Sheynnis Palacios, the first Nicaraguan to win the pageant, became a symbol of resistance. The authoritarian leadership soon came after people close to the competition.
Nicaragua’s government has begun confiscating the homes of former political prisoners and dissidents forced into exile, just as the country did in the 1980s.
A U.N. inquiry found that President Daniel Ortega and top members of his government committed human rights abuses, providing evidence for efforts to try them overseas.
Hundreds of thousands of Nicaraguans have fled their country in recent years, escaping poverty and repression under an increasingly authoritarian government.
Sanctions intended to thwart the president’s dictatorial actions have hit his family and inner circle hard. More pain is expected as sanctions hit Russia, an ally.