Protests against Daniel Ortega

The protests against Daniel Ortega were a series of protests against President of Nicaragua Daniel Ortega and actions performed by his government, the dismantling of the opposition, and violence against peaceful protesters. The protests began in 2014, when the construction of the Nicaragua Canal was about to begin, and several hundred protesters blocked roads and clashed with police during the groundbreaking of the canal. Tens of thousands of Nicaraguans began to protest against President Ortega for what they believe to be a corrupt electoral system.

Protests against Daniel Ortega
Top to bottom:
  • Protesters gathered on 10 December 2014 denouncing the Nicaraguan Canal. Campesinos gathered in El Tule on 23 December 2014. A woman holding a Nicaraguan national flag near a burning barricade on 20 April 2018.
Date24 December 2014 – present
(9 years, 1 month, 2 weeks and 4 days)
Location
Caused byDemocratic deficit, political repression, social security, environmental protection, Nicaragua Canal proposal
Goals
Resulted in
  • Reduced pension for small contributors
  • Cancellation of social reforms
  • Nicaragua Canal construction has not started
Parties
Lead figures

Campesinos

  • Octavio Ortega

Students

  • Lesther Alemán

Private sector

Government of Nicaragua

Number
Hundreds of thousands
Casualties
Death(s)2 (2014) · 105+ (2018)
Injuries20+ (2014) · 433 (2018)
Arrested47 (2014)  · 200+ (2018)

The protests were renewed in April 2018 following the Ortega administration's decree of the Nicaraguan Social Security Institute's social security reform increasing taxes and decreasing benefits. Police and the paramilitary groups attacked and killed unarmed protesters, which made people to stand-up. After five days of deadly unrest, Ortega announced the cancellation of the reforms. Since then, Ortega faced the largest protests in his government's history, with the protest movement spreading to denounce Ortega in general and demanding his resignation. Related protests continued in 2018 and thereafter.

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