NSCAG, November 15th 2021
https://www.nscag.org/news/article/375/nscag-election-update
NSCAG ELECTION UPDATE NOVEMBER 2021
“The triumph of the Nicaraguan people for stability and peace is a triumph that will allow us to continue fighting against poverty and restoring all the human rights that for centuries the Nicaraguan oligarchy and imperialism denied to our people. This is a triumph of all human beings who love peace and dream of a better world.” – Jose Angel Bermudez, Executive Secretary, National Workers Front (FNT), commenting on the FSLN election victory on 7 November 2021
Stop Press: Upcoming NSCAG/Alliance for Global Justice Webinar: Nicaragua Elections Report back featuring on-the-ground electoral observers – Saturday, 20th November, 8pm UK time Details and registration here:-
https://afgj.org/webinar-nicaragua-elections-reportback
Introduction In spite of US efforts to sabotage the Nicaraguan elections through a mixture of economic, social and psychological warfare, the FSLN and President Daniel Ortega won a landslide victory in the elections held on 7 November, securing a vote of almost 76% on a turnout of 65% of the 4.4 million eligible voters. The US has refused to recognise the results of the elections and is advancing its regime change agenda through the imposition of a raft of new sanctions on the country. Its ally the Organisation of American States (OAS) , which played a key role in the Bolivian coup in 2019, has called for the elections to be nullified and for new elections to be held. A resolution passed by the OAS on 12 November instructs the Permanent Council to undertake an assessment of the situation and to ‘take appropriate action’ without specifying what that would be. There are real fears that another attempted coup may be likely.
The elections
Over 165 international accompaniers and at least 40 independent international journalists from 27 countries observed the elections and election process. The following series of articles by those who were there on the ground debunk the lies and disinformation currently being spread by corporate media such as the Guardian and BBC and illustrate the ongoing hybrid war being carried out by the US against Nicaragua:-
Despite US led Dirty Campaign, Nicaraguans Came out in Force in Support of the FSLN – article by Jill Clark- Gollub, Council on Hemispheric Affairs – see link here What We Saw Is Not What the Corporate Media Tells the Public! – by Margaret Kimberley, see link here (includes a link to the press conference given by international delegations accompanying the elections)
Nicaragua celebrates democracy, election day report – article by Roger D. Harris, Resumen-English – see link here What I saw on election day – article by Rick Sterling, Orinoco Tribune – see link here After Daniel Ortega’s Victory in Nicaragua, Biden Signs RENACER Act and OAS Votes to Condemn – article by Julie Varughese – see link here
Nicaragua Post-Election Day – Teri Mattson of Code Pink in conversation with election observers who visited Nicaragua before, during and after the elections - see link here US threatens regime change in Nicaragua – article by Margaret Kimberley, Black Agenda Report – see link here Debunking myths about Nicaragua’s 2021 elections, under attack by USA/EU/OAS – article by Ben Norton, Grayzone – see link here
As Nicaragua resists regime change the US ramps up its economic warfare – podcast by Margaret Flowers, Popular Resistance -see link here
Nicaragua’s people have spoken – blog by Becca Mohally Renk, Centre for Development in Central America – see link here
US efforts to sabotage the elections
It is instructive to look at the simultaneous intervention of U.S. imperialism against four Latin American countries -- Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Bolivia. Clearly there is a pattern here: Only left, progressive governments -- those that dare prioritize the needs of their people over corporate profiteering -- are being targeted for regime change. Truly violent, repressive regimes such as those in Honduras, Guatemala, Colombia and Brazil are tolerated and even encouraged – Gerry Condon, former President, Veterans for Peace in the US
The US has been planning and preparing for an illegal change of government in Nicaragua since 2007. In July last year, we learned that the US had launched a new brazen, criminal and arrogant plan to overthrow Nicaragua’s government. A well-orchestrated plan financed by the United States to launch a coup d'état in Nicaragua over the next two years was leaked in a document from the US embassy, called RAIN (Responsive Assistance to Nicaragua).
The document describes contracting with a US company to take charge of carrying out the coup, whose purpose is to implement blatantly criminal plans to destroy public order and do other violent actions before, during and/or after the 2021 elections. USAID will continue to fund these destabilising activities, using local partners - public opinion analysts, media, businesspersons, NGOs, students, and social networks - to orchestrate false news reports.
As Nicaragua approached the November elections, the US again upped the ante, threatening Nicaragua with more sanctions and other illegal coercive measures designed to intimidate voters and create chaos and instability.
On 10 November, President Biden signed into law the Renacer (Reinforcing Nicaragua’s Adherence to Conditions for Electoral Reform) Act which had been approved by the Senate only days before the elections.
The following articles give detailed information about US efforts to sabotage the elections and ongoing efforts by the US to undermine Nicaragua’s democracy and sovereignty:-
From Nicaraguan revolutionaries to US embassy informants: How Washington recruited ex-Sandinistas like Dora María Téllez and her MRS party – article by Ben Norton, Grayzone – see link here Electoral Contras: US plotting to sabotage Nicaraguan democracy yet again, article by Nan McCurdy, Covert Action – see link here Black Alliance for Peace Condemns RENACER Act on Nicaragua as Bipartisan Criminality, article by Netfa Freeman, see link here
Class Warfare and Socialist Resistance: Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela as existential threats to the US – article by Ajamu Baraka, Counterpunch – see link here
U.S. attacks on Ortega fail to convince Nicaraguan voters – article by Christian Guevara, People’s World – see link here
Facebook accused of censoring Sandinista media organisations ahead of Sunday’s election – by Steve Sweeney, Morning Star – see link here Coup fears grow in Nicaragua following Sandinista victory – article by Steve Sweeney, Morning Star – link here Meet the Nicaraguans Facebook falsely branded bots and censored days before elections -by Ben Norton, Grayzone - see link here
Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign Action Group www.nscag.org
November 2021