The low political tolerance among Nicaraguans and the growth of those who favor an autocratic government model such as that imposed by the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, are two of the main concerns noted in the new report by State of Democracy in Nicaragua 2021 presented this Monday by the Foundation for Peace and Democracy (FUNPADEM), in San José, Costa Delicious.
Another of the main findings of this study is the polarized vision that persists among Nicaraguans. This conclusion is drawn from the results of the Socioeconomic Survey of Multiple Purposes (ESPM) on the State and satisfaction with democracy, based on their level of trust towards their institutions, carried out between the end of May and the beginning of June of this year, and on which the report of the State of Democracy in Nicaragua 2021 was built.
“In ESPM 2021, Nicaraguans were consulted on some elements that can be suppressed without affecting the democracy of a country. The recorded results raise several concerns. On the one hand, they warn about the increase in people with little political tolerance (regarding people with contrary opinions who can organize and demonstrate), and on the other, the increase in tolerant people with actions in favor of the autocracy, a model that has it has been consolidating itself in Nicaragua since 2007 ”, the report cites.
Even the same study warns that in Nicaragua it is necessary to develop a work route that considers specific actions aimed at breaking the cycles of violence and authoritarianism in Nicaragua, and consolidating a rule of law, something quite complex taking into account that the Ortega regime has focused more on violate the civil rights of Nicaraguans and establish a de facto police state.
This panorama is favored according to those who support the consolidation of an autocracy in Nicaragua. “It is highlighted that the group with moderate to high autocratic tendencies tends to justify acts of disrespect for the legal framework by public officials and is in favor of indefinite continuity in power, control of the army in the streets in tense situations, limiting demonstrations and control freedom of expression ”. Add.
Precisely the EStatus of Democracy in Nicaragua 2021 highlights that those in the study said they had confidence in the country’s democratic system, the vast majority turned out to be sympathizers of the Sandinista Front. Are People who say they have greater confidence in the State have a more favorable perception of the human rights situation, the state of civil liberties and the validity and confidence in the voting process of November 7, 2021, classified as an electoral farce for its lack of political competence and transparency.
“According to Latinobarómetro (2021), in Nicaragua, only 39.0 percent of the population considers that the country is governed for the good of all the people. This organism indicates that this percentage of the population can be considered the support to the autocratic government. The foregoing coincides with the fact that the people considered to be the opposition are those who see their rights to demonstrate, to peaceful assembly and to freedom of expression, among other rights, limited, ”the study points out.
Low indices of trust in the State persist
Regarding trust in other institutions, among these the opposition organizations, it is highlighted that the highest levels of trust towards are the Evangelical and Catholic Church and the universities. This matches the results of a CID Gallup poll sponsored by CONFIDENCIAL in which it was revealed that the sectors and institutions with the greatest credibility continue to be: young people and university students (51%); Catholic Church (47%); independent media (47%); Evangelical Church (43%); and the opposition (42%).
The lowest credibility percentages in the CID Gallup poll were awarded to the National Police (29%), Nicaraguan Army (29%), official media (26%), Sandinista National Liberation Front (25%), Assembly National (24%), Supreme Electoral Council (24%), Presidency of the Republic (23%) and Supreme Court of Justice (21%).
”Based on the responses on trust in public institutions (Army, National Police, National Assembly, Government, Judiciary and CSE) obtained in ESPM 2021, an index of trust in the State was constructed. The results of this index indicate that 52.5 percent of people have a low level of trust in the State, 24.9 percent a medium level of trust, that is, they trust between two and four institutions, and 22.6 percent a high confidence level (they trust five or six of the institutions evaluated in the index) ”, records the study State of Democracy in Nicaragua 2021.
