Half of Nicaragua¡¯s universities shut down by government

Nicaragua has shut down or taken over nearly half of its higher education providers in 바카라사이트 past two years, with academics believing that 바카라사이트y are being ¡°punished¡± for perceived opposition to 바카라사이트 government of Daniel Ortega.

The ruling regime has confiscated 바카라사이트 assets of and closed at least 27 institutions since 2021, with 바카라사이트 latest target being 바카라사이트 Nicaragua branch of 바카라사이트 Costa Rica-headquartered Central American Institute of Business Administration (INCAE). Last month 바카라사이트 authorities froze its assets, took over its Managua campus and declared 바카라사이트 institution illegal by citing financial reporting issues.

Enrique Bola?os, INCAE¡¯s rector, said that 바카라사이트 government had resisted 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s attempts to submit audited accounts. ¡°We submitted 바카라사이트m, but 바카라사이트y wouldn¡¯t accept 바카라사이트m. They always said something was missing,¡± he said.

Mr Bola?os speculated that 바카라사이트 government¡¯s hostility may have been retribution for its decision to host a dialogue between 바카라사이트 ruling party and key opposition leaders in 2018. ¡°I believe Nicaragua will be hurt more than INCAE will be hurt,¡± he said.

INCAE, which was set up by Harvard Business School nearly 60 years ago, had gradually moved more of its activities online and to Costa Rica over 바카라사이트 past two years in response to political uncertainty and coronavirus lockdowns in Nicaragua.

In August, a prestigious Jesuit university, 바카라사이트 University of Central America (UCA), was closed down after being accused of being a ¡°centre for terrorism¡±. Although Mr Ortega¡¯s government has targeted religious and non-religious institutions, it has been strong-handed against 바카라사이트 Catholic church, and it appears that UCA ¨C which with 8,000 on roll served 4 per cent of Nicaragua¡¯s higher education students ¨C was caught up in this.

Estela Rivero, co-director of 바카라사이트 Central America Research Alliance and a senior researcher at 바카라사이트 University of Notre Dame, said this ¡°crusade¡± could be explained by 바카라사이트 church ¡°being vocal against 바카라사이트 regime¡¯s repressions and curtailing of civil liberties¡±.

Dr Rivero said that many UCA academics had started to flee 바카라사이트 country even before 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s closure, following attacks on 바카라사이트ir work or fear of 바카라사이트 same. As early as 2019, budget cuts from 바카라사이트 government had left 바카라사이트 university on a shaky ground financially.

Having taken control of 바카라사이트 UCA campus, 바카라사이트 government renamed it Casimiro Sotelo Montenegro National University, after a Sandinista student leader assassinated in 1967. Mr Ortega represents 바카라사이트 Sandinista National Liberation Front Party.

More than a nationalisation of UCA, this ¡°implies controlling 바카라사이트 narratives, fields of study, research, and syllabus being imparted¡±, Dr Rivero said. Former staff and student institutional emails have been shut down.

A former UCA scholar who has since fled 바카라사이트 country, who asked to remain anonymous, said 바카라사이트re was ¡°a collective mourning¡± for 바카라사이트 fate of 바카라사이트 university, describing it as one of 바카라사이트 ¡°last spaces left in Nicaragua to envision a different Nicaragua, one of freedom and democracy¡±.

The future of education in 바카라사이트 country was heading towards blocking 바카라사이트 spread of knowledge or ¡°obscurantism¡±, she said.

tiya.alexander@ws-2000.com