14 de May 2025
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Hopelessness remains the norm in Nicaragua, a country where three out of four people say they don’t have enough money to meet their basic needs, and 96.2% live with a constant sense of insecurity. That’s why nearly two-thirds (63.1%) of respondents in the tenth Hagamos Democracia survey said they would leave Nicaragua if given the chance. So many have already left that one in four people surveyed said a family member had emigrated in the past three months.
Four times a year, Hagamos Democracia coordinates a citizen consultation with people still living in the country. For this tenth edition, the number of respondents doubled from 200 to 400, and the survey expanded its reach from 20 to 37 municipalities.
Jesús Téfel, president of Hagamos Democracia, acknowledges that this can’t be called a formal poll, as it lacks the methodological rigor required. Under current conditions in Nicaragua, conducting a proper poll would put both participants and surveyors at risk. Still, he defends the value of the exercise, saying it “offers a way to gauge the day-to-day reality of people still living in Nicaragua.”
More than three-quarters of those surveyed (76.6%) said their income is not enough to cover their monthly expenses. Their salaries make it clear why: 16.2% said they earn between 3,500 and 5,000 córdobas (approximately $95 to $136 USD). Another 19.2% reported incomes in the 5,500 to 7,000 córdobas range (about $149 to $190 USD). 31.7% earn between 7,500 and 10,000 córdobas (around $204 to $271 USD), and only one-fifth (21.7%) make more than 11,000 córdobas (over $299 USD).
It is distressing to read that one-sixth of those surveyed earn “between 3,500 and 5,000 córdobas,” but as the report points out, “an alarming 11.22% of participants in this survey said their monthly income is equal to or less than 3,500 córdobas, which is approximately equal to or less than $95 USD, based on the fixed exchange rate of C$36.84.”
These income levels correspond to the precarious state of employment. The survey found that 35% of respondents said they are employed. 20.7% said they are not. The remaining 45% said they are self-employed. These responses differ greatly from the upbeat statistics presented by the Central Bank of Nicaragua, which — without saying so directly — suggest the country has reached the utopia of full employment.
Pessimism and Migration
A total of 97.3% of the people who responded to the survey expressed, overall, a predominantly negative feeling. The report highlights that they conveyed “a pessimistic and discouraging view of the country’s future,” while only 2.7% expressed the opposite. “These results reflect the persistence of an adverse political and social situation that shows no signs of improvement for the Nicaraguan population, as long as the country’s main problems remain unresolved — especially those of a political nature and their impact on both regular and irregular migration,” the report adds.
While politics, freedom and democracy matter, money matters even more. Fifty-one percent said their pessimism is rooted in economic reasons, while another 40% cited the political crisis that had been brewing in the country, and exploded in April 2018. The remaining 9% pointed to corruption.
This entire set of data reinforces a nearly unchanging reality: Nicaraguans continue to look for solutions beyond their own land. In the September 2024 survey, 69.7% expressed a desire to emigrate. In the April survey, 63.1% of those who responded said they would migrate if given the opportunity.
Hagamos Democracia’s analysis notes that this 6.6 percentage point difference “begins to show a slight downward trend compared to previous surveys.” In trying to understand the reasons for this decline—especially since the country has not improved and doesn’t appear likely to do so anytime soon at a level that would satisfy most citizens—attention turns toward Washington and its most relevant figure: the president of the United States, Donald Trump.
In this regard, the tightening of immigration laws and measures, the elimination of humanitarian parole, the end of the safe mobility program, and the policy of increasing deportations are mentioned as elements that may have dissuaded those who were thinking of emigrating. Another possibility is that those who wanted to leave have already left. The closing of Nicaraguan borders to those who want to return to the country would be a further deterrent, given the perception that, if they migrate, they may never be able to re-enter Nicaragua.
Three are the preferred destinations of the majority: the United States (52%); Spain (27%); Costa Rica (18%). The rest mentioned other destinations, with Canada being the most mentioned.
Remittances for Survival
Corruption and insecurity form a toxic mix that deepens the sense of hopelessness. Because the survey focused on people living within the country, respondents were asked whether they were aware of acts of corruption in their municipalities. A worrying 72.3% said yes. The most commonly reported acts included: misuse of public assets (68.3%), nepotism (51.7%), embezzlement of public funds (34.8%), rigged bidding processes (34.5%), and inflated salaries (20.0%).
Jesús Téfel, the president of Hagamos Democracia, suggests that if municipal corruption is so visible that over 72% of respondents have witnessed it—especially the 51.7% who cited nepotism—it may be because political purges and the closing of power circles have forced officials to hire only people from their inner circles. In other words, relatives.
“What greater example of nepotism than what we see in the co-presidency, where all their children are employed? That pattern has trickled down to other levels—like political secretaries—who appoint their sons, brothers, and brothers-in-law to key positions. Mayors also have family members working in city halls,” Téfel explained.
The sense of insecurity remains high: 96.3% believe crime has increased, a figure consistent with the previous quarter. “This indicates that public safety in the country continues to deteriorate, while police and judicial institutions show neither the capacity nor the will to address this growing crisis,” the report states.
This sense of insecurity is largely attributed to three main factors. First, the presence of irregular armed groups. With the tacit approval of security forces, these groups operate with impunity and often collaborate with the regime to repress dissent. Second, law enforcement is more focused on political control than on crime prevention or citizen safety. Third, the release of thousands of common prisoners, who are being sent home.
In the end, the constant outflow of citizens is vital for many families to survive. Almost half of those consulted (43.9%), said they receive family remittances, while the remaining 56.1% indicated that they do not. Of those who do receive them, 69% indicated that this income is fundamental for their subsistence, since without it they would not be able to cover their expenses until the end of the month, highlighting the high dependence of the national economy on these transfers.
“Remittances are a top priority for migrants and a critical lifeline for their families back home. However, this phenomenon also benefits the government, as it contributes to macroeconomic stability and strengthens the state’s financial cushion, reflected in the Central Bank’s growing international reserves,” Hagamos Democracia notes.
