There are elections. And then there are elections in Nicaragua. They are truly paradoxical. The November 9th municipal elections in Nicaragua have turned into a game with economic penalties. International diplomats said they were 'worried' about the democratic conditions in Nicaragua. Then spoke in another language. The United States recently froze international funds directed towards reaching the UN 2015 Millenium development goals. And the EU apparently follows suite. In MS Danish Association for International Co-operation's Central America leader Lisbeth Petersen's words today:'The USA has recently frozen several funds to Nicaragua, aimed at reaching the Millenium Goals. It's a special account where the funds are usually channelled. And the budget support from the EU is currently frozen as well. About 35 million US-dollars, the remainder for 2008.'
The background for this economic penalty, is that the municipal elections stirred up the opposition parties in November. They accused the leading Ortega-party of Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional/FSLN of fraud, claiming that opposition leader Montealegre, from the alliance with PLC/Partido Liberal Constitucionalista, actually won the vote as mayor of Managua. The opposition referred to the lists from the actual voting booth counts. The parties always get a copy of these - just in case. And this was 'in case' for Montealegre. According to his count he won with the 46 percent, that FSLN claims to have won by. But the FSLN controlled supreme electorate council, Consejo Supremo Electoral/CSE, didn't see the need for international observers at the elections. At least the opposition is still around. Unlike in the 80'ies. For now, it looks far worse with the prospects for economic development in Nicaragua.
For further information, see:
http://paradoxicalnews.blogspot.com/2008/11/electoral-fun-and-games-in-nicaragua