Chichigalpa, Nicaragua Case Study

International Development and Resource Justice has been a controversial issue for some time now. In today’s society, the separation from the rich and the poor has become much more drastic. Countries and companies always make decisions based on what can make them a buck, but at what cost? Time and time again you see countries that battle decades of oppression and struggle only to be taken advantage of their resources, land and civilization. My recent case study takes place in Chichigalpa, Nicaragua. For the last century, Nicaragua has been a driving force in the sugar cane industry for years. With it being its 2nd strongest export in its country (Coffee being first) and the 3rd strongest export in Central America, it grosses over half a billion dollars a year. Chichigalpa is home of the biggest sugar mill in the country, the San Antonio Sugar Mill. However in Chichigalpa there has been an outbreak of chronic diseases in the community that are assumed to be because of the working conditions and environment …show more content…
There is over 30 Million acres for production in Nicaragua and 6,000,000 acres are used for sugar cane production (20%). In Chichigalpa, the Mill San Antonio was the first sugar mill built in 1892 and till this day is the biggest production sugar refinery in the country. The Nicaragua Sugar Estates Limited (NSEL) took over the Sugar mill in the mid 30’s and has since built three more refineries across the country. The sugar cane was a booming industry up until the 1980 when Daniel Ortega leader of the Sandinista Party (FSLN) nationalized all of the sugar cane industry. For the next 12 years, most of the refineries would lose production, jobs, and profit. The state set back its industry for over a decade, but in 1992 the NSEL was able to retrieve the San Antonio Mill under new government which has since been privatized and back on its