by Aliya Haer

(Aliya Haer is a fifty-year-old woman with an academic background in human-environmental relationships. She works for a self-governing First Nation in British Columbia, Canada, and lives half the year in Nicaragua.)

Nicaragua is a remarkable country, one which I’ve become fiercely attached to over the last twelve years of coming here and not having a single bad experience. The reason why Nicaragua has captured my heart is that it has shown me a society that is kind, resilient and open. It has shown me that it is possible for a government – for people in power – to act primarily in the long-term interests of the poor versus pandering to the short-term interests of corporations and the wealthy. I’ve come to these conclusions not solely via the Nicaragua solidarity movement, but also through my own personal experiences reinforced by verifiable data and statistics.

My own experiences are those of bicycling up random dirt roads in rural areas to see where they lead and discovering that they lead to an ‘end-of-the-dirt-road’ domicile of someone very poor, who will look questioningly at me, and when I explain that I’m just out exploring and compliment them on their beautiful view, they’ll say “Que le vaya bien”, and I’ll continue on my way. I love hiking the coastline so I regularly wander off the tourist-beaten path, and I’ve discovered that in Nicaragua when I’m out on a trail and I encounter someone, I’ll say “Buenos Días” and they’ll say “Buenos Días” and I go along my merry way. There’s no need for me to be stand-offish or paranoid, or to assume that every person poorer than I am wants to rob me, or that every man I encounter in a lonely spot is depraved. I wouldn’t feel so confident or take such liberties in most other countries, but Nicaragua, from my experience, is an exceptionally healthy society, without much aggression or violence.

Taking public transit and shared taxis has been an excellent way of practising Spanish while getting to know people through conversations made waiting for the bus and on the bus. It’s also been a great way to observe the interactions of everyday people, and frankly, as physically arduous as taking the chicken bus can be, it’s great for my soul because it makes me like people, and affirms my belief that Nicaragua really is a special place. I’ve also accepted rides from by now, many, many strangers. They see you walking by the side of the road, or waiting for a bus that’s going to arrive packed and they offer you a ride without being asked, without accepting money, without creeping on you or asking for your number. That’s how nice Nicaraguans are. And of course, whenever I have a vehicle, I offer rides. Recently I picked up a diabetic older woman who was returning home after attending a free optometry clinic. It was her second visit, on the first, they tested her eyes, and on the second she received free prescription glasses and sunglasses, which she proudly showed me, adding that they were so kind they even gave her bus fare.

I now have a home on an acreage, in an eco-reserve, in southern Nicaragua. My home was built with a full Nicaraguan crew, and my own physical labour, which was very important to me to contribute, and I’m eternally grateful that the experience was a memorable and positive one. I live here, mostly alone, for half the year. I don’t have a caretaker; I don’t have bars on my windows. Some might say that that’s either very brave or very foolish of me. But it’s none of those things. Nicaragua isn’t a country of disgruntled malcontents; that’s why it’s safe. The reason why the desperation which drives people to violent crime isn’t common here, is that the majority are happy. And they’re happy because there’s hope; there’s progress; people feel cared for and listened to. Nicaragua has a real lesson to teach on how material wealth isn’t everything, on how inadequate a gauge for quality-of-life GDP really is. And it’s believable that Nicaraguans by some measures are the happiest society. The sense of community, duty and helpfulness I’ve observed correlates to reports that Nicaragua rates highly in civic involvement, disaster relief, safety, and self-sufficiency. I know for a fact that basic health care is recognized as a human right and denied not even to foreigners. My husband received free medical care for a throat infection; an expat friend with residency received life-saving anti-venom after the baby viper he picked up, bit him; and a Canadian acquaintance just got nine stitches in his leg – all free of charge.

I’m very happy here – just as are a whole slew of other independent women who’ve also moved here. I was initially acquainted with about 6-7 women like me, but it seems every week I meet more of them and now I’ve lost count! The word is spreading: Nicaragua is a great place for women! Women are powerful in Nicaragua. Women are involved and visible in all spheres of life. Motorbikes – a manly man’s ride in North America – in Nicaragua, I would say about a third of the riders are women. In North America there’s an issue with men feeling emasculated if they have to ride pillion behind a woman on a motorbike. Here in Nicaragua, you see it as a matter of every day life. The motorbike is the family car: she drops her husband off at work and then she’s going to run errands.

Nicaragua is light years ahead when it comes to body positivity. Women here wear what they want, and they do it with confidence. On VosTv I saw an episode where they interviewed women in public to ask if they’d ever been harassed and many women recounted stories of eve-teasing/cat-calling and how it had made them feel uncomfortable and self-conscious. A psychologist came on to speak on how debilitating such harassment can be to a person’s self-esteem. The telecasters advised the audience that sexual harassment was against the law, and that they should report the harasser to the police, giving the specific law to quote in the complaint. This is the ‘media control’ the FSLN receives so much flack for. On TN8, another one of the FSLN’s supposed ‘propaganda’ channels, they make regular announcements on new infrastructure developments, and very often the chief engineer/project manager explaining for example, how sewer treatment works, will be a smart, well-spoken woman, giving useful information, not talking down to the audience. Also on TN8, I’ve seen opportunities for viewers to call in and report infrastructure and safety issues in their neighbourhoods. And a lot of viewers participated!

A few years ago, a trans-woman was murdered in Managua. The coverage on TN8 contained the heartfelt eulogies of the victims’ friends, family and neighbours, they spoke of what a giving and talented person she was, and what touched me most, it was asserted that though many may not have agreed with the victim’s life choices, only God has the right to judge. This principle, that only God has the right to judge seems to be central to Nicaraguan society and I believe contributes majorly to an open and tolerant society.

By no stretch of the imagination would I describe Nicaraguans as ‘oppressed’ or ‘repressed’, or living under an ‘authoritarian regime’. Because first off, the police and military don’t have a huge presence. It’s not the norm to see armed men patrolling streets and neighbourhoods. Neither is it a case of neighbours spying on each other and reporting dissenters because that would make for a very stilted vibe, which isn’t the case here. Instead, at 7am on a Sunday it’s common to see young Nicaraguans still awake from partying the night before. I asked my friend who lives in the village if she hears any drunken fighting, and she answered that it’s not fighting but the loud music and raucous laughter that keep her up.

The tranquility and safety in Nicaragua are genuine and not a product of a fearful population. I don’t find that Nicaraguans are afraid to discuss politics. And I also find that most Nicaraguans I speak to – even if they have their minor complaints against the government, as does everyone in a democracy – agree that the FSLN is the best option, that the government is doing a good job (Nicaraguans are very proud of their new highways!). It’s widely acknowledged that there has never been any real political opposition because the FSLN serve the will of the majority. So how do you improve on that? Also, most Nicaraguans are aware of the situation in neighbouring central American nations and feel lucky not to have those same problems of unemployment, growing wealth inequality and crime to name a few.

Of course, I do encounter Nicaraguans hateful towards the FSLN and my opinion is that they fall into one of three camps: 1) Nicaraguans who speak English, and complain about the FSLN as a way to pander to what they think foreigners expect and want to hear, so as to garner sympathy and extract more money from them. 2) Nicaraguans who do not belong to an economically vulnerable segment of the population and have a ‘dog eat dog’ worldview, that is, the poor be damned. These people want a capital city with modern skyscrapers; they want the entire length of San Juan del Sur beach to be covered by luxury establishments instead of catering to Nicaraguan families who camp out during public holidays; in short, they want glamour. 3) Nicaraguans who are naive, lack perspective and are misdirecting their anger and frustration. Just as everywhere in the world you’ll find people who blame their difficulties on minorities, women, Jews, contrails, alien invasion conspiracies and what have you. Here I encounter deluded people who believe that the FSLN is keeping Nicaragua down, and if they only yielded to US demands, like a magical solution (and contrary to evidence) suddenly there would be more business and employment opportunities and the future would be rosy.

One has only to visit Nicaragua to see how ludicrous the negative media claims are. Despite living on an acreage with no neighbours, I can still hear hymn singing from the nearby village at least twice a week! It’s very common to be walking by a house in the evening and see people congregated in the yard singing religious hymns. Yet the media would have me believe that bibles are banned here.

The way the differently abled are treated here has also touched my heart. My contractor has a mute on his crew (and one of his apprentices is a woman of 20). In León I’ve witnessed major renovations to a colonial building with an entire crew of mute and deaf workers. There were a foreman & workers, men and women, all smartly dressed in uniforms, communicating in sign language. What struck me is the self-esteem that was clearly apparent in each and every worker, the pride in being a contributing participant in society. I’ve yet to ever see such an example in Canada, or in fact, anywhere else in the world.

In order to open a bank account here, I had to follow a rigorous process to prove the clean source of my funds, I had to show six months of pay stubs and detailed statements from all my bank accounts. Yes, the Nicaraguan government is in need of foreign investment and funds but they don’t want dirty money.

Even though, by and large, I would describe Nicaraguans as happy and fun-loving, there’s always room for improvement. Poverty still exists, not everyone in the population is having their needs met, and though it’s easy to survive here, getting ahead is a whole different matter. These shortcomings however, are not due to a lack of political will or inaction on the part of the FSLN, and neither can these shortcomings be solved by neoliberal policies. Rather these shortcomings exist due to the sabotage of the Sandinista Revolution perpetrated by the United States and their enablers, through the persistent dissemination of false information, sanctions and other forms of bullying. This vilification of the FSLN is of course a huge injustice to Nicaragua but also to the rest of the world because now more than ever humanity needs to be uplifted by this good example. I hope more people with ‘eyes to see and ears to hear’ – that is, people who speak Spanish and who know the obstacles Nicaragua faces so they can appreciate the advancements made – come here, and speak the truth that they witness.

Briefs

By Nan McCurdy

New Homes in San Rafael del Sur

The formal handover of a first block of 57 new homes took place in the municipality of San Rafael del Sur, in the El Vivero community, in the Julio Buitrago neighborhood. The housing project, called “Victorias del Pueblo,” is designed to directly benefit 207 citizens who previously lived in highly vulnerable and risky conditions. The units delivered are part of a first phase of urbanization that seeks to guarantee access to safe and secure housing for families. The new development not only includes the physical structure of the houses, but also integrates essential services for the development and safety of its inhabitants. Each property has access to drinking water and electricity, as well public lighting and properly laid out streets. According to the project’s technical documentation, these homes offer the necessary space for a dignified life. (Informe Pastran, 26 February 2026)

MARENA to Plant 100,000 Trees

The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources has set a goal for 2026 to produce more than 100,000 forest species plants, such as Spanish cedar, mahogany, Gmelina (Kashmir tree), and madrone, among others, using the new tube planting methodology. The process of reproducing plants in tubes allows for better root development. Likewise, seeds of physical and physiological quality are used, which will contribute to the successful survival of the plants, which will be used in reforestation campaigns nationwide, as part of the efforts of the National Reforestation Campaign “Verde Que Te Quiero Verde” (Green, I Love You Green). See photos: https://radiolaprimerisima.com/2026/03/03/estiman-producir-mas-de-100-mil-plantas-de-especies-forestales/ (La Primerisima, 3 March 2026)

Government Sends Condolences to Iran

On March 1, Co-presidents Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo released a letter to the Islamic Government of Iran expressing Nicaragua’s condolences on the martyrdom of the country’s people and the Ayatollah. The Nicaraguan authorities condemned all forms of war throughout the Middle East region. Here is a translation of that letter:

WE CALL FOR PEACE, PEACE, PEACE! In light of the tragic events unfolding in the Islamic Republic of Iran and throughout the Middle East region, the Government of Reconciliation and National Unity … condemns all forms of war and cries out to Almighty God so that by uniting in prayer and supplication we may achieve the miracle of peace.

From Nicaragua, which has suffered so much from different forms of aggression and war, we call for the continuation of dialogue with well-intentioned and efficient negotiations that will put an end to this catastrophe which, as we know, represents so much misfortune for a human community that lives, because we live, from one shock to another, in the face of increasing pain, misery, misfortune, and fatality.

We offer our sincere condolences to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran for the martyrdom of its people and the Ayatollah, and in union before God, we urge peace. As brothers and sisters in this plane of life, we stand in solidarity with the families who suffer throughout the world. (La Primerisima, 1 March 2026)

Free Amniocentesis Tests

In Managua, the Bertha Calderón Hospital and the Blanca Segovia Sandino Genetics Center will now perform amniocentesis tests completely free of charge. These tests allow amniotic fluid to be studied during pregnancy and an analysis called microarray to be performed, which examines the chromosomes of the fetus with high precision to detect certain syndromes and other genetic abnormalities in the womb. In private clinics in Nicaragua, this test costs between $1,800 and $2,000, but now it will be available free of charge to patients with congenital abnormalities who meet the established medical criteria. This is especially important for older mothers. (La Primerisima, 27 February 2026)

Nicaraguan ID Cards: One of the Safest in the World

On February 21, 2026, the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE) introduced a new format for the country’s Citizen Identification Card, the sixth design in the history of the document, which stands out for incorporating the highest international security standards. Juan Ramón Vilchez, general director of identification at the CSE said that this technological advance positions the Nicaraguan ID card among the four most secure in the world. The new format has 13 visible and 36 invisible security features, laser-engraved on pure polycarbonate material (not PVC), making it virtually impossible to counterfeit or alter.  Visible elements include the national flag and the words “Republica de Nicaragua” a larger, higher-definition photograph; the national sacuanjoche flower; a miniature photograph of the person with their year of birth; a QR code containing all the holder’s data; a barcode with the card’s serial number, georeferenced for internal traceability (including date, time, and production batch).

Vilchez recalled the historical evolution of the ID card. The first attempt dates back to 1972 (a project that failed after the earthquake) with a basic printed card. Modern ID card issuance began in 1993 with Law 152, which created the General Directorate of ID Card Issuance. Since then, there have been five formats, and this new one represents a qualitative leap forward driven by the Sandinista government, which invested in specialized equipment despite its high cost. The official emphasized that the ID card is no longer just a document for voting, as was believed years ago when supplementary documents were used, but is indispensable for everyday life. (Informe Pastran, 27 February 2026)

Prison Classrooms and Dormitories Inaugurated

On March 3, prison authorities in Estelí and Chinandega held inaugurations of new facilities attended by inmates. In Chinandega classrooms for inmates and dormitories for guards were inaugurated. Meanwhile, in Estelí, a dining hall for staff and pig breeding and fattening facilities were inaugurated. “These are two very nice and important projects for all of us in the prison. The staff now have a slightly larger and improved dining area, and the whole place has been painted, both inside and out,” said prison director Everth Jirón. See photos: https://radiolaprimerisima.com/2026/03/03/inauguran-aulas-de-clases-y-dormitorios-en-penales/  (La Primerisima, 3 March 2026)

IPSA Launches “Livestock Records” Mobile App

To strengthen information management and facilitate producers’ administrative tasks, the Institute for Agricultural Protection and Health (IPSA) has officially launched the “Livestock Records” mobile app. This digital tool has been designed to provide livestock producers with easily accessible, clear and direct access to information for managing farm data, cattle registration, and livestock movements. The implementation of this application is centered on simplifying procedures. Producers can now access the information necessary to manage their livestock herds and control movements securely from their cell phones, which allows for simplification of in-person procedures, saving time and resources for the sector. The government reaffirms its commitment to working hand in hand with producers through IPSA, promoting technologies that guarantee the advancement and sustainable development of Nicaragua’s agricultural sector. (La Primerisima, 2 March 2026)

Millions Invested in Sports Equipment

With an annual investment of US$1.4 million, the Sandinista government, through the Nicaraguan Institute of Sports (IND), made its first delivery of sports equipment to the departmental councils of the Alexis Arguello Movement on Feb. 26. The equipment included soccer balls, basketballs, volleyballs, softballs, complete kits for baseball and boxing, and sports uniforms for 1,200 youth indoor soccer players. The young athletes, who now have the right to practice a sport in optimal conditions. Awards were also provided for first, second, and third place in local competitions. The departmental delegates attended the delivery along with young athletes from various disciplines. (La Primerisima, 26 February 2026)

IDB Underlines Resilience of Countries in Central America and the Caribbean

On March 3 the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) presented its Macroeconomic Report on Latin America and the Caribbean 2026, entitled “Resilience and growth prospects in a changing global economy,” highlighting Nicaragua in several key indicators that reflect its strong performance within its region. The report includes Nicaragua in the Central America and Caribbean bloc (along with Belize, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Panama). This group is projected to show a grow of 2.2% in 2025 and 2.1% in 2026, in line with the regional historical average and slightly above the average for Latin America and the Caribbean. These figures remain stable despite the global context of high interest rates and geopolitical tensions. (Informe Pastran, 3 March 2026)