Briefing: Why violence has flared in Nicaragua

For years, as neighbors like Honduras and Guatemala experienced political unrest and violence, Nicaragua was a bastion of calm. But in recent weeks, citizen protests and a violent government crackdown have swept the country.

Q: What’s going on?

In April, President Daniel Ortega proposed a social security reform that would have increased employee payments but decreased benefits. It spurred small-scale protests, mostly by students. But a violent crackdown on the peaceful demonstrators has turned Nicaragua upside down. More than 100 protesters have been killed, according