Another event near Matagalpa at the same time was an FSLN protest for land reforms. Actually, there have already been extensive land reforms. Some feel that the FSLN has become quite manipulative lately, using peasant protest to get their demands from the government met. What they do is arrange protests demanding the governement grant small acreage to each farmer/protester, buit without cash and farming expereince, the farmers can't really follow up on creating a viable smallholder farm. So the FSLN offers a small amount of cash and buys them out, and the following year they arrange more protests for more land. So many see this as an FSLN land/power grab, with the poor used as a tool. Nonetheless, the FSLN is allowed to protest all they like, and other moderate reform parties or conservative parties can do the same. Essentially, you have a healthy, open democracy in action ...