on Twitter at #Nicaragua2022 and @The_Dialogue. 

We invite participants to submit questions using the Q&A function in Zoom OR to email questions to meetings@thedialogue.org.

Watch here:

Speakers

• Laura Chinchilla, Former President of Costa Rica; Co-Chair, Inter-American Dialogue (@Laura_Ch)
• Hugh Adsett, Canada’s Ambassador to the Organization of American States
• Carlos Fernando Chamorro, Director of Confidencial Magazine (@Cefeche)
• Ana Lucía Alvarez, Economist, human rights defender, and relative of 3 women political prisoners (@AnaluAlvarezV)
• Jesús Tefel, Founding member, National Blue and White Unity
• Gonzalo Koncke, Chief of Cabinet of the Secretary General, Organization of American States

Moderator

• Manuel Orozco, Director, Migration, Remittances and Development Program, Inter-American Dialogue (@manuelorozco65)