Cultural and language immersion courses cancelled in Nicaragua due to political violence
Nicaragua Immersion cancelled due to violent political unrest
By Hannah Sievert | April 24, 2018 9:30pm
The Moreau Center has cancelled this year’s Nicaragua Immersion because of major political unrest in the country. Laurie Laird, director of the Moreau Center, said immersion leaders made the decision after over two dozen people died in anti-government protests over pension reform in Nicaragua over the past few days. In response, the U.S. embassy in Nicaragua evacuated nonessential staff on Monday, and the U.S. State Department elevated the travel warning to Nicaragua to Level 3: “Reconsider Travel.”
The immersion group — consisting of 14 UP students and two adult leaders, economics professor Todd Easton and Moreau Center Program Manager Irene Routte — was set to leave on May 8 for the three-week immersion. They have been preparing for the immersion since October of last year.
This is the first time the Moreau Center has cancelled the Nicaragua Immersion in recent memory, according to Laird.
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http://www.upbeacon.com/article/2018/04/nicaragua-immersion-cancelled-due-to-violent-politcal-unrest
The University of Portland (Oregon) isn't some right-wing, reactionary college. While it is a Catholic university, it is VERY progressive. As a matter of fact, a tennis player was removed from the team for making misogynistic statements recently at an awards banquet. Not traveling to Nicaragua isn't something that they didn't think long and heavy. Cultural immersion programs are something I feel very strongly about.
