The Political Culture of Democracy in Nicaragua and in the Americas, 2016/17: A Comparative Study of Democracy and Governance By: José Miguel Cruz, Ph.D. Florida International University Eduardo Marenco Independent Researcher and Journalist Mariana Rodríguez, Ph.D. LAPOP Program Coordinator and Report Editor Vanderbilt University Elizabeth J. Zechmeister, Ph.D. LAPOP Director and Series Editor Vanderbilt University March 2018 This study is made possible by the support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents of this study are the sole responsibility of the authors and LAPOP and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. Table of Contents Table of Contents List of Figures ............................................................................................................................................................. vii List of Tables .................................................................................................................................................................. x Preface ............................................................................................................................................................................ xi Prologue: Background to the Study .................................................................................................................. xiii Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................................ xvii Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................ xxiii Chapter 1. Support for Electoral Democracy in the Americas .................................................................. 1 I. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1 II. Main Findings ............................................................................................................................... 2 III. The Basic Tenets of Electoral Democracy ........................................................................... 2 Support for Democracy in the Abstract ...................................................................... 4 Rules of the Game: Support for Coups under High Crime and Corruption ........................................................................................................................... 8 Support for Executive Coups ........................................................................................ 11 IV. Support for Democratic Institutions: Elections and Parties ........................................ 14 Trust in Elections ............................................................................................................ 15 Participation in Elections .............................................................................................. 18 Trust in Political Parties ................................................................................................ 21 Partisanship...................................................................................................................... 24 V. Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 28 Chapter 2. The Supply of Basic Liberties ........................................................................................................ 29 I. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 29 II. Main Findings ............................................................................................................................ 30 III. The Media .................................................................................................................................. 31 Supply of Freedom of the Press ................................................................................... 31 Trust in the Media .......................................................................................................... 34 IV. Freedom to Express Opinions .............................................................................................. 37 Perceptions of Freedom to Express Opinions in General ................................... 38 Perceptions of Freedom to Express Political Opinions ........................................ 39 V. Human Rights ............................................................................................................................. 42 VI. Deficit of Basic Liberties Index ............................................................................................. 45 VII. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 49 Page | iii Political Culture of Democracy in Nicaragua, 2016/17 Chapter 3. Corruption and Political Culture in Nicaragua ....................................................................... 51 I. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 51 II. Main Findings ............................................................................................................................. 52 III. The Perception of Corruption in Politics in Nicaragua .................................................. 52 Evaluation of the Government’s Efforts to Combat Corruption ........................ 59 IV. Corruption Victimization in Nicaragua .............................................................................. 61 Justification of Paying Bribes....................................................................................... 70 V. The Relationship between Corruption Victimization and Support for Institutions and Democracy ................................................................................................. 74 VI. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 76 Chapter 4. The Media, Freedom of the Press and Freedom of Expression in Nicaragua .............. 77 I. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 77 II. Main Findings ............................................................................................................................. 78 III. Media Consumption ................................................................................................................ 79 IV. Opinions About Mass Media ................................................................................................. 83 V. Perceptions of Freedom of Expression in Nicaragua ....................................................... 91 VI. The Impact of Perceptions of the Media and Freedom of Expression on Support for Democracy and the Political System ........................................................... 95 VII. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 98 Chapter 5. Citizen Participation in Nicaragua ............................................................................................. 101 I. Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 101 II. Main Findings ........................................................................................................................... 102 III. The State of Citizen Participation in Municipalities ..................................................... 103 IV. Citizen Participation in Social Organizations ................................................................. 109 V. Participation of a Political Nature: Government corporatist organizations and participation in protests ............................................................................................... 115 VI. Citizen Participation and Support for the Political System and Democracy .............................................................................................................................. 123 VII. Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 126 Chapter 6. Democratic Orientations in the Americas .............................................................................. 127 I. Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 127 II. Main Findings ........................................................................................................................... 128 III. Democratic Orientations across the Region and over Time ...................................... 129 Support for the Political System ................................................................................ 130 Political Tolerance ......................................................................................................... 132 Orientations Conducive to Democratic Stability .................................................