The Causes of Disease Impact Denialism in Nicaragua's Response to COVID-19

Abstrakt

he response of the Nicaraguan government to the COVID-19 emergencyis an extreme case of disease denialism. Such denialism is a major threat topublic health, so understanding the sources of this attitude is paramount.Three explanations are offered: (a) the autonomous logic of a polarisedpolitical conict; (b) an explanation based on an economic rationale; and(c) the regime's mystical and religiously-inspired discourse.

The denial-ist response of the government is inexplicable without referring to thecharacteristics of the political regime, its political discourse and its recentdevelopmental trajectories since the massive 2018 protests and the ensu-ing political conict.

Klíčová slova

• COVID-19
• disease denialism
• Nicaragua
• political opposition
• political regime
• public health