Reports
Discussion Papers
No.119 The Sandinista Revolution and Post-Conflict Development—Key Issues
by KAGAMI Mitsuhiro
August 2007
ABSTRACT
Following Daniel Ortega’s victory in the presidential election held in November 2006, Nicaragua has been undergoing a transition from a democratic to authoritarian system. In the 1980s, Ortega served as President of the Sandinista government and implemented a Cuban-type socialist system, but the system failed and democracy was established during 1990-2007. Considering this failure, why did Ortega succeed in taking power again? This paper provides a brief history of modern Nicaragua and gives some insights into the twists of Latin American politics. The paper was prepared for the international seminar on Helping Failed States Recover: The Role of Business in Promoting Stability and Development, organized by the University of Kansas Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER), held on April 4-6, 2007 in Lawrence.
The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author. All mistakes and/or errors are entirely the author’s responsibility.
Keywords: Daniel Ortega, Violeta Chamorro, Enrique Bolanos, Hugo Chavez,Sandinista, Contra, post-conflict recovery, neo-liberal, caudillo, extreme poverty,illiteracy rate
Please note that discussion papers are works in various stages of progress and most have not been edited and proofread and may contain errors of fact or judgment. Revised versions of these papers may subsequently appear in more formal publication series. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s). The IDE does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included and accepts no responsibility for any consequences arising from its use.