http://fusion.net/story/32991/as-chinese-push-into-latin-america-nicaraguans-try-to-hold-the-line/?preview_id=32991&preview_nonce=33d1625720

While there appear to be elements of xenophobia operating, the broader issue may be the concern small countries understandably have over the power wielded by foreign investors. Similar concerns are after all expressed over US-based investors. Now it’s just China’s turn on the hotseat.

Not long ago Sergio Ramirez wrote in La Nación (sorry, I don’t have the link) that Ortega specifically wooed a Chinese investor as a counterweight to US and western investment. Ramirez doesn’t agree with Ortega on this point (and most others).

However, given their history with the US, I think its understandable that some in Nicaragua would seek out investments elsewhere. These people seem to recognize that Nicaragua both needs foreign investments and those investments come at the price of some economic dependency. Their goal is therefore to diversify their portfolio, so to speak, in order to avoid undue dependency on any one foreign power, in particular the US.

China’s interest in investing in Nicaragua is therefore believed by some, and Ortega in particular, to be good for the country, although with that comes the risk of undue dependency on China and all that goes with that.