Nicaragua discounts the myth of imprisoned election candidates

Describing the detained presidential hopefuls in Nicaragua as "candidates" or "pre-candidates" is a fallacy, according to the exclusive interview granted to Sputnik by the Magistrate of the Supreme Electoral Council [CSE] of the Central American country, Mayra Salinas, about  the general elections to be held on 7 November.

"In the first place, I must point out that the electoral calendar establishes 28 July to 18 August as the period in which candidates to any one of the publicly elected offices that are going to be elected on 7 November, to present and register their candidacy. Effectively, this means that for the CSE we still do not have candidates, we do not even have pre-candidates. Any Nicaraguan citizen who believes that he or she can meet the requirements established by Nicaraguan legislation therefore, could be a candidate and participate as such in the electoral process. Accordingly the CSE, does not accept that any candidates have been imprisoned, because indeed, we have no registered candidates, nor pre-candidates at the moment" said Salinas, indicating that, “the official list of candidates will be published this coming 18 August.”

The magistrate pointed out that the CSE, "a collegiate body that represents the Electoral Power of the Republic of Nicaragua", has been preparing "for several months" for this year's General Elections "to be a successful process, a transparent process, a fair process, a process where the Nicaraguan population can freely choose their authorities namely the President, Vice president, Congressmen and women in National Assembly and also the Central American Parliament."

Salinas noted that, considering factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the period was extended - "a valuable opportunity" - for political parties to register and participate in the elections.

So far "We have 17 registered parties participating in the process, we have already sworn in the authorities of the Departmental and Municipal Electoral Councils. We are conducting a massive citizens´ verification process," said the magistrate, communicating that "at least 25,000 political party monitors will participate in the different stages of the process."

She also emphasized that "the political parties participating in the contest" have "party members from their ranks participating in the various structures that have been formed, according to what the electoral law establishes."

In this context, she described as "disrespectful" the statements made "outside of Nicaragua" that "are questioning an electoral process that has not yet even been carried out."

"I cannot understand the benefit this type of questioning can have, when they are not informed, nor participating, nor are a part of this process, that we are carrying out. Nicaragua is a free, sovereign and independent country that organizes its electoral process according to its legislation, and therefore, we the Nicaraguans are going to have the final assessment regarding our electoral process, "she stated.

At the same time, Salinas was convinced that "these types of statements are not going to affect all the enthusiasm, participation and results" of the elections.

Finally, the magistrate once again insisted that the CSE is "promoting a process where all the guarantees, all the facilities are duly established within the electoral law and the Political Constitution of the Republic of Nicaragua, and therefore, all those who want to participate, are doing so, and they are doing it."

"We are calling on the entire Nicaraguan population to participate in the process with enthusiasm, so that they can elect their authorities, whom they consider should be the ones to govern the destinies of Nicaragua for the next five years," she concluded.