We remember Nicaragua from the 1980s: the contras, the Sandinistas, and other stories from the Reagan years. Nicaragua is back in the news because of protests and the government's reaction to them, as we see in news reports: Nicaragua has been rocked by a week of protests in which over two dozen people have been killed.  The protests were triggered by tax hikes and benefit cuts meant to shore up the ailing social security system. On Sunday, President Daniel Ortega said the government would withdraw the pension changes.  But he rejected demands to free detained protesters, withdraw the police and lift some censorship. The U.S. embassy has moved some employees from Managua as a reaction to the violence.  The State Department has also issued a travel warning. The violence in Nicaragua is related to President Ortega's proposal to raise taxes to pay for social services and fund public...(Read Full Post)