Daniel Ortega Clinches Nicaraguan Presidency in a “Sham” Election on November 7th: Will the Biden Administration’s Sanctions Impact his Reign?

Written by: Elena Cata All eyes have been on Nicaragua in recent weeks as recent presidential campaigns culminated in the general election on November 7th. Unsurprisingly, incumbent Daniel Ortega triumphed and assumed his 4th consecutive term as the country’s president. In the months leading up to the election, Ortega’s attempts to punish dissent and quell…

Ecuador’s New President Faces Compromise with Rising Indigenous Party

Written by: Peter LaBelle On April 10, Ecuador held the second round of its presidential election, which delivered a surprise victory to the conservative former banker Guillermo Lasso over the leftist Andres Arauz. Though Lasso had only narrowly made it into the runoff over another leftist candidate, Arauz may have been harmed at the polls…

Is Nicaragua Ripe for Revolution?

Written by: Ariana King Since April of 2018, President Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua has led a violent crackdown on peaceful demonstrators and members of the opposition.  Ripples of this latest wave of dissent began when Ortega announced his plan to increase social security taxes and reduce pensions.  Protesters gathered in the streets and were met…

Poverty in Haiti: An Exposé

Written by: Ryan McGuine Today, Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere, infamous for countless debilitating natural disasters as well as for a rampant sex tourism industry. Last summer, NPR ran a story about the sorry state of the country’s sewage system, including a cameo for a Haitian who cleans latrines for a…