U.S. State Department Visit Ratchets Up Attention to Nicaragua Crisis

[Judi Lynn]

U.S. State Department Visit Ratchets Up Attention to Nicaragua Crisis

By John Rice Associated Press Writer

Published: Oct 4, 2005

MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) - Deputy U.S. Secretary of State Robert Zoellick paid a visit to President Enrique Bolanos on Tuesday while denouncing the president's foes.
(snip)

U.S. officials have expressed concern that the divisions in the Liberal Party could lead to a return to power by the once-Soviet-backed Sandinistas, who battled U.S.-backed rebels throughout the 1980s before losing power in 1990 elections.

U.S. Ambassador Paul Trivelli said on Sept. 28 that relations between the Liberals and Sandinistas were such that "if the elections were today, a vote for Liberalism would be a vote for Sandinism."

"That is obvious."

U.S. officials repeatedly have leaked word that several Liberal Party and Sandinista judges, lawmakers and other officials have been stripped of their U.S. visas under anti-corruption rules.
(snip/...)

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGB3X9OEEEE.html



Robert Zoellick

[asjr]

1. Here we go again, messing around in another country's

affairs. How much oil does Nicaragua have?

[bemildred]

2. Nicaragua: Sandino to Chavez

Read the whole thing if you want context.

When Chavez calls for Latin American unity and regional economic integration based on a continental social charter, he is taking up again the business Anastasio Somoza tried to have buried in Managua's Larreynaga field that February night in 1934. Like Sandino, Chavez believes people in Latin America can and should sort out their political and economic arrangements to suit themselves without foreign impositions. That is why the United States government would like to have him killed. That is why European governments cravenly refuse to denounce US intervention.

The traditional oligarchy in Nicaragua wants their country to be a colonial adjunct of the United States as they always have done. In that they seem to be supported by "centrist" and social-democrat style politicians like Eduardo Montealegre and Herty Lewites. They, like the Liberal PLC party, dominated by Arnoldo Aleman will deal with imperial agents like Paul Trivelli in the local US embassy so long as they get an appropriate share of whatever political benefits and perquisites are on offer.

The only political force in Nicaragua openly and determinedly defending Nicaragua's independence is the Sandinista FSLN. The tension between Adolfo Diaz-style sell out to US imperial scheming and Augusto Cesar Sandino's vision of Nicaragua's place within a united sovereign Latin America is again defining politics in Nicaragua. The energy crisis and Venezuela's obviously decisive role in any resolution it may have lend an unpredictable new dynamic to an old pattern of regional politics.

Sandino's vision of Latin American dignity and autonomy, renewed and revitalised by Hugo Chavez, simply refuses to die. Both the US government and the European Union are anxious to keep Nicaragua as a loyal, secure satrapy of the US empire. Nicaragua is a country traditionally perceived to be strategically important for its location on the American isthmus. Just as it did in Haiti, the European Union will support the US government in doing whatever it takes to squash potential moves towards autonomy by Nicaragua through alignment with Venezuela. The current crisis in Nicaragua should be seen in that overall context.

http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=54&ItemID=8861

[webtrainer]

3. read the article to learn about what a complex situation it is . . .

I started a thread on this topic (referencing the zmag article) in another forum.

http://new.nicaliving.com/node/1966

But you know this is an AP article with it's extensive use of descriptors designed not to inform but to mis-inform . . .

For example, "if the elections were today, a vote for Liberalism would be a vote for Sandinism."

"That is obvious."

The U.S. can't find someone they like down there within the two established political parties, Liberals and Sandinistas. They may, in fact, be forced to support Lewites, former Sandinista mayor of Managua, who Ortega had kicked out of the party so that he would have no competition to be the candidate for the FSLN. Lewites is actually popular and did some good for the people.

Yeah Daniel, you're gonna finally win this FOURTH TIME that you run for the office. Get over yourself loser!

[bemildred]

7. I posted the Zmag piece as an antidote to the OP article.

I do think it would be nice if Ortega got out of the
way, stepped into the background and let someone else
take the stage, but I don't expect he will. It's not
an issue I follow closely and news is hard to come by.

Edit: Bolanos does seems to quite an idiot, though.

[Toucano]

10. That's just exactly what I was gonna say!

:)

Thanks for the link.

[SoCalDem]

4. Nicaragua crisis? Have we been transported back in time??

Sheeez..The Mother in me wants to send some people to their rooms..JUST LEAVE OTHER PEOPLE ALONE, DAMMIT!..AND KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELVES!!

[NorthernSpy]

6. they're afraid there'll be a mass outbreak of democracy...

Majority rule? Not letting the rich run the whole show unopposed?

Can't have that!

:eyes:

[NorthernSpy]

5. no desire to solve our own problems...

... insatiable appetite for meddling in other nations' affairs.

:eyes:

I hope Nicaragua goes Bolivarian. That'd show 'em!

[EFerrari]

8. "Soviet-backed" Sandinistas

:rofl:

[MadJohnShaft]

9. $175 million dollar bounty dangling

"Zoellick has noted that Nicaragua is in line to receive $175 million from the U.S. Millennium Challenge Account program, which aims to reward countries that pursue political and economic reforms, and said that money may not be available if Ortega and his allies come to power."

Act rightwing, or you can't have your $175 million dollars

[struggle4progress]

12. US warns millions in aid at risk if Nicaragua ousts president (Guardian)

<snip> The Nicaraguan national assembly is at present debating a proposal to impeach Mr Bolaños, who was elected in 2001, for alleged campaign finance violations. He claims he is the innocent victim of an agreement, known locally as el pacto, between Mr Ortega and the former president, Arnoldo Aleman, of the Constitutionalist Liberal party, who has himself been sentenced to 20 years for corruption. <snip>

There is also, however, some resentment at the role of the US, which backed Mr Aleman when he was elected in 1997 and who illegally aided the anti-Sandinista "contras" in the 1980s civil war when the then President Ronald Reagan vowed to make the Sandinistas say "uncle". The US also made clear in 2001 that voters should elect Mr Bolaños or face financial consequences, and the Bush administration has rehabilitated many of those implicated in supporting the contras. <snip>

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1585799,00.html

[Roland99]

11. Didn't Democracy "take" back in the 80s?

[buzzsaw_23]

13. Zoellick

is as crooked and sinister as it gets. A man with a plan, to destroy lives.

i'm looking forward to Hugo's response and support of Ortega.