Feed on Posts or Comments

Category ArchiveNews



In English & News & economy NicaNews on 20 Abr 2007

ANALYSIS: Close scrutiny after President Ortega’s first 100 days

By Franz Smets Apr 20, 2007, 1:51 GMT

Managua - Former guerrilla leader Daniel Ortega celebrates his first 100 days as Nicaraguan head of state Friday, after the same voters who once ousted his movement returned the former president to power.Ortega, 61, governed the Central American country from 1979-90 after the Sandinista Revolution. His first, stormy rule was marked by a civil war - between his Marxist-leaning regime and US-sponsored Contra insurgents - in which more than 50,000 people died.His return to power on January 10, following 16 years in opposition and three straight defeats at the ballot box, made a lot of noise, but things have since quietened down.Not much has come of Ortega’s many promises to end the problems of impoverished

Nicaragua.At least 75 per cent of Nicaragua’s 5.5 million people live in poverty, according to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the

Caribbean. Only dysfunctional Haiti has a lower per capita income in

Latin America.Still, under Ortega - as was the case earlier - only 14 per cent of the state’s modest budget is devoted to fighting poverty, with no expansion of resources on the horizon for such efforts.Instead, the Sandinista leader has continued to consolidate his political power, and political analysts are beginning to see the first signs of likely nationalizations in the economy.Experts have pointed out that Ortega found a favourable setting when he took power this time. Exports topped 1 billion dollars for the first time, and the country’s debt - at 3.7 billion dollars - was no higher than in 1990. The conservative government of predecessor Enrique Bolanos had brought inflation under check.From the start, Ortega made every effort to dispel notions that he would once again turn

Nicaragua into a communist state.He did make clear his alliances with Cuba and with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez - leader of a Latin American bloc often at odds with the

United States. At the same time, though, Ortega attempted to reassure

Washington.The one-time revolutionary backed Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad but did not support his initiative to deny the Holocaust. Ortega included a former opponent, former Cardinal Miguel Obando y Bravo, in his reconciliation policy and sought rapprochement with neighbouring Costa Rica and

Honduras despite border disputes.He has maintained talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to reassure foreign investors, who fear that the Sandinista leader could nationalize much of the economy - a route taken recently by fellow leftists Chavez and Bolivian President Evo Morales.Meanwhile, the first 100 days have seen Ortega consolidating his own power and that of his influential wife Rosario Murillo. Two cabinet ministers have already had to relinquish their posts after expressing criticism.Ortega has achieved direct control over the police, and he heads the armed forces, having failed so far to name a defence minister.Ortega won the November 5 presidential election in the first round with 38 per cent of the vote - enough to avoid a runoff under

Nicaragua’s election rules.He has weakened the opposition through a controversial pact with conservative former president Arnoldo Aleman. The deal allows Aleman free movement around

Nicaragua despite his conviction on corruption charges.On Monday, the leader of a splinter faction from Ortega’s own Sandinista party described the president’s recent actions as anti- democratic. Edmundo Jarquin, head of the dissenting Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS), criticized Ortega for allegedly leading an authoritarian family regime and of wanting to destroy the Nicaraguan economy again.“This is a serious threat,’ Jarquin warned, ‘to democracy, to economic progress and to the mitigation of poverty.”

 

Comentarios (0)

News & economy NicaNews on 09 Mar 2007

Venezuela kicks off surveys to build USD 2.5 billion refinery in Nicaragua

Venezuela has started land surveys required for construction in Nicaragua of a USD 2.5 billion 150,000 bpd refinery expected to be completed in four years, Reuters reported.

The announcement was made by Venezuelan Minister of Agriculture and Lands Elías Jaua, who headed a Venezuelan delegation meeting with Nicaraguan officials to review the agreements initialed by Nicaraguan and Venezuelan presidents Daniel Ortega and Hugo Chávez, respectively.

According to figures provided by Jaua, Chávez financial aid to Nicaragua is totaling some USD 430 million in energy, agriculture, health and social projects. “These investments are huge,” Ortega conceded.

Out of this USD 430 million, USD 340 million has been earmarked for oil supply and other means to solve the Central American country’s grave energy crisis, Efe explained. This initiative includes shipment from Venezuela of a first batch of electric powerhouses at a cost of USD 50 million. Another similar batch is scheduled to be shipped any time soon, and Venezuela has also pardoned Nicaragua’s USD 22 million resulting from Venezuelan fuel sales to a number of Sandinist mayors in Nicaragua last year.

The remaining funds -USD 90 million- will be injected into different healthcare, education, exports, agriculture and electric power projects. This includes USD 10 million that are not refundable and will be used to guarantee free healthcare and education of Nicaraguans, while other USD 10 million are funding a number of agriculture projects starting May in Nicaragua.

http://english.eluniversal.com/2007/03/08/en_eco_art_08A842807.shtml

Comentarios (0)

In English & News & Online NicaNews on 02 Mar 2007

Nicaragua FM to visit Taiwan in late March

2007/3/2
TAIPEI, CNA

Taiwan has invited Nicaraguan Minister of Foreign Affairs Samuel Santos Lopez to visit the country at the head of a high-level delegation in late March, an official with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) announced yesterday.Simon Ko, director-general of the MOFA’s Department of Central and South American Affairs, said at a routine news conference that the purpose of Santo’s upcoming visit is to discuss the details of a cooperative project between the two countries.

According to Ko, Taiwan Foreign Affairs Minister James Huang and his Nicaraguan counterpart signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in January on cooperation in the Nicaraguan capital of Managua while President Chen Shui-bian’s was attending President Daniel Ortega’s inauguration.

The MOU seeks to promote direct foreign investment in high-tech and high value-added products in Nicaragua and joint ventures with Taiwan businesses, cooperation on water resources and health issues, and upgrading the competitive edge of Nicaraguan products at home and overseas.

If Santos can visit Taiwan later this month as scheduled, it will his first official visit to the nation, Ko pointed out.

Noting that Nicaragua is one of Taiwan’s major diplomatic allies in Central America, Ko said that the government will also invite Ortega to visit Taiwan in the near future to boost bilateral relations.

Ko further said Chen’s attendance at Ortega’s inauguration was vital to stepping up future cooperation ties between the two countries. He went on that Taiwan will continue to help Nicaragua promote its agricultural development and medical care.

Ortega, leader of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (SNLF) who made the decision to sever diplomatic relations with Taiwan at the start of his previous term in 1985, was elected to the presidency in November last year, so the question of whether there would be a change in bilateral diplomatic relations became a focus of public attention.

Chen attended Ortega’s inauguration Nov. 10 at the head of a Taiwan delegation and met with his Nicaraguan counterpart to discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation in the future, with Ortega promising to maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

Asked about a media report that Saint Lucia might sever its diplomatic ties with China after former Prime Minister John Compton re-assumed his post following his party’s victory in last December’s general elections, Ko said the new Santa Lucian primer minister maintains good relations with Taiwan and that the MOFA will spare no efforts to expand relations with that Caribbean state.

Taiwan established diplomatic relations with Saint Lucia in 1984 when Compton was prime minister, but when Kenny Anthony came to power in 1997, he switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in late August of that year.

http://www.chinapost.com.tw/news/archives/taiwan/200732/103625.htm

Comments Off

In English & News & Online & Politics NicaNews on 01 Mar 2007

Nicaragua’s Ortega asks U.S., EU to start free trade ‘compensation funds’

The Associated Press

Wednesday, February 28, 2007 

MANAGUA, Nicaragua: President Daniel Ortega has asked the United States and the European Union to set up “compensation funds” to offset the effects of free trade and globalization on poorer nations like Nicaragua.

Ortega said Wednesday that he had broached the idea with representatives of the EU — with which Nicaraguan is discussing a possible trade deal — and the United States, which along with Nicaragua is part of the Central American Free Trade Agreement.

“We have explained to the Europeans that if there is no compensation fund, the association (agreement) would have no future,” Ortega told a meeting of businesspeople.

“We want a globalization with opportunities, with fair trade, which takes the issue of social justice to heart,” he added.

While Ortega did not specify how such a fund would work, he mentioned EU internal transfer programs designed to bring poorer union countries up to speed with richer nations.

“If the developed countries do not take into account the asymmetries, the problem of poverty — which creates the security problems — cannot be combatted,” Ortega said.

Free trade proponents argue that increased commerce and investment inherently help combat poverty. But Ortega says many businesses and farmers in smaller countries cannot compete with agricultural subsidies and economic advantages enjoyed by producers in wealthy nations.

The United States already gives Nicaragua millions in foreign aid. On Tuesday, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Sullivan confirmed that Washington will send the Central American country about US$250 million (€190 million) in the next five years.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/01/america/LA-GEN-Nicaragua-Free-Trade.php

Comments Off

In English & News & Online NicaNews on 01 Mar 2007

Ortega promises gender equality

Carmen Herrera.  Mar 1, 2007

Will new female officials defend gender equity or maintain party alignment?

Nicaragua’s new Sandinista President Daniel Ortega announced that half the high-ranking positions in his government will be held by women.
Teresa Blandón, director of the Central American Feminist Program “The Current,” says Ortega’s policy is a result women have gained in the country through their efforts fighting the Somoza dictatorship in the 1970s and their role in the 1980s armed conflict. Female activists also gained ground during struggles against neo-liberal policies in the 1990s.“It’s not a gift; it’s an obligation that the FSLN has with women,” she said.
She adds that there are plenty of women in Nicaragua who are not only professionally and intellectual prepared to take over positions once held overwhelmingly by men — but these women are also more likely to favor gender equality in their policies.

“Nicaraguan women are prepared to contribute to the formulation of policies, plans and projects that favor more equal relations between men and women,” she said.

For independent feminists, it has yet to be seen whether the women who now occupy 36 percent of positions in the Sandinista Liberation Front government will defend women’s rights and gender equality, or stick faithfully to party lines when forming their policies.

Guadalupe Salinas, director of the country’s Autonomous Women’s Movement, known as MAM, notes that no woman can be found in a high-ranking economic position. She says the women in Ortega’s government are mostly part of the inner circle of first lady, Rosario Murillo.

Murillo championed an Oct. 26 law approved by the National Assembly to criminalize therapeutic abortion, a half-century setback for women’s health rights (LP, Dec. 27, 2006).

“Rosario Murillo is supposedly at the head of women’s political rights, but she doesn’t recognize the fundamental right to life, which comes before all other rights,” Blandón said. “Why even talk about political, social rights if your right as a woman to preserve your life, your physical and psychological integrity isn’t recognized. That’s a great contradiction.”

Groups angry over government apathy
Some Sandinista female leaders complain that government offices do not even take into account proposals from the party’s women’s secretariats when selecting women for public posts.“In my city, we weren’t invited to participate in women’s proposals so they can become a part of departmental delegations of state ministries. Those who decided on these proposals were the political secretary of the FSLN and the mayor. I think we should have been consulted so they could have included some of our proposals,” said Ligia Orozco, coordinator for the Women’s Secretariat in Tipitapa, 16 kilometers (10 miles) east of the capital, Managua.

The office had prepared an action plan so women in this city could compete fairly with men for public positions, but the proposal was not considered.

The plan aims to be included during Ortega’s five-year term. One first-year proposal is a data base of resumes from women in the municipality, and the elaboration of a women’s committee to form a common agenda for the year.

Tipitapa’s secretariat will present the plan on March 8 — International Women’s Day — inviting all women to hear the proposal in hopes that they will sign on the initiative.

“Our goal is to motivate more women to fight so that 50 percent of the public posts are held by women, and to identify mechanisms that guarantee a qualitative selection process,” Orozco said. “Until now, we’ve only worked as auxiliaries for others.”

Fuente: http://www.latinamericapress.org/article.asp?lanCode=1&artCode=5040

Comments Off