They voted for Ortega, knowing he was a Commie.
The poorest ones may have, and the communists for certain whatever the class, but the middle class that Ortega is trying to drive out didn’t. If he sends them fleeing as refugees, then his next election won’t even be close. And the election after that, and after that, ... By the time the poor realize their mistake he will be too entrenched to remove with mere ballots.