What Happens Next

The effects of this election on the U.S. could be wide-ranging. The deteriorating political situation that Martinez expects could cause mass migration from Nicaragua. In the month of July, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection logged more than 13,000 Nicaraguans either illegally crossing or seeking asylum at the nation’s borders, almost double the month before, according to Reuters.

For Nicaraguans, the future may not be much different from the present. Nice noted that while Ortega stays in power, his regime is likely to continue with its oppressive measures, signaling a long road ahead before one can expect any significant change.

Nice said, “Unfortunately, I do think that Ortega has a pretty strong grip on power. You are either with Ortega’s government, or you’re out.”

Within the country, Martinez conveyed the populace’s prevailing feeling of defeat and pessimism about the future.

“[The predominant feeling is] a mixture of worry and fear,” Martinez said. “The future of Nicaragua is uncertain because Ortega is going to monopolize the entire country to fit his agenda.”

For Martinez, the prospect of Nicaragua becoming a complete autocracy is a real one. Wary of his home country following the path of a nearby country marked by corruption, a violent dictatorship, and mass migration, Martinez expressed how he viewed the future.

Martinez said, “We are on our way towards becoming the second Venezuela.”

*In accordance with Carlmont’s Anonymous Sourcing Policy, the name of the student has been changed to preserve the subject’s anonymity and prevent any foreseeable threat to the source’s safety.

**The interview with the anonymous source was originally conducted in Spanish. The translation of this material has been verified by an outside source.

Author’s Note: Having spent three weeks in Nicaragua this summer, some of the observations made in this article are based on personal experience.