The Decay of The Central American Left

Fervent and widespread protests that broke out in April 2018 against Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua exposed the lack of legitimacy of that country's personalistic regime. Longstanding members of the Sandinista Front for National Liberation have deserted the organization, long a pillar of the left in Central America. In neighboring El Salvador, the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front came in a distant third in the presidential election of 3 February 2019. A leftist who was elected president in Guatemala, Álvaro Colom, proved disappointing. The left in Central America has collapsed, the victim of opportunism, a failure to rejuvenate political structures, and an inability to develop effective strategies for governing.