Elections in Nicaragua-1996

A national election is scheduled in Nicaragua in November 1996 (Rohter A7). This research examines the political environment in Nicaragua in this period of the run-up to the election.

The last general election in Nicaragua was held in 1990, when on 25 February a so-called business-oriented, non liberal government headed by Violeta Chamoro was elected (Mulligan 32). Political participation in Nicaragua on the part of those who oppose the government is most often violent, because the government in power attempts to insure that opponents cannot be victorious through the electoral process. Exceptions to that case occurred in Nicaragua in both 1984 and 1990, where the Sandinistas, the government in power on each occasion, conducted relatively free elections, both of which were recognized as such by the governments of all major western countries other than the United States.

The United States did not recognize the 1984 election as a free election because the Sandinistas won, and in late-1989 and early-1990 in the weeks leading up to the election when the Bush Administration expected the Sandinistas to win, Secretary of State Baker declared that the United States reserved the right to reject the results of the election on the grounds that they were not fair if Chamoro did not win (Chamoro A4). With the exception of countries such as Panama and Cuba, where the United States claims leasing rights, and co

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be open to the revolution of freedom" (Mulligan 33). Capitalism during the last six years in Nicaragua has made "the economy of the powerful grow . . . at the cost of making the poor poorer. By its continual interference . . ., international capitalism (IMF, World Bank, International Development Bank, . . .) with its famous 'adjustments' forces upon our . . . peoples its selfish neoliberal logic: give a minority the opportunity to create competitive and lucrative businesses in exchange for forcing the majority to give up trying to satisfy their basic needs" (Mulligan 33). From the 1950s until 1977, the Nicaraguan economy grew rapidly (Joys 40). Much of the economic benefit of that growth "was pocketed by the ruling Somoza family. Still, a few crumbs fell to the peasants" (Joys 40). The Sandinistas led by Daniel Ortega gained political control in 1979. The period of their government was characterized by "many grand promises and a shrinking economy under the joint impulse of Marxist economics and an American embargo. Then the American-aided contras, conducting civil war against the Sandinistas" (Joys 40). In 1990, Chamoro's UNO coalition won the election, and since that time the Nicaraguan economy has continued to shrink.

Category: Government - E