Nick Schifrin:
Ortega’s been at the center of Nicaraguan history for decades. He came to power as a Sandinista guerrilla commander who helped overthrow a dictatorship and became president in 1984.
After losing to Violeta Chamorro in 1990, he returned to power in 2006. Over time, he consolidated power, muzzled dissent, and oversaw modest growth.
But, today, Nicaragua is the region’s second poorest country; 30 percent live below the poverty line. And since 2018, there’s been a steady economic downturn, aggravated by COVID and two Category 4 hurricanes that struck within weeks of each other. That helped lead to a mass exodus.
In June and July, the Department of Homeland Security says more than 20,000 Nicaraguans attempted to cross the U.S. border, the highest number ever.
