A new survey commissioned by the Nicaraguan media outlet Confidencial and conducted by market researcher CID Gallup of Costa Rica revealed that the Catholic Church is the most credible institution in Nicaragua despite the harsh persecution to which it has been subjected for some years by the dictatorship of President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo.
The survey indicated that 48% consider the Catholic Church to be the most credible institution, while the Ortega presidency has only 26% credibility.
Along the same lines, the personalities enjoying the most favorable opinions are former presidential candidate Félix Maradiaga with 48% followed by journalist and activist Cristiana Chamorro Barrios with 43%.
Maradiaga was imprisoned by the Ortega regime, deported Feb. 9 along with 221 other political prisoners, and lives in exile in the United States.
Regarding the level of corruption in the last six months, 56% responded that it has increased, while 23% believe it is unchanged and only 13% indicate that it has decreased.
The latest Corruption Perception Index (CPI) evaluated by Transparency International placed Nicaragua as the most corrupt country in Central America and the third most corrupt in Latin America, surpassed only by Venezuela and Haiti. Regarding the Ortega regime, 61% disapproved of its work, 29% approved, and 10% didn’t know or did not respond. The survey was carried out between June 14 and 20 with 823 people interviewed. The margin of error was plus or minus 2.93% and the confidence level was 95%.