Central American University (Managua) Central American University (Managua) Central American University – Managua ("Universidad Centroamericana" – UCA) is a university located in Managua, Nicaragua. It was founded in July 1960 by the Society of Jesus on land donated by the Somoza Family and was the first private university in Central America. It numbers among its alumni Daniel Ortega who did not graduate, Daisy Zamora, and Ernesto Leal. (Another Jesuit institution called "UCA" was founded in El Salvador in 1965 and is more fully named Universidad Centroamericana José Simeón Cañas.) Centro Superior de Idiomas (CSI) at UCA offers a variety of programs open to all
Managua Foreign embassies in Managua also sponsor film festivals. Since the late 1990s and early 2000, many casinos and karaoke bars opened and have remained popular attractions for Nicaraguans and foreign visitors. Popular music includes the Palo de Mayo, Merengue, Cumbia and Latin pop among other Latin music genres, as well as American pop and rock. Salsa dancing is a national pastime. Managua boasts a vibrant night life. Nightclubs and bars are abound in Managua, particularly, in the popular areas called "Zona Viva" located in the shopping mall "Galerías Santo Domingo", as well as very close by "Plaza Mi Viejo Santo