Most Nicas Think Country Heading in Wrong Direction

MANAGUA – More than 80% ofNicaraguans living here think the countryis heading in the wrong direction, whileonly 13.2% say things are going well,according to a public opinion pollreleased this week by firm Borge &Asociados.Asked who or what is to blame, 50%of the 1,329 adults polled answered “thegovernment,” while 13% said PresidentEnrique Bolaños and 6.8% blamed “thepoliticians.” Slightly more than 3%specifically blamed the oppositionSandinista National Liberation Front,while 2.4% blamed the ruling LiberalConstitutional Party, according to thepoll.Twenty percent said unemploymentwas the biggest problem in the capital,followed by corruption (15.3%), pooradministration (13.9%), the economic crisis(10.5%) and discord between politicians(7.2%).The poll, funded by the PrivateBusiness Council, also asked Nicaraguanswhom they are planning to vote for in themayoral elections next November.If the elections were held today, 28.1%said they would vote for Liberal candidatePedro Joaquín Chamorro, son of formerPresident Violeta Chamorro, while 22.6%said they would vote for Sandinista candidateDionisio “Nicho” Marenco.The poll was conducted the weekbefore former revolutionary hero-turned contraleader Edén “Comandante Cero”Pastora announced his bid for mayorof Managua June 16, and therefore didnot reflect his candidacy (TT, June 18).Pastora said he is heartened by the pollsbecause they reveal most voters don’t yetidentify strongly with any candidate.