. >> thank you >> woodruff: for the last three months political protests havear raged across nua. they started in april after the government of president daniel ortega introduced changes to t nation's pension system. the protests turned violent after government crackdown, and more than 300 people, nearly all of them civilians, have since died in clashes on the street. today, the white house announced it was sanctioning top nicaraguan officials, and that the u.s. government was taking back vehicles it had donated to the nicaraguan national police. nick schifrin has our story. >> schifrin: the street battles are explosive. through long nights... ...and hot summer days. protestors are often armed with no more than cinder blocks and homemade bombs. ( gunfire ) security services fire, as they cower in fear. young people who livestream the violence, and are willing to di >> ( translated ): i want to say goodbye and i love you to my family" >> schifrin: many are students rallying against a ruler who once overthrew a dictator, now accused of becoming r dictator. fo11 years daniel ortega h