Some purported members of the Nicaraguan Association of People Affected by Chronic Renal Insufficiency (ANAIRC), with support from regional union associations, have sought to obtain unjustified monetary compensation from NSEL, alleging that former workers of the San Antonio sugar mill have developed this disease as a result of their work in the company.

To achieve this objective, they have launched a campaign against NSEL, which has been extended to Grupo Pellas, Compañía Licorera de Nicaragua S.A. and its Flor de Caña rum brand. As regards the latter, they have created a group on Facebook called Boycott Flor de Caña.

Chronic Renal Insufficiency (CRI) is a multi-causal disease consisting of a progressive loss of renal function, ranging from partial kidney damage to total kidney failure, and can have different genetic, environmental, and/or behavioral causes, which has acquired the characteristics of an epidemic at world level.

In Nicaragua, the disease is most prevalent in the Pacific region (León, Chinandega, Managua, Masaya, Granada, Carazo, and Rivas), including territories where no sugar activity takes place, such as some municipalities of the department of León (Larreynaga, La Paz Centro, Nagarote), which reports the country's highest prevalence rate.

Known causes of CRI mainly include diabetes and high blood pressure. In the United States, for example, the main causes of CRI are diabetes (43.7%), arterial hypertension (26.5%), renal polycystic disease (19.2%) and others (10.5%).

Chronic Renal Insufficiency does not exist only in a specific department. It is considered to exist in all Nicaragua and it is more prevalent in the Pacific region (Leon, Chinandega, Managua, Masaya, Granada, Carazo and Rivas), including territories that have no sugar production, such as some municipalities in the department of Leon (Larreynaga, La Paz Centro and Nagarote), which reports the country's highest prevalence rate.