Nicaragua Network

1. Nicaragua refuses to join in approval of climate accord
2. Nicaragua’s volcanoes under study
3. Cuban migrants remain in Costa Rica
4. Conversion to disease resistant coffee damaging environment
5. Miskitos driven into Honduras by armed settlers; no government response
6. IDB praises Sandinista government, loans money for rural roads
7. Institute for the History of Nicaragua and Central America announces on-line catalogue
8. Economic briefs: Oil bill down; Walmart opens super store; new cigar factory

1. Nicaragua refuses to join in approval of climate accord

Nicaragua did not join the consensus on the climate agreement negotiated in Paris last week. Paul Oquist, public policy adviser to President Daniel Ortega who represented Nicaragua at the COP21 [Conference of the Parties 21] meeting, said that it was not Nicaragua’s intention to obstruct the approval of the agreement but rather to improve the text with suggestions “for the good of mother earth and of humanity.” The Guardian of the UK reported that, “When US officials realized Paul Oquist, Nicaragua’s delegate, planned to deliver a fiery speech denouncing the deal, Secretary of State John Kerry and Raúl Castro, the Cuban leader, telephoned Managua to make sure Oquist spoke after the agreement was adopted, when it would in effect be too late.” Oquist said that the accord ignored the “historic responsibility” of the rich countries, would not impede climate change to the degree needed, and would not protect the most vulnerable countries. He said that the procedure that allowed the formal approval of the agreement without a final plenary discussion was “anti-democratic.” Nicaragua was one of only a few countries that did not present an INDC (Intended Nationally Determined Contributions) list, because the lists were only voluntary. 

In his Dec. 7 speech at the conference, Oquist asked if Nicaragua felt responsible for climate change when it produced only 0.03% of global emissions and he answered no. He then asked if Nicaragua was doing something to reduce global emissions and said the answer was yes. He noted that Nicaragua has gone from producing 25% of its energy needs from renewable sources in 2007 to 52% in 2014 and expects to reforest 2.9 million hectares of degraded land in the next period. He said that the voluntary INDC lists would give permission to the large emitters to continue to reap big economic benefits while passing the costs on to the vulnerable developing countries that would be impacted by a 3° Celsius increase in temperature with an increase of 4° to 5° in tropical countries. You can see an interview with Oquist at the COP21 in English here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDS4FrN6ToY

Meanwhile, a Central American coalition of environmental organizations released a statement on Dec. 14 which said that the agreement did not include solutions that were sufficient to help the communities that were already suffering from climate change. The “United for Life” Vulnerable Central America Coalition demanded a limit of 1.5° instead of the 2° that came out of the conference, demanded that reductions be legally binding instead of voluntary, and that funds be made available for adaptation to the climate change that is occurring now. (Informe Pastran, Dec. 14; La Prensa, Dec. 12, 14; El Nuevo Diario, Dec. 12; Radio La Primerisima, Dec. 8; The Guardian, Dec. 13)

2. Nicaragua’s volcanoes under study

The eruption of the Momotombo Volcano left a lava dome over the floor of the crater, according to specialists with the Nicaraguan Institute for Territorial Studies (INETER). This is typical of explosive eruptions of magma that is rich in gasses, the scientists said. They are measuring the volcano to see if the lava dome is growing which would indicate more eruptive activity in the future. The eruption of the volcano, the first in 110 years, began on Dec. 1 and continued for a number of days with expulsion of lava, rocks, ash, and gasses. This eruption caused no injuries or property damage. However, the 1610 eruption prompted the Spanish colonials to move the city of Leon from the shores of Lake Xolotlan (Lake Managua) near the volcano, at what is now known as Leon Viejo, to its current location. Government spokeswoman Rosario Murillo said that scientists from the United States Geological Survey would be arriving in Nicaragua to study the possible connection between the activity of Momotombo and the swarm of earthquakes under Lake Xolotlan last year.

Meanwhile, activity has been observed at the Masaya Volcano with the Santiago crater registering small explosions and lava rising close to the mouth of the crater with sounds similar to waves on a shore emanating from it. Murillo said that these phenomena “indicate that there is circulation of magma and gases near the surface” and she added that it “could lead to the formation of a lake of lava such as occurred in 1999.” The Masaya Volcano National Park is visited by some 140,000 tourists each year.

And still another volcano is being monitored: Apoyeque which is located on the shore of Lake Xolotlan on the Chiltepe Peninsula north of the Jiloa Crater Lake. Guillermo Gonzalez, co-director of the National System for the Prevention, Mitigation and Attention to Disasters (SINAPRED), said that the government has been monitoring Apoyeque Crater Lake since the April 2014 earthquake that registered 6.2 on the Richter scale and had its epicenter there. Apoyeque was classified in a report released on Nov. 13 by the University of Manchester as the second most dangerous volcano on the planet. The University of Manchester’s web page says, “The second most dangerous volcano has been named as Apoyeque in Nicaragua, which is next to its capital Managua, with a population of more than two million. Apoyeque has the threat of an underwater eruption, which could cause a large lake tsunami, as well as the danger posed by the eruption itself. It has had major eruptions every 2000 years. The last one was 2000 years ago.” (El Nuevo Diario, Dec. 8, 9, 11; Informe Pastran, Dec. 10, 11; http://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/worlds-10-most-dangerous-volcanoes-identified; http://earthsky.org/earth/top-10-most-dangerous-volcanoes)

3. Cuban migrants remain in Costa Rica

Costa Rica has not been able to find support among the Central American countries or in Mexico for allowing passage through their countries of the over 4,800 Cuban migrants who have been in Costa Rica since November with more entering from Panama. The migrants travelled from Cuba to Ecuador by air and from Ecuador to Costa Rica by land with the goal of getting to the United States to take advantage of the special privilege given to Cuban migrants by US law. Costa Rican Foreign Minister Manuel Gonzalez said that, as a last resort, his country could offer residency in Costa Rica to the migrants.

Meanwhile, Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis has travelled to Cuba and will discuss the topic with President Raul Castro. Informe Pastran said that it was unknown whether Solis would propose a solution but La Prensa said that he would ask the Cuban government to pressure President Daniel Ortega to allow passage through Nicaragua. On Nov. 15, Nicaragua denied entry to several hundred Cuban migrants who attempted to enter the country without documentation.

At a Nov. 24 meeting of the Central American Integration System (SICA), Nicaragua denounced Costa Rica for legitimizing a US policy “that the United States designed and maintains as part of the blockade against Cuba that has been denounced and condemned by the entire world.” The SICA meeting agreed only to support “the principle of self-determination” for each country to make its own decision about whether to allow the migrants to cross their territories.  Solis has said that he would not rule out Costa Rica leaving the SICA given the lack of solidarity with his government’s current crisis. “For Costa Rica this is not a small issue,” he said. (Informe Pastran, Dec. 11; La Prensa, Dec. 14; El Nuevo Diario, Dec. 12)

4. Conversion to disease resistant coffee damaging environment

Since the coffee rust infestation in 2012, many Nueva Segovia coffee farmers have rapidly converted from the prized Arabica varieties to more disease resistant Robusta varieties. The problem, complain other producers is that these varieties use more chemicals and do not need shade, resulting in deforestation and other environmental damage. The region of Las Segovias (the Departments of Nueva Segovia, Madriz, and Estelí) produces 24% of Nicaragua’s coffee according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

Victor Manuel Lopez Castillo, a member of the Multi-Sectoral Cooperative of Small Coffee Producers of Mozonte, complained that outside investors have come into the region with a vision that does not preserve the natural beauty or the environment, but only seeks profit. Lopez said they buy the high areas and, along with the loggers who continue to devastate the diminishing pine forest, they deforest the mountain peaks which are the source of water for the region. Growers were critical of the lack of control and enforcement by the government because the deforestation is occurring in areas with of limited access. “[Government officials] walk to the end of the trail and won’t go farther,” Lopez stated.

Another local producer, Teofilo Narvaez, said, “The farmer has to understand that the laws were not created to annoy him or generate problems, but to preserve a balanced environment.” Deforestation for coffee production is also affecting habitat for white-faced and howler monkeys and other forest creatures. Endangering the water sources will also affect the 250,000 people who live in the region.

Grower Gonzalo Castillo said, “We should renovate our old groves, not chop down forests to plant new groves.” He added, “My farm [with shade trees] will be worth more in twenty years for the timber than for the coffee and it helps me because it is friendly to [coffee] growth…. That is to say that shade grown coffee brings more advantages than disadvantages.” (El Nuevo Diario, Dec. 8)

5. Miskitos driven into Honduras by armed settlers; no government response

More than 1,200 Miskito Indians have fled their home communities in the North Caribbean Autonomous Region and taken refuge in Miskito communities in Honduras. The Miskitos, including women, elderly, and children, are fleeing violence by armed colonizers in their territory. Norwin Goff, president of the Honduras indigenous organization Masta, said that four children have died from malnutrition since Dec. 1. Goff said, “People are coming from Nicaragua with diseases, mainly diarrhea.” He said that the Honduran communities lost their crops this year but they are doing what they can for the refugees. He cited a shortage of food, medicine and shelter. People are fleeing to the communities of Suhi, Pranza, and Rus Rus. One hundred to 150 have been crossing the border daily, lamented Goff.

Waspam Mayor Alex Fernandez confirmed to El Nuevo Diario that the exodus is taking place, mainly from the area of Li Aubra on the Coco River. He said that the Miskito are seeking refuge in safe areas since settlers attacked Polo Paiwas and burned down the school. “There are threats that armed settlers continue to attack the communities. People in this situation have waited for a government commission to hear the case, but no one has heeded their persistent fear of attack which is forcing them to take refuge in Honduras,” Mayor Fernandez said. (El Nuevo Diario, Dec. 13)

6. IDB praises Sandinista government, loans money for rural roads

Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) representative Carlos Melo praised the government of Nicaragua for “good macroeconomic management.” He called Nicaragua “a stable platform that is working well” and complimented it for economic growth “when the context is not easy.” He said that the IDB has been increasing its projects in Nicaragua because they are well-managed and projects are completed. He estimated the IDB would fund about US$190 million in 2016.

The Ministry of the Treasury and the BID announced that the BID would loan US$90.7 million to Nicaragua for rural road infrastructure. The Sandinista government has put an emphasis on rural development including farm to market roads and connecting the Pacific and Caribbean sides of the country.  The new contract contains a gender component funding the training of women for jobs in the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure in areas such as quality control. (Informe Pastran, Dec. 10)

7. Institute for the History of Nicaragua and Central America announces on-line catalogue

The Institute for the History of Nicaragua and Central America (IHNCA) at the University of Central America (UCA) announced on Dec. 14 that it now has available a catalogue of the 67,500 items in its collections on its web page at http://www.ihnca.edu.ni/. Lissette Ruiz, director of the Library and Historical Archives of the IHNCA, said that among the holdings is the library of Fr. Alvaro Argüello, S.J., which includes manuscripts, books, and periodicals from the 16^th through the 20^th centuries. The catalogue was set up with the assistance of the US Library of Congress and includes links to collections of the Mesoamerican Archive and the Memoria Centroamericana. From the latter, users can download complete texts. There are also links to the library of the Central Bank, the National Assembly Library, the Jose Coronel Urtecho Library of the UCA, and the Enrique Bolaños Digital Library. (El Nuevo Diario, Dec. 14)

8. Economic briefs: Oil bill down; Walmart opens super store; new cigar factory

The Nicaragua Central Bank (BCN) reported that between January and October of last year the Nicaraguan national oil bill was US$1.01 billion, while in October of this year it declined to US$677.3 million, representing a 32% annual saving. Raul Amador, vice-president of the Nicaraguan Stock Exchange, said analysts are projecting continued low prices for Nicaragua’s oil purchases through the end of 2015 and the first months of 2016. “It is being projected that the average import price for the next three months could be at $50 per barrel. This could represent a 45% saving on the oil bill next year,” Amador said. (Nicaragua News, Dec. 11)

On Dec. 9, Nicaragua got its first Walmart Supercenter as a new store opened in Managua. Carlos Arroyo, CEO of Walmart-Central America, said, “We are offering more quality products with better prices to all Nicaragua families, and increasing marketing opportunities for agricultural producers and small businesses in the country.” Alvaro Baltodano, presidential adviser on investment, said that “Ninety-five percent of the [food] products sold by Walmart are Nicaraguan and these products are produced in the country stimulating the local market.” Jose Adan Aguerri, president of the Superior Council of Private Enterprise (COSEP) said that this Walmart Supercenter will create 150 new direct jobs in the country. [No mention was made of the hundreds of small grocery store owners and others whose livelihoods will be lost.] Other speakers at the store’s inauguration were Vice-President Omar Halleslevens and US Ambassador Laura Dogu. President Daniel Ortega met with Arroyo and other Walmart officials and said that the US$17 million store would help consolidate efforts in productive sectors including beef cattle production, dairy production, poultry and pork as well as vegetables, fruits and basic grains. (Nicaragua News, Dec. 10; Informe Pastran, Dec. 10)

On Dec. 11, a new industrial park for the production of cigars was inaugurated in Esteli. The plant, which took three years to build with an investment of US$1.8 million, is predicted to generate more than 400 direct jobs. Victor Calvo, Costa Rican investor and owner-manager of the plant said that in the coming years he hopes to build another similar plant. Government spokesperson Rosario Murillo said that the plant, which has a medical clinic for workers, will produce cigars for export to the United States. (Informe Pastran, Dec. 11)