Ryan C. Berg, director of the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic & International Studies: “The announcement of the trade deal follows the Ortega-Murillo regime’s diplomatic pivot at the end of 2021 to China, as well as accession to the Belt and Road Initiative in early 2022. The regime’s turn away from its traditional ally Taiwan has much to do with its efforts to insulate the dictatorship in Managua from U.S., European, and to a lesser extent, regional pressure. Until now, however, we have witnessed less Chinese engagement than expected with the regime. That could start to change with the conclusion of a trade agreement—although the details remain unknown given the opacity that is the familiar hallmark of both governments. From China’s perspective, it has an interest in keeping fellow authoritarian ilk in power. From Ortega’s perspective, a trade agreement with China is critical to offsetting Nicaragua’s traditional dependence on the U.S. market—a dynamic established over years of…”