In a note from the author, Cruz writes: 'The present monograph contains my version of the 1984 elections in Nicaragua. Notwithstanding my candidacy against Daniel Ortega, I have made serious effort to give as objective an account as possible. My conclusion is that the Sandinistas' flagrant abuse of power virtually eliminated competition in the electoral contest. By the same token, we, their adversaries, missed a unique opportunity to force them into a test that could have universally demonstrated that the Sandinistas' election was a sham.'