Lacking Support

President Daniel Ortega's public approval rating sunk to a low of 21% in February, a sign that everyday Nicaraguans are getting increasingly fed up with rampant inflation and chronic energy shortages. In a possible move to stave off domestic criticism - and to induce some nationalistic sentiment - the government announced that it was breaking off ties with Bogotá, following Colombia's raid into Ecuador in March. With local elections due in November, there is a real risk that Ortega's unpopularity could translate into a poor performance for the Sandinistas in the municipals.

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