Arnoldo Alemán Takes on the NGOs: Antifeminism and the New Populism in Nicaragua

Abstract

This article analyzes the campaign of Nicaraguan president Arnoldo Aleman (1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002) against organized competitors, what has been called his war against the nongovernmental organizations, or NGOs. Aleman's attacks on the NGO sector are shown to be consistent with the logic of the new populism in Latin America. At the same time, his choice of targets-prominent NGO figures who were often foreign-born and always female-must be explained with reference to the specifics of Nicaraguan civil society and its evolving relationship with the political parties. This study argues that by choosing to respond to the challenges of international neoliberalism and local feminism through the anti-NGO campaign, Alemin helped to weaken democracy in Nicaragua. hroughout his political career, Arnoldo Aleman often framed politi-

The Gendered Burden of Development in Nicaragua

“…In response, local feminist organizations and international NGOs stepped in to try to fill some of the gaps (Ewig 1999; Haase 2012). Feminist groups, however, fell under intense scrutiny and sometimes even direct attack during the Alemán administration (Kampwirth 2003).…”