Half of Nicaraguans Want to Leave Their Homeland, Study Finds

A new study has found that nearly half of Nicaraguans want to leave their homeland due to the countrys economic decline and repression.

As Nicaragua's government becomes increasingly repressive, many of its citizens are looking to leave the country. A new study has found that nearly half of Nicaraguans—around 3 million people—want to emigrate, with 23% saying they are "very prepared" to do so. This is a significant increase from five years ago, when 35% of Nicaraguans said they wanted to leave.

Economic Decline and Repression

The study, conducted by the AmericasBarometer, found that the number of Nicaraguans wanting to leave has risen in tandem with the country's economic decline and increased repression. The country has been mired in a political crisis since 2018, when mass protests against President Daniel Ortega were met with violence. Since then, Ortega has cracked down on dissent, closing universities, NGOs, and civic groups. Thousands of Nicaraguans have been forced into exile.

Personal Stories

Isabel Lazo, a 42-year-old lawyer, is one of the many Nicaraguans who are looking to leave. She worked at a university before the Ortega government closed it. She now works for a non-governmental organization that she fears will soon be shuttered as well. Lazo and her husband, Guillermo Lazo, a 52-year-old systems engineer, both taught at the University of Northern Nicaragua until the Ortega government shut it down in April. They are now awaiting a decision on a U.S. application for "humanitarian parole," a program under which up to 30,000 people are being allowed each month to enter the U.S. from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.

Rosemary Miranda, a 24-year-old psychologist, is another Nicaraguan who wants to leave. She graduated from the Jesuit-run University of Central America, which was also closed and confiscated by the government. Miranda works for a microfinancing firm in Managua, the capital, but her salary doesn't even cover her basic living expenses. She has wanted to emigrate for some time, but she helps her family by giving them some of what little money she earns.

The exodus of Nicaraguans is a sign of the country's deep political and economic crisis. The Ortega government's repression and economic mismanagement have created a situation in which many Nicaraguans feel they have no future in their own country. As a result, they are looking to leave in search of a better life.