Covid-19 Pandemic and the Lack of Democracy in Nicaragua

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Confidencial

Daniel Ortega's regime is using the Covid-19 pandemic as an opportunity to ensure political survival. Regardless of the measure used, Nicaragua is the country that has least adhered to efforts to mitigate the pandemic. It is one of eight countries with the lowest levels of compliance with the World Health Organization's recommendations for combating the spread of the virus. The consequences of the government's inaction are deadly.

Not Complying with Norms nor Working to Protect his Country

The negligence and deliberate act of ignoring what is happening are absurd. Compared to Latin America and the Caribbean, Nicaragua is the only country that has seen commercial activity drop by only 20 percent as of March 1st (due to not implementing a quarantine). This compares with an average drop of 65 percent among other countries (equivalent to 30 days of precautionary measures). Although these represent considerable economic losses, they will also lead to productivity achievements in the medium-term as well as lives saved.

Since the virus' presence was announced at the end of December 2019, Nicaragua has carried out tests without any sort of transparency.

While the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean has administered an average of 5,000 tests per one million inhabitants. 

Governments, whether rich or poor, of large or small countries, have implemented different policies, promoting social distancing, temporary economic relief, closure of ports and borders, averaging 36 different measures - Nicaragua has only, very recently, implemented 11.

Life Has No Value

The multiplying effect of the pandemic is three people for each person who gets sick. At a minimum expansion rate of 15 percent daily, more than 30,000 people will be sick and without resources sooner than the government calculated. The state's absolute silence is criminal given that there is no ignorance behind it. They have made their calculations.

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Read the article in Confidencial here.