Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Nicaragua: A fractured past and a tough future


Hello America,

 

            Today was a very educational day. I’m just astounded by the fact that since the Spaniards arrived in this country of lakes and volcanoes, Nicaragua has experienced war and hardship. The scars are very visible still today. We learned about the start of U.S. influence in the country starting with the implementation of the Monroe Doctrine in 1823, shutting out European powers from spreading their influence in this region to the revolution going on in the 1970s to the Iran-Contra affair in the early 1980s to the signing of the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) implemented in 2006.

 

            The earthquake that hit Managua in 1972, and the revolution and the subsequent Civil War between the Sandinistas and the Contras still has its effects on society today. This country is very fractured politically and as an extension, socially as well. Driving through Managua, I feel like I’m driving through a city in the 1950s. The embargo that was placed on the country as a result of Reagan’s policies toward the Sandinistas basically killed the economy and trust me, it shows.  The country goes as aid comes in. Listen, when there is money to give, the country does well. When the economy is what it is today, the country is affected to the core. This is the sad state of the country: the money is not there for building up the capital again and it seems that people are almost content with the situation they find themselves. This is the saddest part of everything.

 

            Today was the eye opener that I needed for this trip to be successful for me. The power of America is real: American policy in the region has a direct effect on how this country survives.

 

-Mike R.

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