FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2006

Election Interference Delegation

June 17-24, 2006

US government intervention in Nicaraguan elections as well as those in Venezuela and elsewhere attempts to impose Washington's will under the guise of "democracy building." Join long-time Nicaragua Network National Co-Coordinator Chuck Kaufman and other delegation members like retired Professor Harvey Williams of the University of the Pacific on an 8 day electoral fact finding delegation to Nicaragua June 17-24, 2006.

Meet with representatives of the four presidential candidates:
Daniel Ortega, Sandinista Front for National Liberation (FSLN)
Herty Lewites, Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS)
Jose Rizo, Constitutional Liberal Party (PLC)
Eduardo Montealegre, National Liberal Alliance-Conservative Party (ALN-PC)

Meet with organizations in Nicaragua which are receiving US taxpayer money through the so-called National Endowment for Democracy such as:
* Instituto de Estudios Estratégicos y Políticas Públicas (Strategic Study and Public Policy Institute)
* International Republican Institute
* National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
* Asociación Hagamos Democracia (Let's Make Democracy Association)
* Movimiento por Nicaragua (Movement for Nicaragua, or MpN)
* Instituto Nicaragüense de Estudios Humanísticos (Nicaraguan Institute for Humanistic Studies)
* Ética y Transparencia (Ethics and Transparency)

Meet with civil society groups that do not receive US government funding such as:
Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights (CENIDH)
Center for International Studies (CIS)
Consumer Defense Network
Community Movement, and more…..

Meet with local political and civic leaders in some of the departmental capitals (eg. Matagalpa, Esteli, Leon, Granada) to discuss how US intervention is influencing voters in their territory.

Meet with US embassy officials to exchange their views and ours about US interference in the up-coming election.

Meet with radio and newspaper reporters to let the Nicaraguan people know that US citizens support the right of the Nicaraguan people to pick their own leaders through free and fair elections.

Cost: $800 plus airfare. (price includes all ground transportation, three meals a day, lodging, translation, orientation materials, and program.

Send an email to Nicanet@afgj.org to receive an application for the delegation. Deadline for applications is June 1, 2006
Labels: Archives