Daniel Ortega Strikes a Final Blow Against Democracy

The Nicaraguan dictator has tightened his grip on power over nearly two decades, but his latest move may be a step too far. Turn any article into a podcast. Upgrade now to start listening. Members can share articles with friends & family to bypass the paywall. In the early hours of February 26, 1990, Daniel Ortega walked into a Managua auditorium to concede an election he had been widely favored to win. He was 44, a guerrilla who had governed a country at war for a decade, and had campaigned on the premise that U.S. imperialism was to blame for Nicaragua’s woes. Gil Guerra is a contributing writer at The Dispatch and a fellow at Hudson Institute. A specialist in politics, security, and technology in Latin America and the Caribbean, he is a 2026-27 Novak Fellow with the Fund for American Studies. More We Think You’d Like