Gobierno de Reconciliación y Unidad Nacional
Unida Nicaragua Triunfa
NICARAGUA: PEACEFUL ELECTIONS
WITHOUT INTERVENTIONISM
OCTOBER 18, 2021
I. THE ENTRENCHMENT OF THE UNITED STATES ATTACKS AGAINST NICARAGUA
The United States uses its economic and military power and its hegemonic influence over the world financial system, regional and international organizations, multilateral organizations and communications, not to strengthen the world's democracies and promote peace-health-wellbeing, but to constrain governments and take away sovereignty from their Peoples.
In the twilight of another round of perverse attacks by the United States government and its national and international lackeys against our electoral process, the People and Government of Nicaragua reiterate its strongest democratic conviction and unrestricted adherence to the purposes and principles of International Law, as well as the Charter of the United Nations; that according to all Peace Loving Countries, should guide the solidarity and harmonious relations between all the States of the World.
The United States government intends to impose its will on a people that 200 years ago broke the chains of colonialism, 88 years ago ended US military occupation and 42 years ago demonstrated to the entire world, that it would never again accept the yoke of oppression and tyranny.
The People of Nicaragua are not asking for permission to exercise their Right to National Sovereignty, Independence and Self-determination. That Right was conquered with blood, sweat and tears and with the memory of hundreds of thousands of Nicaraguan Sisters and Brothers.
The aggressions of the United States government against the People of Nicaragua, throughout our history, constitute crimes against humanity that remain unpunished. Evidence of this has been the ruling of the International Court of Justice in The Hague in 1986; the failed coup of 2018; the practice of imposing cruel and criminal unilateral and illegal measures that violate our Right to Development; and currently, the actions that seek to derail and undermine our upcoming general elections on November 7th.
II. NICARAGUA TODAY
Nicaragua has celebrated seven general elections in peace and in full compliance with international democratic standards, between 1984 and 2016. Citizens’ participation in each of these elections has exceeded 60%, with a tendency to increase as the most remote communities become more accessible by land, air and water; and as electricity and communications networks are extended allowing the vast majority of the voting-age population to register to vote.
The National Human Development Plan prioritizes the leadership of all sectors of society, including the most vulnerable populations and fosters a greater degree of awareness and responsibility, both towards the electoral process and the consolidation of democracy as a whole.
Nicaragua’s democracy seeks to ensure peace, stability and prosperity through the equal participation of women, afrodescendant and indigenous peoples, producers in rural communities, youth, persons with disabilities, the elderly, small business owners, and all other sectors that make up our diverse, multiethnic and multicultural society.
Evidence of the above is the recognition of Nicaragua by the World Economic Forum as the country of the Americas with the best performance in terms of representation of women in government. Women represent 59% of the Judicial Power, 56% of the Executive, 45% of the National Assembly, 46% of Mayors, 60% of Vice Mayors and 50% of Municipal Councilors; occupying the most important positions of State and Government, including Vice President of the Republic, President of the Supreme Court of Justice, President of the Supreme Electoral Council, Vice President of the National Assembly, Attorney General, Public Prosecutor, Minister of Defense, Minister of the Interior, Minister of Family and Community Economy, Director of Tourism, Ombudsman for Human Rights and Mayor of the Capital City of Managua.
Nicaragua also boasts worldwide recognition for the restitution of the rights of its Afro-descendant and Indigenous peoples. Over 37,000km2 of land have been demarcated and titled in favor of the Miskito, Mayagna, Rama, Ulwa, Creole and Garífuna Peoples, a territory larger than El Salvador and Belize combined, where more than 300 Territorial and Communal Governments are periodically elected in order to exercise their right to use, administrate and enjoy their lands and natural resources.
Nicaragua is also the safest country in Central America and without a doubt, one of the safest in the American Hemisphere, which allows her people to work, study and recreate themselves in peace. This also allows them to exercise their right to vote safely and freely.
Nicaragua's family and community based health model, which is completely free, is an essential part of the National Human Development Plan. Infectious diseases such as influenza, dengue, leptospirosis, malaria and yellow fever are addressed in a systematic and preventive manner. Likewise, chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, hypertension and heart conditions are also carefully attended, reducing morbidity and mortality rates and ensuring that the Nicaraguan population is healthy and able to conduct its daily affairs. This also stands true with respect to the COVID19 pandemic, as Nicaragua has the lowest rates of infection and mortality in Central America.
All of the above has contributed to the strength and resilience of the Nicaraguan economy, based mainly on the entrepreneurship of small and medium-sized businesses, agriculture, light manufacturing, mining, tourism, forestry and fishing, and which aims to grow at more than 6% this year, according to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
As the November 7th elections approach, the people of Nicaragua are aware of all the attacks and aggressions, instigated by the usual enemies that have been defeated before and will be defeated yet again. This reveals a level of awareness, leadership and commitment of the Nicaraguan population in this moment of unprecedented national development, as well as a degree of leadership that is born only in the hearts of truly patriotic peoples, who do not allow themselves to be intimidated.
III. 2021 NATIONAL ELECTIONS
As the national elections approach, it is appropriate to highlight Nicaragua’s best practices related to democracy and citizen’s participation and that include: (1) An ongoing citizen education campaign in Spanish, English, Miskito and Mayagna, prioritizing voter registration and actively promoting voting as a civic right and responsibility; (2) The continued expansion of the network of polling stations to include the most remote communities; (3) The strengthening of the communal voting system, in which voting stations do not exceed 400 citizens, allowing greater familiarity among voters; (4) The representation of all political parties among the members of each voting station; (5) Training and accreditation of political party monitors; 6) Legal reforms and policies aimed at guaranteeing a 50% participation of women in all publicly elected positions; (7) Technical improvement of the voter identity card to ensure a “one person, one vote” system, including detailed biometric photography, registration numbers, bar codes, watermarks, among others; (8) Continuous registration of the electoral registry in order to integrate new citizens and eliminate those who have changed address or whom have died; (9) The citizen’s verification process held on July 24th and 25th, 2021, in which more than 2.8 million citizens, visited their Voting Stations and where able to make sure that their citizen’s information was properly registered; and (10) The publication of a protocol of sanitary measures, approved by political parties, for the prevention of COVID19 during the election campaign.
On May 4th, the Nicaraguan National Assembly enacted Law 1070, Law of Reforms and Additions to Law 331, Electoral Law. The electoral reforms were aimed at guaranteeing coherence and harmony between the Electoral Law and the Constitution in light of the reforms of 2014, guaranteeing gender equality, promoting the use of new information and communication technologies, updating a pertinent electoral cartography, strengthening civil registration processes, protecting the rights of political parties and political alliances, and guaranteeing respect for the rights of sovereignty, self-determination and national independence.
A new Supreme Electoral Council was also elected, which includes one third of members of political parties other than the FSLN, and one of the most diverse electoral bodies in the region, with several Indigenous and Afro-descendant Magistrates and with a female majority.
For the first time in our history, political parties are not allowed to accept foreign funding from any source or in any form. However, according to law, the State of Nicaragua will allocate 1% of the General Budget of the Republic, to reimburse the expenses of the Electoral Campaign, incurred by the Political Parties or Alliances of Political Parties that participate in the Elections.
17 Political Parties and 7 Alliances of political parties, including the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) and the Constitutionalist Liberal Party (PLC), which held the Government of Nicaragua for two consecutive periods between 1996 and 2006, are participating in the 2021 electoral contest. All political parties have registered their candidates in a timely manner and in strict adherence to the electoral schedule and are carrying out their electoral campaigns actively throughout the national territory, without limitations beyond the preventive measures that must be respected in order to avoid the spread of COVID19.
To date, 4,478,334 citizens are duly registered in the electoral registry and will visit 13,459 voting stations on Election Day, in order to exercise their right to elect the President and Vice President of the Republic, Members of the National Assembly and Central American Parliament.
An estimated 150 thousand Monitors of Political Parties will be located within the voting stations, as well as in the municipal, regional and national counting centers, to oversee the voting process and ensure the proper conduction of the elections.
Likewise, the Office of the Ombudsman for the Defense of Human Rights (PDDH) has signed an agreement with the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE), to accredit more than 4,000 Electoral Prosecutors that will provide accompaniment during the elections in the different municipalities of the country.
The foregoing denotes that the Nicaraguan citizenry, in all of its diversity, is preparing, today more than ever, to participate in the November 7th elections, ready to exercise their Right to Sovereignty, Independence and Self-determination. Nicaragua will vote to continue Growing and Prospering in Peace, with Stability and Equality.
IV. THE LEGITIMATE RIGHT TO DEFENSE
The attacks against Nicaragua are intended to strangle her economy, isolate the country and make the People of Nicaragua suffer. Their sole purpose is to undermine the social, economic and political victories of the People of Nicaragua, who only seek to live and prosper in peace. Nicaragua’s success does not represent a threat to any nation of the World, on the contrary, Nicaragua has always been and will continue to be a friend to all Peoples.
The aggressions against Nicaragua are based on false narratives that are painfully produced and reproduced, even by some countries, political parties, media organizations and social movements that call themselves our brothers.
The FSLN, the Government of Reconciliation and National Unity of the Republic of Nicaragua and the People of Nicaragua, however, continue to work and advance steadily, for the good of all.
In light of the evidence presented against certain individuals and organizations, related to the crimes of money laundering, fraud, treason and seditious conspiracy, the Nicaragua Public Prosecutor initiated an investigation into the embezzlement of hundreds of millions of dollars channeled through personal and NGO bank accounts by USAID, NED, IRI and other agencies of the United States government. The purpose of the investigation is to determine if these individuals have committed crimes related to Law No. 1040, which requires that all organizations report in detail any financing received from abroad, and Law No. 1055, which protects the Nicaraguan People against the crimes of treason and seditious conspiracy.
The investigation is particularly important to clarify the financial channels used to carry out the failed coup of 2018, which caused the deaths of 198 Nicaraguan sisters and brothers and economic losses to the country that are estimated in approximately 27 billion dollars. Likewise, it seeks to determine whether the individuals being investigated have attacked national sovereignty by conspiring with the United States government or other foreign governments, to impose unilateral measures against the People of Nicaragua.
It is important to note that there are similar laws in North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe and the rest of the world and, in addition, governments have zero-tolerance for crimes of this nature. Articles 2381 to 2390 of the United States Legal Code contains definitions and punishments related to the crimes of treason, improper promotion of treason, rebellion or insurrection, seditious conspiracy, advocating the overthrowing of the government, registration of foreign organizations, activities aimed at affecting the armed forces in general, activities affecting the armed forces during war and conscription for service against the United States; all of which are prosecuted at the federal level and can carry penalties ranging from death to imprisonment, fines and a ban on running for popularly elected office.
The investigation is being carried out in a comprehensive and transparent manner, with periodic updates that are published in a timely manner to inform the Nicaraguan people of its progress; and contrary to the lies being bellowed by the United States government, none of the individuals being investigated, belongs to or represents any political party or has been proposed as a candidate for any political party.
Considering the foregoing, any attempt by a national or foreign actor to undermine the investigation being carried out in Nicaragua, must be considered in the context of the national legislation, and must be perceived as a frontal attack against the principles of respect for the Rule of Law, Democracy, National Sovereignty and Freedom of Self-determination in our country.
V. THE PATH FORWARD
The Government of Reconciliation and National Unity of the Republic of Nicaragua has expressed its concern over the numerous attacks against Sovereign States, denouncing that these aggressions constitute a flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations, the Principles of International Law and the Inter-American Democratic Charter. In times of pandemic, the illegality of these attacks elevate them to the level of crimes against humanity.
In Latin America and the Caribbean there have been eight coups or attempted coups since the beginning of the century: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (2002), Republic of Haiti (2004), Republic of Honduras (2009), Republic of Ecuador (2010), Republic of Paraguay (2012), Federative Republic of Brazil (2016), Republic of Nicaragua (2018) and Plurinational State of Bolivia (2019). Likewise, and despite annual resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly and the permanent international outcry, the criminal blockade against the Brotherly People of Cuba has been maintained for over 60 years, which can only be considered a flagrant crime against humanity.
All these attacks have been committed against governments of the left, with progressive programs.
Likewise, developed countries have intensified their perverse practice of imposing unilateral and coercive measures against developing countries, attacking their institutions, limiting their access to financing for development, undermining their economies, all of which is totally unjustified, is applied arbitrarily and lacks any legal basis.
Recently, Pope Francis made an appeal to these countries exhorting: “I want to ask the powerful countries in the name of God to stop the aggressions, blockades and unilateral sanctions against any country anywhere on Earth.” These wrongly called “sanctions”, threaten Life, Human Rights, Democracy and Development in some 39 countries of the world and have heinous effects on over 2 billion people.
As another illegitimate session of the permanent council of the OAS has been convened to address the “situation in Nicaragua,” we must remember that this organization has been denounced for its participation in the coup d’état against Bolivia in 2019, in which members of the electoral observation mission and Mr. Luis Almagro were involved.
At the same time, we must note that the OAS has not issued any resolution condemning the reformatory system in Canada in which tens of thousands of indigenous children lost their lives. No special commission was formed to investigate the participation of Colombian soldiers or mercenaries in the assassination of Brother President Jovenel Moise, and nothing has been said about the systematic persecution and police brutality against African Americans in the United States.
Perhaps the time has come to accept all the good that happens in Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela and begin to notice all the bad that takes place in some of these self-proclaimed democratic countries.
The Political Constitution of Nicaragua unequivocally states:
“Independence, Sovereignty and National Self-determination are inalienable rights of the People and foundations of the Nicaraguan Nation. Any foreign interference in the internal affairs of Nicaragua or any attempt to undermine those rights, threatens the Life of the People. It is the duty of all Nicaraguans to preserve and defend these rights.”