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.
To support her request for asylum, Cardoza stated that her brother had been tortured by the Sandinistas due to his political activities in Nicaragua. They believed that the Sandinistas knew they had fled Nicaragua together and that even though Cardoza herself was not politically active, she feared being questioned about her brother's whereabouts and activities if she returned to Nicaragua.