Government of Reconciliation and National Unity
Unida Nicaragua Triunfa
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Managua, Nicaragua
SUMMARY OF THE PROGRESS
OF THE GOVERNMENT OF RECONCILIATION AND NATIONAL UNITY
IN THE RESTORATION OF PEACE AND HARMONY IN NICARAGUA
The Government of Reconciliation and National Unity has reiterated its invariable commitment to continue advancing towards Understanding, Peace and Harmony among the Nicaraguan Families, for which President Daniel Ortega Saavedra, on February 21, convened the negotiation process, which began on February 27, when the Negotiation Table for Understanding and Peace was constituted.
Between February 27 and May 6 of this year, the Delegation of the Government of Reconciliation and National Unity and the representatives of the opposition groups called the Civic Alliance (ACJD), have held a total of 35 work sessions, accompanied by Monsignor Waldemar Stanislaw Sommertag, Representative in Nicaragua of His Holiness Pope Francisco and Mr. Luis Ángel Rosadilla, Special Envoy of the Secretary General of the OAS, in their capacity as Witnesses and International Companions. One of these work sessions was held with Mr. Cristóbal Fernández, Expert on Electoral Matters of the Secretary General of the OAS.
Within the framework of the 35 sessions of the Negotiation Table we have advanced, agreed upon, and signed the following:
1. Negotiation Roadmap, which establishes consensus in decision making, periodicity of meetings and confidentiality of the negotiations, among other aspects.
2. Agenda that establishes the topics to be discussed at the Negotiation Table in the search for Agreements through Consensus, in order to promote the Coexistence, Harmony and Wellbeing of the Nicaraguan People.
3. Agreement to Strengthen Citizen´s Rights and Guarantees, which has been agreed upon and signed by the parties and by the Witnesses, Companions and International Guarantors.
4. Agreement on the release of persons detained for committing crimes in the framework of the failed coup d'état, with the support of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), that has reconciled the lists submitted by the Civic Alliance and that of the Government of Reconciliation and Unity National. Of those detained, 236 have been released as of today and the release of 232 people is still pending, according to the reconciled figures. The Government of Reconciliation and National Unity, made the decision to move forward with the releasing of persons detained in the Framework of the Constitution and the Law within a maximum period of 90 days, starting on March 20 and ending on June 18 of this year.
The aforementioned fact reveals the manipulation of the figures presented in various biased reports by the ICHR, which have been used to misinform and influence the decisions of the Member States in relation to the Situation in Nicaragua, including what the Government of Reconciliation and National Unity considers to be the irregular creation of the so-called Working Group.
5. The Delegation of the Government of Reconciliation and National Unity at the Negotiation Table presented on April 10 the proposal for an Agreement on the Return of Nicaraguans from Abroad, whom have left the country in the context of the violent events that occurred as of April 18, 2018. This proposal, however, was not accepted by the other Delegation.
The Government of Nicaragua, therefore approved the Return Program on April 15, with the purpose of contributing to the reunification of the Nicaraguan families, the main actor of our national development. To this end, the support and cooperation of the International Organization for Migrations (IOM), has been formally requested.
6. The following agenda items are pending consensus at the Negotiation Table:
• Truth, Justice, Reparation and Non-Repetition;
• Call for the suspension of illegal and unilateral sanctions, specifically the "Nica Act" approved by the United States Congress, in detriment of the welfare and development of the Nicaraguan people, particularly the poorest and most vulnerable sectors of the country.
• Approval of the Mechanism for the implementation of the Agreements arrived at by Consensus.
• Revision, Approval and Signature of the Final Protocol that will contain the agreements arrived at through consensus, upon the conclusion of the negotiation process.
7. Regarding the agenda item that refers to Strengthening of Democracy and Implementation of Electoral Reforms for the celebration of Electoral Processes; on March 26, 2019, the Government of Reconciliation and National Unity requested to the Secretary General of the OAS to restart the Memorandum of Understanding subscribed in 2017, which was interrupted by the violence of the attempted coup of April of last year.
On March 27, 2019, the Secretary General of the OAS agreed to resume, with the Government of Reconciliation and National Unity, the work related to the Project on Reforms and Strengthening of the Electoral Process.
On April 24, 2019, an Information Exchange was held between the International Expert on Electoral Matters of the OAS, Mr. Cristóbal Fernández, Chief of the Technical Electoral Cooperation Section of the DECO and the Witnesses and Companions at the Negotiation Table, in which the procedures established in the Memorandum of Understanding for the Institutional Political-Electoral Strengthening of the Republic of Nicaragua were presented, based on three elements: 1. Proposal for Electoral Reforms; 2. Technical Support for the Supreme Electoral Council; and 3. Implementation of Technical Recommendations made to the Supreme Electoral Council.
8. The Delegation of the Government of Reconciliation and National Unity has made a call to avoid inciting violence or violations to the Constitution and laws, respecting the Will of the Nicaraguan People who want Peace, Security, Work and Stability.
We reiterate that the Government of Reconciliation and National Unity remains firm in its Will to reach consensus on the agenda items approved by the Delegates at the Negotiation Table; advance in the fulfillment of the agreements already signed; and continue conversations with the counterpart in order to reach new agreements and implementation of proposals.
The Delegation of the Government of Nicaragua reaffirms its Will, with a Sense of Responsibility, Good Faith and Steadfastness for the Good of the Nicaraguan People.
We have expressed daily our concern about the lack of commitment and compliance by the Delegation of the Civic Alliance, which has been absent from at least 11 work sessions, convened within the framework of the Roadmap and with the participation of the International Witnesses and Companions.
Biased and uncorroborated information such as that which was disseminated by the ICHR to the Member States, are intended to create a negative image of Nicaragua, with the fundamental purpose of justifying and promoting immoral economic sanctions against the people of Nicaragua, which impedes access to the necessary international financial resources to continue on the path for the restitution of their economic, political and social rights, which over the past 11 years, has been widely recognized by different international organizations.
It is also the gambit of internal political groups which, being uncapable of achieving political results through democratic, institutional and constitutional means, have sought to use violence as a method to attempt against peace, national harmony and the development of the economy, hopeful, like in past moments of our history, on foreign interventionism and impositions.
Nicaragua will continue advancing in the restitution of the Social, Economic and Political Rights of all Nicaraguans, focused on the fight against poverty, which is only being threatened by the destabilizing political actions and external interventions, which seek to prevent Nicaragua's access to the necessary resources to continue on the path of progress, peace and human development.
In May, the Month of National Dignity in Nicaragua, we remain consistent and willing to build Reconciliation, Understanding, Justice, Peace and Reparation for All, always within the framework of our Constitution, our Laws and Institutions.