for the supporters of the right-wing parties and 36% for the not-identified group.

What is often significant in these results is the position of the middle ground—the big majority who are not identified with any party. These were still more likely to blame the US or the contras for the war than any other reason, and to say that Nicaragua is the Central American country doing the most to seek peace and that the United States is doing the least. They favor the current links between the Sandinistas, the state and the Sandinista army, and give Daniel Ortega an evenly balanced rating as President. Twenty-eight percent of those not identified with a political party describe Ortega's management as good or excellent, 36% said it was fair and 27% calledit bad or terrible.

The overall pattern of support for the government's foreign policy and greater concern about economic management carries across party lines. Members of the right-wing opposition parties are more critical of US policies and more appreciative of Cuba and the Soviet Union than might be expected. Among Sandinista supporters, there are significant minorities of critics on a number of issues, especially democracy and economic management.

While 62% of Sandinista supporters said Nicaragua is the country most seeking peace in the region, 11% opted for Costa Rica. Fifty-five percent of FSLN supporters said Nicaragua is the most democratic country in Central America but 21% named Costa Rica. When asked, "Is the Sandinista government democratic?," 77% of those who identified with the Sandinistas said yes, but 17% said no,