VIDEO: Inside Nicaragua’s historic protests

Video by Tim Rogers / Fusion May 3, 2018

“Nicaragua is over it.”

That’s how veteran journalist and Tico Times alumnus Tim Rogers sums up his video from the streets of Managua’s recent protests.

Rogers is a senior editor for Fusion who worked as a reporter for The Tico Times from 2000-2004 and editor of our sister paper in Nicaragua, The Nica Times, from 2004-2011. Shortly after the protests began, he rushed to Nicaragua from his home in North Carolina to cover the events unfolding on the streets. However, he left the country last week, citing threats against him by supporters of President Daniel Ortega. His departure made headlines in the Nicaraguan daily La Prensa.

“I left the country due to serious concerns for my safety,” he wrote to The Tico Times. “Two days after Daniel Ortega blamed the violence on foreign agitators, the Sandinistas started circulating photos of me online, accusing me of being a CIA agent and warning their followers to keep an eye out for me and prevent me from doing my work. That put a target on my back.

“I later learned from a credible source that I was in real danger; it wasn’t just an online smear campaign, and that I should leave the country,” he continued. “I’ll be back someday.”

The piece shows scenes from the protests and explains Ortega’s path through Nicaraguan history. Watch Tim Rogers’ video here.