Nicaragua Network

1. After Caribbean Coast elections, selection of high level officials on horizon
2. Nicaragua marks International Women’s Day
3. Canal environmental study to be finished in April
4. Hugo Chavez remembered
5. Commercial forestry can accompany protection of the forest
6. Gang membership low as police emphasize reintegration over repression
7. Group fights to restore heritage seeds and food security
8. Professional development of high school teachers begins
 

1. After Caribbean Coast elections, selection of high level officials on horizon

Final vote counts are in for the Mar. 2 regional council elections on the Caribbean Coast but the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE) has not yet confirmed the number of council seats that will go to each political party.  Given that the media have reported different estimates, the News Bulletin will report those figures when they are finalized.  Forty-five councilpersons are elected in each of the autonomous regions, the North Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAN) and the South Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAS).  With all the votes in, the final percentages are only slightly different from what we reported last week.  In the RAAN, which has a greater population than the RAAS, the Sandinista Party (FSLN) received 51.94% of the vote, YATAMA 21.46%, the Independent Liberal Party (PLI) 19%, and the Constitutional Liberal Party (PLC) 4.24%.  In the RAAS, the FSLN received 48.34%, the PLC 19.41%, the PLI 17.11%, YATAMA, 6.61%, and the Multi-Ethnic Indigenous Party (PIM) 3.21%.

None of the results have been challenged, but La Prensa reported that two thousand YATAMA sympathizers protested in the streets of Bilwi (Puerto Cabezas) on Mar. 5 saying that the CSE used the well-known “crazy mouse” tactic at polling places sending voters to different precincts looking for their names on the voter lists and on Mar. 11, YATAMA leader Brooklyn Rivera announced that his party was separating from the alliance it has maintained with the Sandinista Party in the National Assembly.  Also, United for the Republic, a coalition of political figures and non-governmental organizations, said that the elections were “characterized by violent incidents, theft and politicized distribution of voter identification cards, manipulation of the electoral rolls with the well known tactic of ‘crazy mouse,’ and militarization.”  However, PLC leader Wilfredo Navarro said that while the elections were not perfect and had their irregularities, there was no fraud and “the people went to vote and voted for the FSLN; it’s something you can’t deny.”

Meanwhile, National Assembly Deputy Edwin Castro, who is the head of the Sandinista bench, said on Mar. 11 that the election by the Assembly of the 35 high level government officials whose terms have expired will move forward after the CSE announces the allotment of council seats in the RAAN and the RAAS.  He said that there is a list of candidates for many of the offices, including the CSE, but it must be expanded to include those posts where terms have expired since the list was made up.  Jose Figueroa, also a Sandinista deputy, calculated that this process would take three weeks or more.  PLC Deputy Navarro said that not yet proposed are candidates for some of the seats on the Supreme Court, the Superintendent of Banks, the Human Rights Ombudsperson, several of the government’s top prosecutors, and other top posts.  PLI Deputy Eliseo Nuñez said that he did not think the task could be accomplished this month, noting, “We could elect only those officials already in the pipeline, but we see completing the nominations for all the offices and then doing it.  We could activate the mechanisms in the next two weeks but not the election itself.”  Business people and the Catholic Bishops had pushed for the selection of the officials as soon as possible. (Radio La Primerisima, Mar. 6, 10; La Prensa, Mar. 5, 7; Informe Pastran, Mar. 6, 7, 10; El Nuevo Diario, Mar. 5, 11)

2. Nicaragua marks International Women’s Day

A march organized by the Network of Women against Violence and other organizations to mark International Women’s Day on March 8 was stopped by police one block short of its destination at the Ruben Dario traffic circle.  The police said that the traffic circle was occupied by members of the Sandinista Youth Organization, also celebrating the day.  The marchers made it past the first officers dressed in blue who tried to stop them but they were then confronted by a wall of anti-riot police, all women, who carried shields and, according to La Prensa, tear gas and rubber bullets.  Just beyond the police, at the traffic circles, the Sandinista Youth shouted, “There can be no revolution without women!” and “Victory for women and for this government that has returned to them their rights!”  Not being able to advance further, the women marchers settled down to chant slogans, sing and dance.  Among the signs and banners carried by the women were those demanding the repeal of the 2006 criminalization of therapeutic abortion supported by the current government and this banner, “When a woman says no, she means no! No to violence and impunity!” Rather than seeing the police action as reflecting an abundance of caution, Sofia Montenegro of the Autonomous Women’s Movement (MAM) said, “It was stupid of the government to stop the women’s march,” adding that what the police should have done was to have removed the others from the Ruben Dario traffic circle, since the women had permission to end their march at that spot.

President Daniel Ortega, in his message marking International Women’s Day, laid out the advances that women have made under his administration.  The message, read by government spokeswoman Rosario Murillo, noted that “Nicaragua has almost 50% women in positions of power and decision making in the cabinet and 70% of government employees are women.” Half of city council members around the country are women.  The message noted that the Sandinista government, now in the third year of a second term, has given out 118,411 property titles to women while half a million women have benefited from the Zero Usury Program and 140,000 from the Zero Hunger Program.  On Mar. 8 and 9, Property Superintendent Yara Perez gave out 13,432 property titles to women in honor of Women’s Day, mainly in Managua but also in Tipitapa and Ciudad Sandino.

On Mar. 7, the Strategic Group for the Decriminalization of Therapeutic Abortion presented a letter to the Supreme Court asking that the Court resolve the cases challenging the 2006 law reversing the century old provisions allowing therapeutic abortion and the 2007 changes to the criminal code that confirmed it.  The letter noted that the criminalization of therapeutic abortion is unconstitutional because it violates fundamental rights of women to life and health, mandating imprisonment for those who have an abortion for health reasons and for those who perform the abortion.  Evelyn Flores of the Punto de Encuentro Foundation said that the cases have been before the Court for six years and that the delay of justice has “exposed the lives and health of women who have pregnancies with complications or who are victims of rape.” She added that the justices are acting in accord with political interests and violating the rights of citizens.

On Mar. 4, Rosario Murillo announced that the National Police would be opening seven new Women’s and Children’s Police Stations on Mar. 8 in San Miguelito, Jalapa, Pueblo Nuevo, Cardenas, and Niquinomo. Murillo said that the stations have been set up around the country “to help assure women their right to be protected in their communities.” (El Nuevo Diario, Mar. 8; La Prensa, Mar. 7, 8, 9; Radio La Primerisima, Mar. 4, 7)

3. Canal environmental study to be finished in April

National Assembly Deputy Jenny Martinez announced on Mar. 5 that at the beginning of April the environmental impact study on the inter-oceanic shipping canal across Nicaragua should be finished.  She said that studies were done during the rainy season and are being carried out now in the dry season to measure the amount of water in the rivers involved in the possible routes for the proposed canal which would also cross Lake Cocibolca (Lake Nicaragua).  Martinez said that the company carrying out the study, Britain-based Environmental Resources Management, is one of the most prestigious in its field.

But highly regarded environmentalist and frequent government advisor Jaime Incer Barquero questioned the validity of the study.  He said, “The great fault in this is that, however well respected the company is that does the environmental impact study, the single fact that it was contracted by the same firm that will carry out the project makes the result biased.” Incer Barquero said that, so far, President Daniel Ortega has not asked him for advice about the project.  “I am totally unconnected with this initiative,” he said, adding, “If they invite me, I’ll go with pleasure….”  He stated that the benefits of a canal would be small compared with the loss of Lake Nicaragua, the largest source of fresh water in Central America.

Former Vice-President and historian Sergio Ramirez also weighed in on the canal.  He told the news program Esta Semana on Channel 12, “I believe that this is a great smoke screen and I would like to be a fortune teller to know what it is that is behind this smoke screen.”  He said that the project would require massive excavators and there is no deep water port in Nicaragua where they can be brought into the country.  [Editor’s note: Two deep water ports are part of the project and at least one of them would, for reasons he points out, have to be built first.]  Ramirez went on say, “Here there are fantasies of fantasies. This is a badly put together doll that is going to fall into pieces.”

However, environmentalist Kamilo Lara, a member of the advisory council of the Canal Administrative Commission, defended the project saying that “Those who talk about Chinese fairy tales are those who had opportunities, those who have lived the good life in this country, in contrast to the millions of Nicaraguans who need work and a better quality of life.”  He noted that the government of President Enrique Bolaños proposed a similar project but it did not move forward.  This time, he said, investors from countries such as Russia, Korea, and the United States have expressed interest and the feasibility studies include a complete review of the country’s environment, biodiversity, geology, hydrology, geotectonics, and the special characteristics of Lake Nicaragua. (La Prensa, Mar. 5, 7; Informe Pastran, Mar. 7, 10; Radio La Primerisima, Mar. 8)

4. Hugo Chavez remembered

On Mar. 5, President Daniel Ortega placed a wreath at a monument in Managua to the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and then flew to Caracas to participate with other Latin American leaders in a program remembering his life.  Upon arriving at the airport, Ortega remembered Chavez as “a clear expression of the spirit of the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean, of their desire for liberty, for justice, and for sovereignty.” Among the leaders who joined President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas on the first anniversary of Chavez’ death were Presidents Raul Castro of Cuba and Evo Morales of Bolivia.

Meanwhile, the debate over whether and how the tense political situation and difficult economy in Venezuela could affect its relationship with Nicaragua and the other countries in the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) continued.  While La Prensa published figures showing Venezuelan investment in Nicaragua down somewhat in 2013, economist and former vice-presidential candidate Edmundo Jarquin said that the drop was not significant.  The president of the Union of Farmers and Ranchers (UNAG), Alvaro Fiallos said that there was no risk that Venezuela would stop buying black beans from Nicaragua and that this year’s expected record harvest of 1.2 million hundredweights was contracted in its entirety for sale to Venezuela. Nicaragua’s petroleum agreement with Venezuela (which includes a favorable payment plan of 50% cash, 50% over 23 years with 3 years of grace and at 2% interest) renews automatically this month. Economist Nestor Avendaño said, “This petroleum credit is the principal guarantee of the macroeconomic stability of the country.  The open market operations of the Central Bank, that is the sale of bonds by the bank, guarantee low and stable inflation.” (Radio La Primerisima, Mar. 5; Informe Pastran, Mar. 7; La Prensa, Mar. 5)

5. Commercial forestry can accompany protection of the forest

The government has authorized for the first time the harvest of 40,000 cubic meters of wood from tree farms, a new economic enterprise that will create jobs while reducing pressure for legal and illegal logging in the nation’s forests. The estimated economic impact on the economy is US$5 million growing to US$15 million in a few years. Salvador Mayorga, president of the National Association of Reforesters, said that 10 species of tree are being commercially grown but the ones that stand out are beechwood, teak, and African mahogany. He said the industry will supply local wood processing businesses, give Nicaragua better access to world markets, generate energy from biomass, and supply construction materials and firewood. Mayorga said there are currently 22,000 hectares of commercially grown timber which are providing permanent rural jobs with an emphasis on hiring women. 

In other forest news, President Daniel Ortega has submitted to the National Assembly revisions to Law 290 which would strengthen the administration of forests, both protected and non-protected, in the entire national territory. A presidential report noted that 25% of Nicaraguan territory is covered in forests. The proposed reform would separate the National Forestry Institute from the Ministry of Agriculture and place it under the President.  It would create a National Forest Committee including the minister and vice-minister of the National Forestry Institute, the coordinators of the two Caribbean Coast Autonomous Regions, and a representative from a non-governmental organization that deals with the environment. The Committee would oversee National Forestry Institute regulations and policies and report to the President. The reform mandates promotion of rational and sustainable forest policies. The reform also would remove from the Ministry of Agriculture the role of issuing logging permits. (Radio La Primerisima, Mar. 8; El Nuevo Diario, Mar. 7, 10)

6. Gang membership low as police emphasize reintegration over repression

On Mar. 6, the National Police announced that in Nicaragua’s 153 municipalities fewer than 1,000 youth are involved in gangs. The police define gangs as “groups of youth dedicated to violent activities such as robberies with intimidation, street disputes, threats and murders.” The police report said that in 12 of the 13 departments and the two autonomous regions, there is no problem of juvenile violence.  There are delinquency problems in Managua and nearby municipalities and to a lesser extent in Esteli and the North Atlantic Autonomous Region.  Nicaragua has a population of six million of which 53% are under the age of 25. With a homicide rate of 11 per 100,000, Nicaragua is considered one of the safest countries in Central America.

One of the reasons for low gang membership and the low rate of violence is the number of police programs aimed at prevention, job training, and reinsertion into society of at-risk youth. One such program in Leon includes 700 youth with drug and vagrancy problems in a program that includes psychological help, educational talks, and recreational activities. Lieutenant Mario Ruiz said that the program has the support of non-profit organizations and churches, has founded five baseball leagues, and sponsors a theater.  (El Nuevo Diario, Mar. 4; Radio La Primerisima, Mar. 6)

7. Group fights to restore heritage seeds and food security

Small and medium basic grain farmers in six Matagalpa municipalities, and the Association for Diversification and Communal Agricultural Development (ADDAC), are struggling to rescue heritage seeds against the growing dependency on hybrid and genetically modified (GMO) seeds in order to guarantee food security.  Otoniel Matuz, spokesman for ADDAC, said that the philosophy of ADDAC is “produce today, produce tomorrow, produce forever.”  His organization promotes organic farming and the preservation of heritage, or creole, seeds. He criticized past Nicaraguan governments for allowing the loss of heritage seeds through the introduction of hybrids and GMOs. ADDAC promotes agricultural production independent of external inputs. He particularly criticized a US Agency for International Development (USAID) program called “pound for pound” that was initiated in 2002 in which farmers traded a pound of heritage seeds for a pound of hybrid or GMO seeds. He called it “the worst murder that was given to our seed.” ADDAC is focused on reintroducing heritage seed for corn, bean, sorghum, and rice. (El Nuevo Diario, Mar. 6)

8. Professional development of high school teachers begins

Juan Antonio Taleno is a high school graduate who has taught mathematics, chemistry, and biology for 12 years at the public high school in Pocana de Paiwas in the South Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAS).  He now has the opportunity to take courses in mathematics and science as one of 4,000 secondary teachers without university degrees studying at the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua (UNAN) in Managua. The teachers travel to Managua on weekends with all their travel and food expenses paid. Nicaragua has 10,000 secondary teachers 40% of whom have no university degree. Education Minister Miriam Raudaz inaugurated the special program on Mar. 8, saying that, “With this educational professionalization we can elevate to the maximum the quality of public education in the country.”  The Education Ministry is spending US$7.07 million in programs this year for professional development of secondary teachers.  Teleno said that his studies will permit him to improve his classes not just in terms of the science, but will improve his teaching methods as well. (La Prensa, Mar. 9; El Nuevo Diario, Mar. 8; Radio La Primerisima, Mar. 8)