President Daniel Ortega took office this week with a strong economic vote of confidence from Nicaraguans, with 67% of the population expressing optimism that there will be prosperity during his government, according to an M & R Consultants poll published Monday in daily La Prensa.
The poll, which surveyed 1,800 Nicaraguans in late December, found that 14.4% said they were in “total agreement” that there would be prosperity, and 52.7% answered that they were in “agreement.” A total of 18% said they were in “disagreement,” or “total disagreement” that there would be prosperity under the Ortega government.
The poll claims a margin of error of 2.3%. The poll also showed that some 75% of those polled are in favor of Ortega renegotiating an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and 50% claim that Ortega should work to strengthen both the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA), and the Venezuelan-promoted Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA).
More than half of Nicaraguans think there will be social stability and peace under the new government, and 64% said they felt “hope” or “a lot of hope” for the new government. Less than 10% said they saw no reason for hope.
The poll also indicated that half the population thinks the power-sharing pact between Ortega’s Sandinistas and the Liberal Constitutional Party (PLC) will continue over the next five years.
