Nicaragua Network

1. CID Gallup and M&R Consultores release new polls
2. Halleslevens represents Nicaragua at UN climate meeting
3. Many opinions voiced about canal studies
4. Rains cause damage; hopes for second and third harvests rise
5. Chikungunya takes hold in country
6. Rural technical education to be expanded
7. Petroglyphs in Masaya to be preserved and developed

1. CID Gallup and M&R Consultores release new polls

Two new opinion polls were released last week—the first by CID Gallup on economics and politics and another by M&R Consultores on religious affiliation. The CID Gallup Latinoamerica poll showed continued high levels of support for the government of President Daniel Ortega and the Sandinista Party (FSLN) while the M&R indicated continued growth in affiliation with Protestant evangelical churches among Nicaraguans with corresponding losses for the Catholic Church. 

The CID Gallup poll reported that a lack of jobs was felt to be the country’s principal problem by 36%, while 16% said the high cost of living, 20% said the use of drugs and drug trafficking, 7% food scarcity, 6% the drought, 5% government corruption, and 4% crime and violence. Sixty-six percent blamed the rise in the price of beans on the drought while 16% blamed the government. Twenty-six percent said that their family’s economic situation was better now than a year ago; 36% said it was the same, while 37% said it was worse. A full 50% said that they were worried about not being able to satisfy their family’s basic needs and 57% said it was more difficult to find work than a year ago.

In spite of those concerns, 57% of those surveyed said they believed that President Ortega was doing his best for the people, while only 38% said the opposite. Fifty-eight percent of those surveyed believe that Ortega will leave the country better off than how he found it while 18% believe he will leave it worse off. Forty-eight percent of those interviewed said that the country is on the right track while 40% said it was on the wrong track. This last figure is lower than it was in previous surveys when the number believing the country was on the right track consistently surpassed 50%. Forty-nine percent sympathize with the Sandinista Party, 42% declare themselves independents, 6% support the Constitutional Liberal Party (PLC) and 2% support the Independent Liberal Party (PLI), while the other political parties garner support from only 1% of those surveyed.

In reaction, PLC National Assembly Deputy Wilfredo Navarro said that Liberal sympathizers had “migrated” into the independent group, adding that “people lack confidence in Liberal leaders because they attack each other and fight among themselves more than they attack the Sandinistas.”

President Ortega and First Commissioner Aminta Granera, head of the National Police, were tied for the most favorable opinion among those surveyed with 76% favorable ratings, while First Lady and Communications Coordinator Rosario Murillo received a 71% approval rating. Informe Pastran reported that the ratings for opposition political figures and other national personalities were not released by the polling agency but rather reserved “for private consumption.”

In spite of recent media coverage of efforts to address violence against women and children and human trafficking, 80% of those surveyed did not know the emergency telephone number where such crimes could be reported, a number which Minister of the Family Marcia Ramirez said has been functioning for several years. [The number is 133.] Those who were aware of the number were more likely to be residents of Managua and to have education levels of high school or above.

When queried about the proposed shipping across Nicaragua, 53% of those surveyed said they approved of the concession to Chinese companies; 35% were opposed; and 12% said that they did not know.  Seventy-six percent said that they believed the canal would be built while 24% said it would not. CID Gallup surveyed 1,209 people nationwide over 16 years of age. The poll was carried out between September 8^th and 13^th. It has a confidence level of 95% and a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8%.

The M&R Consultores poll revealed that 49% of those surveyed consider themselves Catholics, 32.2% Protestant evangelicals, 11.9% believers without denomination, 4.9% other religions, and 0.9% atheists. A 1950 study showed that 95.9% of Nicaraguans were Catholics while an M&R survey in 2001 showed 74.4% Catholics, indicating a continuing drop in the number of Nicaraguan Catholics. The survey of 1,600 people over age 16 nationwide was carried out in the past month and has a confidence level of 95% and a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5%.

According to this M&R survey, 77.1% of Christians of all varieties believe that men and women should be equal while only 17.2% believe that the man should have dominion over the woman. When asked about birth control, both Catholics and evangelicals said that their use was morally acceptable with 75.6% of Catholics joining 76.9% of Protestants in that belief. However, that broadmindedness did not extend to therapeutic abortion, outlawed in Nicaragua since 2006, which 83.1% of Catholics and 85.9% of evangelicals said was morally unacceptable. Opinions changed slightly when those surveyed were asked specifically if an abortion should be permitted if the life of the woman was in danger and 36.4% of Catholics and 35.2% of evangelicals said yes. When asked about relationships between people of the same sex, 84.5% of Catholics and 90.1% of evangelicals said they were unacceptable but, in a contrary fashion, 28.8% of Catholics and 17.7% of evangelicals said they agreed with the statement that “the relationship between couples of the same sex is a sexual option just as valid as any other.”

Cardenal Leopoldo Brenes, Archbishop of Managua, said that the figures about declining numbers of Catholics do not reflect the reality that he sees. He noted, “We have solid knowledge that the numbers have increased; especially now with Pope Francis the numbers have grown not only in Nicaragua but around the world. There are many who are returning to the Catholic Church.” He said that the number of people who attend 8:00 am mass on Sundays at the Managua Cathedral has risen from 200 to 2,000 in recent years. Rev. Jaime Perez, president of the National Council of Evangelical Pastors of Nicaragua, said about evangelical gains, “We unify the family; we get people to totally leave behind their vices; we don’t permit licentiousness like some other religions.” (Informe Pastran, Sept. 23, 26, 29; El Nuevo Diario, Sept. 23, 25, 28, 29)

2. Halleslevens represents Nicaragua at UN climate meeting

Vice President Omar Halleslevens represented Nicaragua at the UN Summit on Climate Change in New York City. He spoke to the more than 100 assembled nations on Sept. 24 calling climate change “one of the fundamental issues of our international agenda.” He said it is the developing nations that suffer the consequences of climate change, “particularly the most vulnerable sectors, the indigenous, children, women, that suffer inequality, injustice, poverty, hunger and social exclusion.” He also said that it is the developing countries that have contributed most to sustainable development and the reduction in greenhouse gases. He cited Nicaragua as a leading example. Nicaragua has achieved over 50% electricity production from renewable sources (up from 25% in 2007) with a goal of 70% by 2018 and 90% by 2020 with the help of national and international investment. He said that other goals of the Nicaraguan government have been energy efficiency and universal access to electricity. He urged the adoption of the next phase of promises building on the Kyoto Protocols, capitalization by developed countries of a green energy fund for developing countries, and implementation of an international mechanism to compensate countries for losses and damage as a result of climate change. (Radio La Primerisima, Sept. 23; La Prensa, Sept. 24; Informe Pastran, Sept. 24)

3. Many opinions voiced about canal studies

Businessman Carlos Pellas said last week that the greatest challenge of the proposed shipping canal across Nicaragua is the ecological challenge. He was asked about the issue at the opening of an international medical conference held at the Vivian Pellas Hospital. He said that the canal could transform the lives of Nicaraguans but that it must be done well “to assure that the country that we have after the canal is as beautiful or more beautiful than the country we have now.” He added, “What we are doing now are studies. The important thing is that the studies be done in depth, with experts in each area and that we truly achieve something that an international consensus agrees is ecologically well done.”  (El Nuevo Diario, Sept. 25; La Prensa, Sept. 26)

Similar statements were made by Ernesto Medina Sandino, president of the American University (UAM) in Managua. He told Channel 12 Television, “I would like to see us go a bit slower because I do not know the depth and breadth of the studies that they are doing. I would prefer that those studies take more time to obtain more precise information that would lead to making correct decisions.” He added, “I don’t see why there is such a hurry to begin in December because for me it is fundamental that the studies be done well and that there be wide discussion about the results…. If everything indicates that fears are unfounded or that the damage will be mitigated and the country will be better off than it is now, then [the canal] will be welcome.” (Informe Pastran, Sept. 26)

Telemaco Talavera, a member of the Canal Commission, said that the canal, far from damaging the environment, will make possible an intense campaign of reforestation of degraded land which will result in a rise in the levels of Lake Cocibolca (Lake Nicaragua) rather than a decline. Environmentalist Kamilo Lara told Channel 12 that one has to take into account that a large part of the route of the canal already has suffered environmental damage and “sites that now are vulnerable or deteriorated will be fortified.” He stated that sea turtle nesting sites would be protected. He pointed out that because the route from Asia to the East Coast of the United States and to Europe will be shorter with the Nicaraguan canal, “millions of tons of emissions will not enter the atmosphere.” He said that standard environmental procedures were being followed to produce high level professional studies by national and international experts.  (Radio La Primerisima, Sept. 27; Informe Pastran, Sept. 26)

Farmers in the Department of Rivas gathered to protest the canal on Sept. 23.  Ronald Enriquez, protesting in the community of Potosí, said, “We don’t want the canal to be built. No one should come here and take over our land. We don’t want the Chinese here.” This was the second march in Rivas against the canal and while La Prensa said 450 people participated, Informe Pastran said “dozens.” La Prensa reported that three women were injured in struggles with Police when protesters tried to enter a church courtyard. A woman was attacked by the protesters when she was accused of being a police infiltrator. Sandra Vega protested what she called “the Chinese census,” saying, “Those people don’t respect anything. Last week they even measured the Potosí cemetery. They don’t care that our dead are there. They should find somewhere else to do their things.” (Informe Pastran, Sept. 24; La Prensa, Sept. 24)

Leaders of the Rama and Creole Territorial Government of Bluefields demanded on Sept. 29 more information about the proposed trans-isthmian shipping canal across Nicaragua. Rupert Allen Clair, president of the territorial government, said, “We are not going to permit any type of census or work in our localities because we are not in favor of this. We had to be informed and consulted beforehand to give free and informed consent to this project.” The indigenous and Afro-Nicaraguans want to know how the route of the canal will impact their communal territories. “We have been watching the presentations that they have done… and we have seen that they will cut our territory in half,” said Allen Clair. (Informe Pastran, Sept. 29)

4. Rains cause damage; hopes for second and third harvests rise

Rain throughout most of Nicaragua last week caused floods and damage to houses in a number of communities and two deaths on the night of Sept. 24 in the municipality of Chichigalpa and one death in Masaya. In the afternoon of Sept. 26^th, the neighborhoods of La Primavera and Santa Rosa in Managua were flooded. Communications Coordinator Rosario Murillo said that the government was waiting for a report from the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) expected on Oct. 5 which would give the latest scientific prediction about the continuation of the El Niño phenomenon which has brought drought to much of Nicaragua. She also said that 44,000 food packages will be distributed to families in the dry corridor of the country at the beginning of October. Agriculture Minister Edward Centeno said that farmers are enthusiastic about the second and third harvests (postrera and apante) of the year. Centeno said, “There have been rains in the entire country and this has given producers hope… [and] we expect to fulfill production expectations for the 2014-2015 season.” (La Prensa, Sept. 26; Informe Pastran, Sept. 26, 29;Radio La Primerisima, Sept. 26, 27, 29; El Nuevo Diario, Sept. 27, 28)

5. Chikungunya takes hold in country

The government announced that two new cases of chikungunya have been diagnosed and that these persons caught the disease in Nicaragua. This means that the mosquito-borne illness now has taken hold in the country. Previous cases were of people who had contracted the disease outside the country and had become sick after they arrived in Nicaragua. These were family members of those who had brought the disease into the country, bit by local mosquitos. These two new cases are receiving medical care and are in good condition.  Communications Coordinator Rosario Murillo said, “With the efficient health care model that we have… we can detect cases before they become serious. But we have to redouble our efforts.” More than one million people have contracted the disease in the Western Hemisphere since it arrived less than a year ago from the Eastern Hemisphere where it has been around for decades. (Radio La Primerisima, Sept. 25; El Nuevo Diario, Sept. 25; La Prensa, Sept. 26)

6. Rural technical education to be expanded

The Ministry of Education will expand rural technical education with the hope of reaching 20,000 students. During the current school year (Feb. – Dec. 2014) 17,000 students registered and 12,000 students have continued to attend class. Communications Coordinator Rosario Murillo said, “We are going to visit those who dropped out for whatever reason and reach out to new students. We are going to strengthen the program working to make sure that the materials arrive on time and the technicians who teach the courses are prepared.” (Informe Pastran, Sept. 25)

7. Petroglyphs in Masaya to be preserved and developed

The petroglyphs of Cailagua in the Monimbo indigenous community of Masaya will be preserved and developed as a tourist attraction as part of a European Union project to develop tourism known as the Colonial and Volcanoes Route. Santos Roman Mercado Mendez, a member of the Monimbo Council of Elders, estimates that the rock carvings are 2,500 years old. They have been preserved virtually untouched because they are accessible only by a steep unpaved path to a dry stream bed. The preservation and development project was conceived in 2013 and the community recently found out it would be funded. Fifteen tour guides will be trained the first week of October and by the end of 2015 the project to promote the petroglyphs and other Masaya attractions such as the Masaya Volcano and the Masaya Crater Lake (Laguna de Masaya) will include hotels, restaurants and other tourist infrastructure benefiting micro, small, and medium businesses.  The petroglyphs include spirals, other geometric patterns, and flora and fauna of the era. (El Nuevo Diario, Sept. 29)