Nicaragua Network

1. National Assembly approves new traffic law
2. Granada poetry festival honoring Ruben Dario opens
3. Minimum wage talks break down
4. Nicaraguan government sends messages of support to Venezuela
5. Groups promote same sex marriage with symbolic wedding
6. Nicaragua prepares for CAFTA economic dislocations coming in 2015
7. Dairy farmers converting cow dung to biogas

1. National Assembly approves new traffic law

On Feb. 13, the National Assembly passed new amendments to the nation’s traffic law.  Committee on Defense and Governance Committee chair Filiberto Rodriguez said that the population needs to be educated about traffic problems and that the Assembly had taken into account all the questions that had been raised by citizens.  Last month, there were 2,170 traffic accidents in Nicaragua in which 55 people lost their lives, an increase of 7.8% from January of 2013. 

The new law forbids use of cell phones while driving, raises the penalties for drunk driving with different penalties (from US40 to US$200) for different blood alcohol levels with the most severe including six months to one year in jail, forbids carrying children younger than eight years of age on a motorcycle while mandating helmets for all riders, and forbids reckless driving and racing. Fines for speeding were increased from US$60 to US$100. National Assembly deputies who enjoy congressional immunity will still be detained and fined for drunken driving, according to Deputy Edwin Castro.  Vehicles will have to be inspected for mechanical worthiness and emissions and carry a US$2 inspection sticker but owners will have the rest of the year to obtain the sticker before having to pay any fine.  Registration of a vehicle costs US$8 per year with fines for lack of registration at 3% of the value of the vehicle.

As for the problem of the acceptance of bribes by police officers, opposition Deputy Luis Callejas said that it was “a question between two people, the driver who corrupts and the corrupt one who takes the bribe and the police must search for mechanisms to find out which are the officers who ask for and accept bribes and put those who offer them in jail.”  Sandinista Deputy Rodriguez said that “the police have committed themselves to improve methods of investigation but this is a matter for the academy, it is a matter of conscience.”

Meanwhile, owners of bars and restaurants were alarmed. Representatives of that sector told Informe Pastran that they expected a drop in sales of up to 30% when the law goes into effect.  Those who drink at a restaurant will have to limit themselves while those who wish to drink more will have to do so at home.  There was no attempt in the new law to restrict advertising for alcoholic beverages which carry high taxes that bring in revenue to the government.  (Informe Pastran, Feb. 11, 14; El Nuevo Diario, Feb. 11, 12, 13)

2. Granada poetry festival honoring Ruben Dario opens

On Feb. 16, the tenth International Poetry Festival opened in Granada along with its accompanying handicraft fair and international book fair.  The Fair will last through Feb. 22 and includes such activities as an open microphone where 120 people signed up to read their poems.  This year the open microphone is dedicated to the carpenter poet Raul Javier Garcia, founder of the idea, who died last year. The first poet to inaugurate the microphone was Antoine Joly, France’s ambassador to Managua.  Under tarps to keep off the sun were 120 artisans, among them eight from Guatemala and two from El Salvador, who are displaying and selling their handicrafts to the thousands who attend the Festival.

This year’s festival is dedicated to Felix Ruben Garcia Sarmiento, better known by his pen name Ruben Dario, and often called “the prince of Spanish letters” even though he was born in the small Nicaraguan town of Metapa, later named Ciudad Dario.  Dario died in Leon on Feb. 16, 1916, at the age of 49. Among the presentations scheduled about Dario are those of Argentine writer Rodrigo Javier Caresani who will present his new book about Dario, “Ruben Dario: Cronicas viajeras, derroteros de una poetica,” and Nicaraguan historian Jorge Eduardo Arellano, who will present three volumes of previously unpublished material on Dario.  Also on exhibit at the festival will be a priceless collection from the Complutense University of Madrid of letters, notebooks, photos and manuscripts of Dario collected by his partner Francisca Sanchez.  Dario lived and worked first as a reporter and later as a diplomat in El Salvador, Chile, Argentina, France and Spain.

Ninety-eight poets from 60 countries accepted invitations to attend the festival and will be joined by hundreds of aspiring Nicaraguan poets who yearly confirm the veracity of the saying that “Every Nicaraguan is a poet until proven otherwise.”  Thousands of visitors are expected in Granada over the period of the festival (last year an average of 3,400 visited each day) bringing in a hoped-for US$500,000 to hotels, restaurants, taxis (including those drawn by horses), and other businesses.  According to the Nicaraguan Institute of Tourism (INTUR), the city’s 1,900 beds in 1,014 rooms in 80 hotels and guest houses were all reserved. (La Prensa, Feb.11, 14, 16; Radio La Primerisima, Feb. 15, 16; El Nuevo Diario, Feb. 7)

3. Minimum wage talks break down

Tri-partite talks on raising Nicaragua’s minimum wage broke down when one of the parties to the discussion—the business sector—refused to agree with government and labor representatives that wages in the sector of micro, small and medium sized businesses should be raised 10%, insisting on only a “one digit” raise.  As a result, along with the Labor Ministry, only representatives of trade unions and the National Chamber of Small and Medium Industry and Artisanry (CONAPI) signed the agreement on Feb. 6. 

Zacarias Mondragon, representative of the Nicaraguan Council of Micro, Small, and Medium Business (CONIMIPYME), as reported in El Nuevo Diario, said that, even though members disagreed, they would have to go along with the wage hike.  Other news outlets reported, however, that he stated that CONIMIPYME would not recognize the 10% raise and would continue to propose 8%. Jose Adan Aguerri, president of the Superior Council on Private Enterprise (COSEP), generally considered to represent big business, rejected the agreement and said, “If the government decided to apply this increase with the signature of a representative that has no influence in the private sector, it will be the government’s decision and it will see what the result of this negotiation is in the future.” He also said that conversations were not over given that only 30 days of the 60 allotted for talks had passed. However, when talks resumed on Feb. 13, the business sector left the table and no progress was made.

Roberto Gonzalez, General Secretary of the Sandinista Workers Central (CST), said that he had requested a meeting with COSEP but that Aguerri would not agree to meet. National Workers Federation (FNT) leader Jose Angel Bermudez said that COSEP was using methods of blackmail to affect minimum wage talks and he denied that workers would lose jobs as Aguerri predicted if wages in the small and medium business sector were to be raised by 10%.  Bermudez added that workers were not looking for a raise but rather for an adjustment that would allow them to recuperate buying power that has been lost during the year due to price hikes on basic goods.  The National Bank announced on Feb. 11 that the basket of basic goods for a family had risen in January from US$441 to US$455.  Luis Barbozo of the CST-JBE, said that labor representatives at the minimum wage talks, in a spirit of compromise, have lowered their demand for a wage increase in the large business sector from 16% to 14%.  (Informe Pastran, Feb. 6, 12, 13; El Nuevo Diario, Feb. 11, 13; Radio La Primerisima, Feb. 12)

4. Nicaraguan government sends messages of support to Venezuela

President Daniel Ortega sent a message of support to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Feb. 13 repudiating the acts of violence that had taken place in that country the day before.  As read by government communications coordinator Rosario Murillo, the message said, “Nicaragua rejects, repudiates and condemns the actions of vandalism of the fascist right wing. We today want to express our indignation at this barbarism.”  The message also referred to Nicaragua’s experience: “We know that the fascist right provokes and produces suffering, death and losses for the people.  From our own experience of aggression and pain in Nicaragua we reject the policies and actions of hate and destruction of that right wing and we are in affectionate solidarity with Nicolas and his people and with the families of those who died and with those who were injured.” On Feb. 12, an opposition demonstration turned violent with a death toll of three.  President Maduro condemned the violence and said, “There will be no coup d’état in Venezuela, you can be absolutely sure of that; let the whole world know that.” 

In the Nicaraguan National Assembly, Sandinista Deputy Jacinto Suarez, who chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee, said that there has been a conspiracy in Venezuela to overthrow the government and seize control of the country’s oil wealth. He said the country “suffers from constant pressure and conspiracy.”  However, the Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS) released a statement saying that “When a government violates freedom of expression and the civil rights of citizens, it is not difficult to predict that these scenes of violence will appear sooner or later.”

Venezuelan Ambassador to Nicaragua Jose Arrue thanked the government and people of Nicaragua for their support.  He said that incentives for the acts of violence have come from outside Venezuela, noting that, under the Bolivarian Revolution, advances have been made in improving the standard of living of the majority of the Venezuelan people, abolishing illiteracy, and improving health care. (Informe Pastran, Feb. 13, 14; Radio La Primerisima, Feb. 14)

5. Groups promote same sex marriage with symbolic wedding

On Feb. 13, on the eve of Valentine’s Day, sexual diversity groups held a symbolic wedding of four same sex couples outside the National Assembly. The action was to draw attention to their demand for a constitutional amendment recognizing same sex marriage. The constitution currently defines marriage as between a man and a woman. The ceremony was conducted by Nicaragua Center for Human Rights (CENIDH) lawyer Braulio Vargas. Organizer Marvin Mayorga said the groups have sent 57 letters to the legislature concerning the constitutional amendment but have received no reply. He said, “The aim [of the ceremony] is to make visible that we as Nicaraguans do not have equal rights in this country.”

Marina Gonzalez, chair of the National Assembly Committee on Women's Affairs said that these groups cannot complain because the government does not discriminate against them as in other countries and noted that Nicaragua has a sexual diversity ombudsman within the office of the Human Rights Ombudsman. Other politicians and the Catholic Church responded negatively to the symbolic wedding. Independent Liberal Party (PLI) vice-president, Indalecio Rodriguez dismissed the ceremony as “theatrics” and called same sex marriage “an act against nature.” Esteli Roman Catholic Archbishop Abelardo Mata characterized same sex marriage as a “fashion” and rejected legislation as “ridiculous.” FSLN Deputy Walmaro Gutierrez said, “In this particular case I have no opinion. It is not on the public agenda at this time.” (El Nuevo Diario, Feb. 15)

6. Nicaragua prepares for CAFTA economic dislocations coming in 2015

President Ortega's economic advisor, Bayardo Arce, met with the Nicaraguan-American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) to assess the effects of the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA). In 2015 additional US products will be able to enter Nicaragua duty-free, including US automobiles. Arce explained, “Almost everyone here drives Asian vehicles, but when the US vehicles don't have to pay tax, that will change the dynamic.” AMCHAM president, Alfredo Artiles, stated, “It is important that we protect Nicaraguan producers and consumers” and that imports not undermine Nicaraguan companies. Arce responded that there are currently Nicaraguan food products that are protected against big American producers, “but those tariffs have to disappear in 'x' time and we need to use the time we have left to plan to absorb the impact.”

AMCHAM's data indicates that in the past five years under CAFTA, Nicaraguan exports to the US rose by 71%. In 2013, Nicaragua exported products to the US were valued at US$592.9 million. (El Nuevo Diario, Feb. 11)

7. Dairy farmers converting cow dung to biogas

About 750 small and medium milk producers in Matiguas, Rio Blanco, Bocana de Paiwas, and Mulukuku will be able to switch from burning wood to methane under an agreement signed between Holland’s development aid agency and several Nicaraguan businesses. The Dutch aid will provide financial and technical assistance to enable dairy farmers to install biodigesters which convert cow dung to methane gas for cooking and other energy needs. The elimination of wood cooking improves the quality of life for the family and the health of family members responsible for cooking. Last month a similar agreement opened up opportunities to small and medium dairy farmers in El Tuma-La Dalia, Matagalpa, Acoyapa, Rio Blanco, and Mulukuku. This is all part of a larger government program with European funding to spend US$44.5 million in rural areas to convert micro, small, and medium producers from wood to biogas and other clean energy sources.

In other clean energy news, the dry season, which is in force in Nicaragua now, produces the best winds for generating electricity by wind power, producing on average 35.86% of the national electricity demand compared to November when it generated just 18%. The amount or energy produced from renewable sources varies from month to month.  For example, on Dec. 16 of last year, Nicaragua generated 81.4% of its energy from renewable sources.  The Ministry of Energy and Mines projects that, by the end of 2014, the accumulated annual rate of Nicaragua's electricity produced by clean energy sources will be 54%, a 3% increase over 2013. (El Nuevo Diario, Feb. 11; Radio La Primerisima, Feb. 11, 17)