"the Sandinistas were opposed by the Reagan administration,"

That's a slight understatement for long years during which Reagan sponsored and financed a proxy terrorist campaign against the Nicaraguan people in which many thousands were murdered. Finally the Nicaraguan voters were ground down by all this and understandably gave up and voted for a quiet life, in face of threats by the USA if they kept voting Sandanista

That's part of the background which explains why the Venezuelan government feels pretty nervous about giving their own Contra equivalent too much leeway.