To support her request for asylum, Cardoza said that her brother had been tortured by the Sandinistas because of his political activities in Nicaragua. They believed that the Sandinistas knew that they had fled Nicaragua together and that even though Cardoza had not been politically active herself, she feared that she would be interrogated about her brother's whereabouts and activities if she returned to Nicaragua.
Cardoza sought asylum by asserting that her brother had been tortured by the Sandinistas for his political activities in Nicaragua. They assumed the Sandinistas knew they had fled together and believed Cardoza, who was not politically active, would be interrogated about her brother's whereabouts and activities if she returned to Nicaragua.