Nicaragua Network

1. Prisons to get UN inspection in May
2. Delegation identifies indigenous rights gains and challenges
3. An end to the property confiscation cases?
4. Members of Congress want report on US aid to Nicraragua
5. Student retention and other education news
6. Catholic Church hierarchy to dialogue with Ortega
7. Vaccination campaign inoculates tens of thousands
8. No Pay movement gets less sympathy this time around
9. Economic shorts
 

1. Prisons to get UN inspection in May

Nicaragua has accepted an inspection of its eight prisons by a UN mission from May 7-13.  Deputy Interior Minister Carlos Najar called it an opportunity to strengthen humanitarian efforts regarding the prisons. The visit by members of the UN Council on Human Rights and a UN subcommittee against torture was announced by the Nicaragua Center for Human Rights (CENIDH). Along with the Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL), they had made denunciations before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights claiming that Nicaragua’s prisons are overcrowded, (Nicaraguan penitentiaries are the fourth most overcrowded in Latin America) in poor repair, and lack basic services such as water, sanitation, and food service. Prisoners have made photos and videos about their accusations. Three inmates were hurt in a prison riot in Leon on Mar. 29 when authorities confiscated water bottles and fruit juices adulterated with alcohol delivered by the prisoners’ families.

The government has recognized these problems are more than 20 years old and it has been working to correct them, including construction of a new 28 acre women’s prison, La Esperanza, on the Masaya highway, which will include a garden for the women to grow food. La Esperanza is under construction and a new prison in Bluefields is budgeted for construction in 2014. From 2011 to 2013 the Government made investments in infrastructure of over US$15.18 million, and in 2014 plans to invest US$20.722 million. Millions are set aside for construction of a replacement of two penal centers, for rehabilitating and expanding all penitentiaries, and for improving and expanding water and sanitation systems. Re-educating and reintegrating inmates into society are other aspects of reforms. Nicaraguan prisons held 9,801 inmates in 2013. (El Nuevo Diario, Mar. 26, 27, 28, 29, 30; La Prensa, Mar. 27, 30)

2. Delegation identifies indigenous rights gains and challenges

A Nicaragua Network delegation traveled in the North Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAN) from Mar. 16-23 “to investigate the situation of indigenous rights to their own land and resources and to health care and education” Their press release stated, “Under the current government, Nicaragua has advanced more than any other country in the recognition of the rights of the indigenous to their land. Four of the five stages of demarcation and titling of indigenous lands in the RAAN under Law 445 have been completed. The fifth stage, the legal removal of illegal colonizers from titled indigenous land and the prevention of further land invasions has barely begun.” Indigenous leaders have demanded that the national government do more to remove illegal settlers who are a primary source of deforestation, and to prosecute corrupt lawyers and local officials who sell land to settlers which cannot be sold under Nicaraguan law. One of the principal goals of the delegation was to learn about the threat these invaders presented to the UNESCO-recognized Bosawas Biosphere Nature Reserve, which is defended by the indigenous Mayangna. The treasurer of the Mayangna Tuahka Indigenous Territorial Government, Roberto Johnny, told the group from the Nicaragua Network, “We have so many problems with the advance of the agricultural frontier, but when we present our complaints to the government in Managua, they have no answer.”

The Ecological Battalion of the Army, whose mission it is to stop illegal logging and colonization of the Bosawas, announced last week the arrest of two settlers who had cut over 26 acres of trees where they intended to graze cattle. They were taken to Siuna where they will stand trial. The joint action by the army and the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (MARENA) statement said that they discovered four families in the area and have identified Javier Soza and lawyers Juan Ramon Flores and Jose Humberto Amador as land traffickers. MARENA said it has warned people in the area that they cannot buy or sell land in the forest because it is a nature reserve. (Informe Pastran, Mar. 27; La Prensa, Mar. 28; El Nuevo Diario, Mar. 28)

3. An end to the property confiscation cases?

Nicaragua hopes to resolve final property confiscation claims this year through arbitration

Nicaragua Attorney General Hernan Estrada reiterated the government of President Daniel Ortega’s will to resolve remaining claims of US citizens for property confiscated during the 1980s. [Most remaining claims are from Nicaraguans who became US citizens since the 1979 triumph of the Sandinista Revolution which overthrew the US-backed Somoza dictatorship.] Estrada said that there are 107 remaining cases which he hopes will be resolved through arbitration and he hopes they will be completed this year.. He encouraged those US citizens with claims to participate. Resolution of the remaining cases is expected to cost Nicararagua between US$15-30 million. Nicaragua has already disbursed US$447 million to resolve the claims of 4,872 individuals. [It is unclear is that is the amount of interest paid on the compensation bonds issued since 1992 or the value of the bonds themselves.] In the nine months since the last US waiver decision, Nicaragua has resolved an additional 30 cases and expects more to be resolved by the end of June.

Jose Adan Aguerri, president of the Superior Council of Private Enterprise (COSEP) also stated that there has been significant progress. He said that there are two remaining cases involving COSEP members for the companies SOLKA and Punta Teonoste. He noted that the Solorzano family, which owned the pharmaceutical company SOLKA, were already compensated during the presidency of Violeta Chamorro (1990-1996). Each year, US aid to Nicaragua, as well as US votes in the international financial institutions for loans to Nicaragua, are threatened with a cut-off unless the US Secretary of State issues a “waiver” from the US law that requires those actions toward any country that confiscates the property of US citizens. (Radio La Primerisima, Mar. 29; El Nuevo Diario, Mar. 29; La Prensa, Mar. 27)

4. Members of Congress want report on U.S. aid to Nicaragua

Ten U.S. Members of Congress, all serving on the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, signed a letter to Secretary John Kerry and Rajiv Shah, administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The letter was written by Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the far right congresswoman from Florida who chairs the subcommittee. It raised questions about supposed unconstitutional actions by democratically elected President Daniel Ortega. It also asked for a complete accounting of how USAID aid to Nicaragua is being spent “to ensure that democracy and the rule of law are upheld in Nicaragua” and “to build capacity with the local organizations to insure that U.S.-funded projects are having an impact.” USAID aid to Nicaragua in 2013 was US$8.598 million. The 2014 allocation is being decided now for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.

Reaction in Nicaragua was muted with only La Prensa covering the story. Sandinista Deputy Walmaro Gutierrez, chair of the National Assembly Economic Committee, said that out of respect he would not comment on statements by officials of a foreign country. He emphasized that foreign aid was welcome “but that it should not be conditioned.” Opposition Deputy Carlos Langrand, also on the Economic Committee, said that foreign aid is important and that it is the poorest people who are hurt when it is cut off. He noted that the U.S. had already cut Millennium Challenge grants because of alleged fraud in the 2008 municipal elections and that the U.S. failed to renew its “fiscal transparency waiver” [which cost Nicaragua a loss of about US$1 million.] Opposition Deputy Francisco Valdvia, vice-chair of the Economic Committee, said that Congress members have the right to know how their citizens’ tax money is being spent. “What these Congress members call for is transparency of these funds which are being assigned to an unconstitutional government.” [Pres. Ortega won reelection in 2011 with 63% of the vote after the Supreme Court ruled that term limits were unconstitutional. The opposition and right-wing U.S. Congress members have refused to recognize the legitimacy of Ortega’s landslide victory.] (La Prensa, Mar. 26, 27)

5. Student retention and other education news

Student retention in Nicaraguan schools has reached 96% of the established goal, according to Rosario Murillo, coordinator of the Communication and Citizenship Council. “Of the almost 800,000 [students] in the system, 378,000 are girls and 420,000 are boys. We must make an effort to register more girls” in primary and secondary education modalities. The weekend secondary school classes instituted in rural areas this year are proving to be popular with those who want to earn a degree. The classes are being conducted with the help of “thousands of youth and teachers” from urban areas.

Research centers and institutes that offer masters and postgraduate degrees will no longer be able to issue diplomas for those studies under an amendment made to the General Law of Education. The aim of the reform is to regulate the issuance of diplomas, certificates, and titles in an effort to assure quality education. According to the modification, only institutions of higher education properly accredited by the National Council of Universities (CNU) will offer postgraduate studies, specialization, master's, and doctorate degrees. The reform is not retroactive, so citizens who have already earned a professional title in the institutes will not be penalized.

In other education news, Nicaragua allocated almost US$11 million in 2013 to finance academic reserach projects, according to the CNU. In addition, more than US$8 million were set aside for CNU investment – in scholarships, investigation, university extension, and infrastructure. Other amounts went to social, cultural, and sports-related projects. (Radio La Primerisima, Mar. 27, 31; El Nuevo Diario, Mar. 27; La Prensa, Mar. 27)

6. Catholic Church hierarchy to dialogue with Ortega

President Daniele Ortega accepted a request by the Catholic Church hierarchy of Nicaragua for dialogue. Opposition members of the National Assembly and Sandinista Party (FSLN) members agreed that this dialogue needs to cover themes that most interest and benefit Nicaraguans, although there is little agreement about what issues that might be. Right-wing parties that are no longer electorally competitive due to the popularity of the FSLN economic and social programs are placing a lot of hope in recovering lost ground through the upcoming dialogue. Dep. Alberto Lacayo of the Independent Liberal Party-Independent (BAPLI), bemoaned the fact that this dialogue hadn’t happened in earlier years. Sandinista Dep. Alba Palacios said that it is important for the people to know that Sandinista militants, deputies, and other officials are in all of the churches collaborating with the Catholic community. Newly elevated Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes said, “It is only through dialogue you can move forward and construct a country in development and fraternity. In the dialogue, the parties are exposing their viewpoints, not imposing a vision but sharing it and taking from it that which benefits all Nicaraguans regardless of religion, party, or popularity.” The dialogue is to begin after Holy Week, with no agenda or date yet set. (Radio La Primerisima, Mar. 26; El Nuevo Diario, Mar. 26, 27, 31; La Prensa, Mar. 26, 27)

7. Vaccination campaign inoculates tens of thousands

Ministry of Health Director of Vigilance Dr. Carlos Saenz reported that the week-long vaccination campaign was a success with 79.7% compliance. 8,250 centers inoculated 1.8 million children and adults against polio, influenza, Hepatitis B, pneumonia, and other childhood diseases and adult ailments. In all, 1,876,626 doses were administrated throughout the country by MINSA health professionals and volunteer health brigadistas. That was a 5.4% increase over last year. In some areas, such as the Managua’s Third District, participation was over 90%. (El Nuevo Diario, Mar. 29, Apr. 1; Radio La Primerisima, Mar 29, 31, Apr. 1)

8. No Pay movement gets less sympathy this time around

The Movement of Northern Producers, better known as the “No Pay” movement reconstituted itself with a Mar. 31 march in Esteli and plans to march in other departments. The “No Pay” movement in 2010 brought attention to lending abuses by the international microfinance institutions and banks which were causing many farmers to lose their property. The government of President Daniel Ortega responded positively then and bought the loans from the institutions then extended the time period for the debtors to pay. This time the “No Pay” movement is demanding that 50% of the principal be forgiven and payments stretched out as much as 10 years. Their demands are receiving considerably less sympathy now. Dep. Walmaro Gutierrez, chair of the National Assembly’s Economic Committee, said that those making demands this time are the ones who refused to negotiate in 2010. Gutierrez said that in addition to renegotiating the debts of those who participated in 2010, the government has passed new laws regulating the microfinance industry which he said was successful “because no more problems have been generated.” The big business association, COSEP, and the Nicaraguan Association of Microfinance Institutions, also rejected the group’s demands and worried that their protest would drive away international investors.(La Prensa, Mar. 26, 27, 28)

9. Economic Shorts

The government of Russia has approved a donation of 1,000 tractors to Nicaragua and recent discussions in Moscow and Managua have led to new Russian interest in investing in everything from the Grand Canal to tourism. One idea being explored is to create multi-destination tours for Russians including Cuba and Nicaragua. (Radio La Primerisima, Mar. 27)

In February, Nicaragua was one of only five countries in Latin America and the Caribbean where food prices rose more slowly than inflation. The cost of food rose only 0.1% in February. (El Nuevo Diario, Mar. 28)

The Inter-America Development Bank (IDB) and the European Union are investing in multiple tourist projects in 2014 including modernizing the port of San Juan del Sur and 19 initiatives on the Colonial and the Volcanic tourist routes. A US$2.5 million loan from the IDB will fund a 17,000 sq. meter expansion of the port and build four commercial modules. The EU will spend US$11.28 million on sustainable tourist projects on the two tourist routes.(El Nuevo Diario, Mar. 28; Radio La Primerisima, Mar. 28)

National Workers Front President Gustavo Porras stated that businesses are paying retroactive to March 1, the new, higher minimum wage despite the business group COSEP’s call for them to refuse to pay and its threat to take the retroactive requirement to court. “The majority of companies are complying with the law,” Porras said. COSEP has also submitted an appeal to the Ministry of Labor which is expected to rule on it this week. (Radio La Primerisima, Mar. 28)

The 2013-2014 coffee harvest should generate US$300 million in foreign currency for Nicaragua according to Luis Chamorro, country manager of CISA Exportadora. He calculates that the average sales price per hundredweight will be US$150.(El Nuevo Diario, Mar. 27)