Anti-government demonstrators carry homemade mortars, as they stand near a barricade during protests in the Nicaraguan town of Masaya on June 5. As protests continue in Nicaragua, the country's security is likely to worsen before it improves.
Negotiations have broken down, and the violence shows no signs of abating. Church-brokered peace talks between the Nicaraguan government and the demonstrators broke down on June 18 amid Managua's continued use of force against the protest movement. After taking to the streets in April in response to proposed social security reforms, protesters have now upgraded their demands for the departure of President Daniel Ortega and his wife (and vice president), Rosario Murillo. Whether the protesters ramp up the pressure on Ortega or vice versa, security in Nicaragua is only likely to worsen — something that should give companies operating in the country pause for thought. Pressuring a President Ortega ruled Nicaragua from 1979 to 1990 after the Sandinistas and their partners overthrew the Somoza regime. After Ortega returned to power in 2007, Nicaragua's national assembly voted to abolish term limits in 2014, meaning he could potentially remain in power indefinitely.
