Nicanet - The Nicaragua Network

Nicaragua Network Hotlines for October 26, 2006

News topics covered in this Hotline include:

Topic 1: OAS condemns continued US intervention in electoral process

The electoral observation mission of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Nicaragua to monitor the electoral process on Oct. 21 condemned the continued intervention in the "Nicaraguan electoral debate" by the United States. "In light of the declarations made by the US Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutiérrez and US Ambassador Paul Trivelli," read the statement, "... the OAS feels obliged to reiterate ... the text of the statement issued on Sep. 25." The statement being referred to here "lamented" the "active intervention of foreign authorities and representatives" in the Nicaraguan electoral process.

The OAS statement followed a video press conference held by US Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutiérrez for Nicaraguan journalists on Oct. 19. Gutiérrez spoke of the "historic danger" represented by a possible Sandinista Party (FSLN) victory. He said that US$220 million of US aid and cooperation in Nicaragua, the implementation of the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and US$270 million of private US investment in Nicaragua would be put at risk should the FSLN presidential candidate Daniel Ortega be elected president on Nov. 5.

"It is an historic fact that the relationship between the US and Nicaragua has always been limited when the Sandinistas are in power," said Gutiérrez. "These are very important elections and we want the Nicaraguan people to remember the very important economic relationship our countries share. Now is not the time to put that relationship at risk."

FSLN deputy José Figueroa rejected Gutiérrez' comment on CAFTA would be put at risk under an FSLN led government. "We have never said that we are not going to implement CAFTA, we have said that we will take advantage of all that is positive and beneficial for the country and get rid of those parts that will damage small and medium producers."

On Oct. 18, meanwhile, the US Ambassador Paul Trivelli had made similar comments at the signing of an accord between a US agency and representatives of the Nicaraguan private sector for US$186 million. The "new Nicaraguan administration will have to play by the rules or there will be problems with this type of investment," warned the US diplomat. While Trivelli recognized that at the end of the day "it will be the Nicaraguan people who choose their next president, they will also have to live with the consequences.” He continued, “The Nicaraguan people are very sensible, though, and I have faith that they won't enter voluntarily into a nightmare, which that type of government would bring," in clear reference to a government led by Daniel Ortega. Trivelli later commented to journalists that the "pact" between the two majority parties, the FSLN and the Constitutional Liberal Party (PLC) is still alive and well and that "voting for the PLC is like voting for the FSLN."

The Carter Center (which is currently in Nicaragua observing the electoral process) issued an Electoral Declaration on Oct. 19 calling on countries of the American continent "not to intervene" in these "sensitive moments" of the final stretch leading up to the general elections.

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Topic 2: National Assembly passes penalization of therapeutic abortion

On the morning of Thursday, October 26, the Nicaraguan National Assembly approved a measure that would remove from the country’s penal code an article permitting abortion when the life or health of a woman was in danger. The action was in answer to demands from the Catholic Church and some Protestant churches and was supported by three of the four major candidates for president in the elections to be held on November 5th.

Of those present, 52 deputies voted in favor and none against. Nine deputies did not vote, among them were eight Liberals and one from the Christian Alternative party. There are 93 deputies in the National Assembly. With the elimination of the century-old measure allowing therapeutic abortion, women who have an abortion and doctors or midwives who perform abortions can be sentenced to between four and eight years in jail. Nicaragua now joins El Salvador as the only two countries in the region that penalize therapeutic abortion

Many Nicaraguan civil society groups expressed their opposition to the elimination of the article allowing therapeutic abortion, including women’s groups and medical associations. International organizations such as UNICEF and even the European Union added their voices to the chorus of voices opposing the action. But the final passage seemed to be more related to the present presidential elections where the Constitutional Liberal Candidate Jose Rizo, the Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance candidate Eduardo Montealegre, the FSLN candidate Daniel Ortega all supported the measure to do away with abortion. Only the Sandinista Renovation Movement candidate Edmundo Jarquin opposed it.

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Topic 3: Survey of 15,000 shows Ortega would win in first round

The results of the largest survey carried out during the electoral process show that the FSLN presidential candidate Daniel Ortega would win the forthcoming general elections in the first round with 37.5%. The survey was carried out by students of legal sciences at the Central American University (UCA) and sponsored by El Nuevo Diario, Canal 10, Radio Tiempo and the Chamber of Commerce. 15,330 people from urban and semi urban areas in all of Nicaragua's 17 departments and both autonomous Atlantic regions were involved in the survey. On average three or four municipalities of each department were included.

Interestingly, the survey showed that the Constitutional Liberal Party (PLC) presidential candidate José Rizo would be the runner up with 20.11%, unlike the results of most other surveys which have put the Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance (ALN) candidate Eduardo Montealegre in second place. Montealegre occupied third place in the results of the UCA survey with 17.3%, Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS) candidate Edmundo Jarquín was in fourth with 12.9% and Alternative for Change (AC) candidate Edén Pastora in fifth with just 1%.

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Topic 4: Workers take action against US owner of Free Trade Zone company

A group of female workers from the maquiladora Mil Colores S.A., owned by U.S. citizen Craig Miller, visited the Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights (CENIDH) on Oct. 17 to present the case of five workers who have suffered miscarriages during the last two months after being refused medical attention at social security clinics. According to Ligia Ivonne Jirón, the company deducts a percentage from the workers' weekly pay checks which is supposed to be paid to the Institute of Social Security (INSS) to guarantee medical attention free of charge in the INSS clinics of public hospitals and health centers. Whenever Mil Colores workers seek medical attention in these centers, however, they are told the company has not paid the INSS contributions and that they cannot be seen.

Jirón said that all five women who have recently suffered miscarriages had to be attended in public health centers where they were forced to pay for their treatment. All five were ordered to rest but the head of human resources at Mil Colores, Carla Caballero, refused to acknowledge the medical note because it was not from an INSS provisional clinic. Jirón described the cases of another two female workers who are heavily pregnant and are unsure where they will be able to receive medical attention when they go into labor.

Executive Director of CENIDH Bayardo Izabá said the center is looking into the possibility of taking legal action against Miller. He also said the Ministry of Labor and the authorities of INSS are responsible for the miscarriages because they failed to act despite repeated requests from trade union leaders to carry out an investigation into the treatment of workers in Mil Colores over the last few years.

Later in the week it emerged that Mil Colores S.A. is in financial crisis and, according to the company’s workers, on the brink of bankruptcy. On Oct. 20 workers occupied the factory to prevent what workers said was an attempt by a friend of Miller, Eduardo Irías, to seize everything in the building (alleging an unpaid debt) and give Miller the excuse that he had nothing with which to pay them once the company closed down. Minister of Labor Virgilio Gurdián told the workers that he had spoken to Miller, currently in the US, and Miller had promised to send US$13,000 as soon as possible to pay the medical bills of the women who have suffered miscarriages and those who are due to give birth, and to cover the unpaid wages. He asked the workers to give Miller a chance to send the money. The workers agreed to give Miller a few days but refused to allow Irías onto the premises.

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Topic 5: “Miskito men die every day” because of precarious conditions in lobster industry

“While the owners of the boats get rich, Miskito men die every day,” said diver Joseph Recta in reaction to the news of the death of fellow diver Richard Mails from decompression sickness (the bends) on Oct. 17 after a day’s work diving for lobsters off the shores of Puerto Cabezas, RAAN. Since 1990 at least 750 divers have died from decompression sickness in Nicaragua and many more have been left unable to work after accidents as a result of the precarious working conditions of the national lobster industry.

Earlier this year there were attempts to get social security for divers in Puerto Cabezas, but only a very small numbers of divers are believed to be covered. The companies which own the lobster boats rarely help the victims’ families with the cost of the funeral, let alone with any sort of compensation for the death or injury of their loved ones from the results of diving deep into the ocean to bring up the valuable lobsters.

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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.