Neoliberal Afterlives and the Pink Tide: Historical Narratives in Contemporary Nicaragua

This presentation examines Daniel Ortega’s return to the presidency in 2007, marking a decisive moment in Nicaragua's contemporary history. While his electoral victory drew support, amongst other things, from popular discontent with neoliberal policies, the following decades of governance reveal a complex conjunction of economic pragmatism, ideological shifts, and political consolidation.

The rise of Ortega occurred during the so-called pink tide in Latin America that brought center-left governments to power. In this presentation, I will focus on two central issues emerging from Ortega’s regime strategy to position itself within both the legacy of the Sandinista Revolution (1979-1990) and anti-neoliberal and anti-imperialist regional discourses. To do so, I first analyze how official commemorative practices, urban memoryscapes, and representations of history have been reconfigured since 2007. Second, I examine the ambiguities and tensions within this official history, showing how narratives have been radicalized as the regime consolidated power and constrained political pluralism.