Nicaragua: from 'consensus' model towards authoritarianism

The article deals with the crisis of political situation in Nicaragua on the eve and after parliament and presidential elections on November 7, 2021. The authors shed light upon the social, economic, and political characteris-tics of existed model. In their opinion, behind the showcase of external well-being grave contradictions had accumulated in the country that came to being in April 2018. The aggravation of the situation was influenced by the negative consequences of COVID 19 pandemia. At the same time due to police control over internal political situation, favorable prices for export goods of Nicaragua and the growth of funds coming from Nicaraguans abroad and foreign loans permitted D. Ortega to stabilize the economic sit-uation. But a lot of social problems remain unresolved. The elections of November 2021 were a sham. Ortega has managed to be reelected due to the gruesome repressions against the opposition that caused the sanctions imposed on Managua by US and European Union. Looking for other partners Ortega decided to establish diplomatic relations and large-scale economic cooperation with China. The article analyses the political potential and possibilities of opposition to gain the future elections. The attempt is made to prognosticate the political situation in the country in the coming years.