Nicanet - The Nicaragua Network

Nicaragua Network Hotlines for March 21, 2006

News topics covered in this Hotline include:

Topic 1: Conflict over North Atlantic Coast Regional Council Seats Resolved

On March 12, the Supreme Electoral Council ruled on a serious claim by the Yatama political party and resolved questions about the allocation of council seats in the elections in the North Atlantic Autonomous Region. Two hundred twenty three voters in the municipality of Rosita had been transferred to the municipality of Bilwi to favor the Constitutional Liberal Party (PLC) during the recent internal crisis in the Supreme Electoral Council. These voters were returned to three polling places in Rosita’s 14th district, as Yatama requested, giving Yatama 13 seats on the Council instead of 12. Yatama had submitted its appeal shortly after the elections on March 5th.

Yatama was the only ethnically-based party that participated in the elections in the RAAN. The majority of its members are Miskito Indians. Brooklyn Rivera, president of Yatama, said that the battle was over something much bigger than seats on the Council: "It's a struggle for survival. With constant immigration to the Atlantic Coast by the Mestizo population we are not going to be able to survive as a political force. The struggle is for the defense of our identity and our rights as an indigenous people."

Official data released by the Supreme Electoral Council shows that there were 100,404 valid votes counted, 63,768 in the north and 36,636 in the south. In the RAAN the PLC will have 16 seats, the FSLN will have 16 and Yatama 13 seats. In the RAAS the PLC will have 22 seats, the FSLN 11, and the ALN-PC and Yatama both will have 6 seats.

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Topic 2: New Majority in the National Assembly Approves Two CAFTA Laws

A newly formed majority block of 48 deputies voted to approve two laws out of a package of five intellectual property laws. The Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement, known as DR-CAFTA, will not go into effect between Nicaragua and the U.S. until the whole package is passed. Surprisingly, the FSLN, whose 38 deputies voted against the ratification of DR-CAFTA last October joined with the block to pass the laws.

The voting block formed when the Constitutional Liberal Party (PLC) deputies used virtual blackmail tactics to try to get amnesty for their leader, former President Arnoldo Alemán. They were trying to trade their votes in support of the laws in exchange for Alemán’s amnesty. The ploy did not work however, and a new voting block was formed, made up of the 38 FSLN deputies, 7 from the Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance-Conservative Party (ALN-PC), 2 from the Christian Way (CC) and 1 from the Blue and White. The block approved two intellectual property bills: the law on Author’s Rights and the law to Protect Satellite Signals. The PLC made every effort to abort the session.

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Topic 3: Political Party News

Christian Alternative Party President Orlando Tardencilla announced that his party is leaving the political alliance backing presidential candidate Herty Lewites. Lewites decided not to change the name of the alliance that is currently operating under the name of the Movement for Sandinista Renovation (MRS). Reportedly, MRS president Dora Maria Tellez was strongly opposed to the change. Tardencilla said his group would not risk losing its legal name by merging with a party with three bad electoral experiences, in reference to the MRS.

In other political news, 74% of the population said that they would not vote for former President Arnoldo Alemán even if it were the only way to beat Daniel Ortega. This data was from a poll taken by the International Republican Institute (IRI). According to the poll, if the elections were today, Eduardo Montealegre would receive 31.2%, Daniel Ortega would receive 25.4% and Herty Lewites would garner 23.7% of the vote. However, this does not include a Constitutional Liberal Party (PLC) candidate who would be expected to cut into Montealegre's share of the vote. A high level member of the IRI, former United Nations ambassador Jeanne Kirkpatrick, is visiting Nicaragua and meeting with political parties and their candidates. (Many analysts are saying that she has been sent to try to unify the right wing parties)

Leaders of the Constitutional Liberal Party (PLC) made it official on March 14 that they will not hold primaries to elect their presidential and vice presidential candidates. They also announced that Jose Antonio Alvarado is the candidate for the vice presidential position supported by the leadership.

Three different currents of the Nicaraguan Resistance Party are in discussions to reunify. According to Adolfo Chamorro, 25 former contra commanders will attend the signing of the agreement next week. Once reorganized, they plan to join with other right wing parties to confront the FSLN in the November elections.

The FSLN announced that Sandinista allies participating in the National Convergence will have 14 positions guaranteed as deputy candidates for the National Assembly. The candidate inscription for the primary election for places on the Assembly slate is from March 20 to 21, campaigning is from March 28 to April 28 and voting for deputies will take place between April 22 and 30. In these elections FSLN/National Convergence supporters will choose 70 candidates for seats in the National Assembly from the departments. The 20 candidates for seats chosen nationally and the seats for the Central American Parliament will be chosen by an ad hoc committee and ratified by the Sandinista Congress.

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Topic 4: ENACAL Breaks Promise to End Water Rationing

More Managua barrios and neighboring towns were without water this week despite commitments made by Luis Debayle, president of the Nicaraguan water company ENACAL, to the National Assembly deputies on March 10th that there would be no more rationing or attempts to privatize water. There are now 24 damaged wells in the country. On March 10, the Managua City Council issued a statement criticizing ENACAL for the lack of potable water affecting at least half of Managua’s 1.2 million people. The council lamented the inoperability of the water company. Constitutional Liberal Party (PLC) Managua Councilman Carlos Valle said "the bills always come on time but not the water." Council members said they wanted the formation of a commission to work with ENACAL and INAA (the water regulatory agency) to resolve the problem.

Sandinista Councilwoman Rosa Emilia Guido said that people in Laureles Sur are so desperate for water that the mayor’s office will build a well there sacrificing other infrastructure projects planned for that neighborhood. Although all council members signed the statement against ENACAL, they also warned that the mayor should not take on problems that correspond to the central government.

Managua Mayor Dionisio Marenco said that if the government was causing this water problem in order to privatize water, it would be an unpardonable error. The government should prioritize investing money in the broken water networks, stopping leaks in the networks (half the water pumped is lost because of broken pipes) and support a massive educational campaign. He said that half of Managua’s 300 neighborhoods lack water.

Last week, President Bolaños fired the President of INAA, Alfredo Guerrero, after Guerrero called ENACAL 'a disaster' and denounced the 'swindling' of clients.

The heads of the environmental committees of Central America's legislatures meeting in Guatemala in a session of the Central American Inter-Parliamentary Committees on the Environment and Development (CICAD) expressed concern that the leadership of the Nicaraguan National Assembly had not brought the General Law on Water to the floor for discussion. Nicaragua has the most complete bill for the control of potable water and water resources in Central America. Deputies from the Constitutional Liberal Party (PLC) have blocked discussion of the bill and Deputy Jaime Morales, a representative to the CICAD, said he suspected dirty dealing.

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Topic 5: Ortega Accuses the U.S. Of Meddling in Nicaragua's Internal Affairs

FSLN General Secretary Daniel Ortega accused the government of the United States of meddling in Nicaragua’s internal affairs by carrying out actions designed to bring together the factions of the political right wing to make sure that he does not win the presidency in November. According to Ortega the U.S. government, specifically the intelligence apparatus, is financing a movement in Nicaragua to try to damage the FSLN. Recently, former Salvadoran President Armando Calderon Sol was in Nicaragua meeting with leaders of right wing parties, in particular Arnoldo Alemán and Eduardo Montealegre. Ortega claims they talked about Salvadoran and U.S. financing to promote the unity of the Liberal parties and the defeat of the FSLN.

Ortega says he isn’t afraid of the reunification of the Liberals. "Unity of the right is not new. In the 2001 elections their unification brought about the withdrawal of the Conservative Party candidate, Noel Vidaurre so that there would only be one candidate on the right." Ortega is confident that Nicaraguans will vote against these forces "because they’ve been in the government for 15 years and because they haven’t come through for the people, the people will punish them."

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This hotline is prepared from the Nicaragua News Service and other sources. To receive a more extensive weekly summary of the news from Nicaragua by e-mail or postal service, send a check for $60.00 to Nicaragua Network, 1247 E St., SE, Washington, DC 20003. We can be reached by phone at 202-544-9355.