SIX YEARS OF FIERCE FIGHTING FOR PEACE AND GOOD
SIX YEARS AFTER THE BRUTAL ATTACK ON THE NICARAGUAN PEOPLE OF THE FAILED COUP ATTEMPT, WE CONTINUE TO TRANSFORM NICARAGUA...
PEACE IS OUR GREATEST WEALTH AND OUR GREATEST VICTORY!!!
In Nicaragua we feel content, grateful to God and proud to consolidate every day, step by step, Peace and the Common Good, because we are Families of Joy, we are a People of Peace, convinced that it is in Peace and as Brothers and Sisters that we are going to continue transforming Nicaragua.
THEY COULD NOT AND CANNOT PREVAIL, NOR WILL THEY !!!
Between April and July 2018, Nicaragua’s capitalist oligarchy, sectors of the Catholic Church, extreme right-wing minority political parties, manipulative media, so-called intellectuals and political groups disguised as Non-Governmental Organizations, associated with crime and organized crime, using financing from US government institutions, along with pressure from the United States, the European Union, some governments such as those organized in the now non-existent "Lima Group", and international organizations that answer to world imperialism, such as the OAS and the IACHR, were the mainstays of the Failed Coup Attempt, whereby the Nicaraguan people were subjected to three continuous months of terror, which violently attacked the physical, emotional, financial and social stability of Nicaragua’s families.
In those dark months, the bloody coup through the Barricades of Death, as the People called them, caused Violations of the right to freedom of movement of the population; High Citizen insecurity; Obstruction of public roads and the free transportation of cargo and passengers nationally and internationally, leading to the paralysis of trade; destruction, robberies, fires and looting of productive infrastructure and public and private services; Kidnapping, Extortion, Rape, Torture and Murder.
That Coup Attempt disrupted Peace, Security and Economic Stability, resulting in the following:
198 people died, of which 22 were members of the National Police (20 Men and 2 Women). In addition, 1,240 people were injured with firearms, of which 401 were members of the National Police (never has ever so much damage been done to the National Police in peacetime). This demonstrated that this was not peaceful protest, but an attempt to overthrow by violent means the legally and legitimately constituted Government.
18 Government Institutions and Municipal Authority Offices and three Universities, reported damage and destruction to their heritage. Direct damage from terrorist actions amounted to US$206.5 million, of which US$174.2 million was concentrated in the partial or total destruction of buildings and other infrastructure (84.4% of the total damage).
The sequestering of the country caused the destruction of 140,995 formal jobs registered with the INSS, causing frustration and more suffering to families, making those responsible guilty of the impoverishment of families linked to tourism, trade and construction activity (among them approximately 80% were Medium Small and Micro businesses), which generated a drastic reduction in the consumption capacity of families.
Reduction of income from INSS contributions by US$110.1 million between 2018-2019, put at risk timely payments to 281,567 pensioners, with an average monthly pension at that time of C$9,574, which for most of the workers registered with Social Security represented the only income to support their household.
The loss of US$1,340 million in foreign direct investment flows between 2018-2019, had negative implications for job creation and exports; this was closely related to a reduction of more than 30% in the execution of investments in the country’s productive sectors.
Losses amounted to US$640 million in revenue from international tourism between 2018-2019. The economic activities that suffered the most from the brutal action of the coup attempt in 2018 were hotels and restaurants, construction, trade, loans and savings, transport and communication, among others.
As a result of the harassment, intimidation and manipulation during the coup, in 2018 the financial system lost deposits from families, small and medium-sized enterprises and economic agents, totaling US$1,512 million, and suffered a credit contraction of US$762.3 million. On the other hand, the Central Bank of Nicaragua saw Nicaragua’s international reserves diminish by more than US$500 million. All of this represented a serious blow to the country's macroeconomic stability.
With the aim of paralyzing the path of growth, progress and transformation, in the midst of the decade of the best economic performance in our history, the terrorist coup caused losses to the national economy totaling US$22,361.7 million between 2018-2023, which is equivalent to the impact of 28 Hurricanes ETA and IOTA, 11 Pandemics or 3 Hurricane Mitch, and only comparable to the Earthquake of 1972.
And as a continuation of the coup attempt, the aggressive campaigns of the United States and its allies intensified so that Nicaragua could not access external financing. Between 2018-2021 this affected the signing of 26 Projects totaling US$1,418.3 million, equivalent to 1.4 times the Public Investment Program of 2023. This caused the country to go from an average annual assignment of loans amounting to US$819.44 million between 2014-2017 to US$291.09 million.
However, thank God, Nicaraguans are a hardworking People. Thanks to their dedicated, selfless, everyday work, with great Intelligence and Talent, and thanks to the strength of the national economy, we have recovered the path of growth.
The firm will of the President of the Republic, Comandante Daniel Ortega, and Vice President Rosario Murillo, to mark the beginning of a new historical decade of good economic and social performance, with benefits for everyone, has made it possible that from 2021 to date, with the selfless effort of producers, peasants, entrepreneurs, merchants, exporters and other socio-economic agents, most of the losses and damages caused by the criminal failed coup attempt have been far exceeded, with extraordinarily higher numbers, demonstrating the strategic defeat of the coup.
In this Nation of Darío, of Sandino, of Carlos, of Tomás, of Daniel, and of the thousands of the country’s Heroes and Martyrs of all time; we have achieved an accumulated economic growth of +18.7% between 2021-2023, projecting for 2024 another year of excellent socioeconomic performance.
This will allow continued building of more roads, electrification, hospitals, schools, technology centers, housing, water and sanitation systems, ports and airports. We will also continue to implement social programs and support production, tourism and trade. All this, to continue fighting poverty and creating more opportunities for everyone in all areas of national life.