In the 1980s, tens of thousands traveled to Nicaragua to support the Sandinista Revolution. However, in 1990, the Sandinistas under Daniel Ortega lost the parliamentary election - and subsequently, the revolution lost its innocence: In the weeks leading up to the handover to the new president, officials shamelessly enriched themselves. Ortega later made a pact with the political opponent that brought him back to power in 2006 and significantly weakened democratic institutions. His wife is now the vice president, and the family's children hold important positions in politics, business, and media. Their own supporters are rewarded with small favors. Hannes Bahrmann provides an overview of the dramatic developments of recent decades and vividly describes the current situation in the country.