RARELY has a political movement so young been blessed with a symbol so potent. In 2013 the Nicaraguan government began installing garishly coloured metal “trees of life” around Managua, the capital. Advertised as a gift to the people from Rosario Murillo, the first lady, the 140 sculptures cost $25,000 each to install. They consume $1m worth of electricity a year. The contract for maintaining them belongs to a company owned by a relative of the president, Daniel Ortega. So when demonstrators began thronging the city’s streets on April 18th, they were surrounded by fitting targets for their ire. Banding together, they tugged on chains to uproot Ms Murillo’s beloved trees (see picture)—and perhaps the country’s political future too.
Days after the protests began, one of the trees was still lying atop a roundabout. Passing cars honked in satisfaction at the subversive sight. Several young Nicaraguans sat on it as though it were a sofa; others scavenged along the ground for light bulbs to take...Continue reading
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