Nica News Roundup (Weekend Edition) – March 3

319 days

March 3, 2019

Nicaragua

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In this edition:

More prisoners transfered to house arrest.

On Saturday, the Comité Pro Liberación de Presos Políticos confirmed that Brandon Lovo and Glen Slate had been transferred to house arrest. Lovo and Slate were convicted to 23 years and six months and 10 years and 6 months respectively for there murder of journalist Angel Gahona. Both young men were transferred to the penitentiary in Bluefields, and are expected to be handed over to relatives as early as tomorrow.

Lovo and Slate’s trial was among the first high-profile prosecutions linked to the civil disobedience and protests that began on April 18, 2018. However, many in Nicaragua, including the victim’s family questioned the police investigation of the matter. The victim’s father, Angel Gahona Sr., told the press that he did not believe his son had been shot and killed by protesters, as they were a block away. The elder Gahona thought that the police was responsible for his son’s death, as they were in the vicinity.

Similarly, Ileana Lacayo Ortíz, a journalist who knew Gahona and was nearby when he was shot, stated at the time that he did not see “any of the youth [at the protest] with a gun,” adding that “it had to come from the police or riot police.”

But perhaps the most vocal advocate for Lovo and Slate is Gahanna’s widow, Migueliuth Sandoval. Ms. Sandoval, who is also a journalist, has indicated very clearly that she does not believe that the two young men killed her husband. For example, during a meeting at the OAS on June 4th, Ms. Sandoval said that, “The prosecutors have accused the two youths for the murder of my husband, but they have not committed this crime.” In addition, when Sandoval learned about the sentences, she told reporter Elizabeth Romero, of La Prensa, that “Politics was more powerful; corruption was more powerful, and that lest to a guilty verdict for these kids that had nothing to do with my husband’s murder,”

The OAS granted Ms. Sandoval precautionary measures on June 12, due to ongoing and systematic threats and harassment against her.

Tweet thread screenshot

Lovo and Slate were not the only prisoners transferred to house arrest on Saturday. According to Julio Montenegro, of the CPDH, inmate Julio Cesar Espinoza was also taken home, though it is unclear if he was granted house arrest or released since “there are apparently no alternative measures in his case,” tweeted Mr. Montenegro.

Mr. Espinoza was dishonorably discharged from the riot police for refusing to name the people who built barricades across the Pan-American Highway at Las Esquinas, in Carazo. He was then sent to prison, accused of a host of crimes, including illegal arms possession and aggravated robbery. The police also accused him of participating in the roadblocks, along with other members of his family.

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Alianza vs. Francisca Ramirez?

Today, the Alianza announced that new representatives of the Peasant Anti-Canal Movement would be joining the coalition “to replace those delegates who are in prison or exiled”, said Carlos Tunnermann during a press conference.  Mr. Tunnermann added that “we all know what kind of trials we’re talking about. The proceeding are rife with judicial improprieties.”

According to Mr. Tunnermann, with the imprisonement of Medardo Mairena, Pedro Mena, and four others, as well as the forced exile of Francisca Ramirez, the Peasant Anti-Canal Movement had no representation within the Alianza. He then added that the three new delegates, Francisco Javier Carmona and Erickson Abraham Gutierrez, and their alternate, Norma Elena Lugo and Denis Zuniga, had been selected and approved by the Peasant Movement’s National Council.

The new delegates will not take part in the negotiations with OrMu, which began on Wednesday, said Max Jerez to journalists at Despacho 505.

Francisca Ramirez, who is one of the most recognizable leaders within the Peasant Anti-Canal Movement, objected to the naming of the new delegates. Ms. Ramirez spoke to Despacho 505, who broke the story of her dissent. She stated her rejection in no uncertain terms

“The Alianza has no standing to hijack the place of the Peasant Movement. Let them not forget that we have six leaders in prison, and that Medardo Mairena was the person that participated in the Dialogue, and he is the person that the Peasant Movement will keep supporting. That is why we ask for his freedom. Any person that usurps his place is disrespecting the true leaders that are in prison. […] The Peasant Movement has existed independently since 2013. The Alianza has no standing to make decisions and usurp [our] place. They have no standing to toy with the people of Nicaragua, or with peasants, or with the peasant movement.”

It is not the first time the Ramirez has broke ranks with other members of the Peasant Anti-Canal Movement. In February of last year, Ramirez was among the leaders who signed a letter disavowing the organization’s coordinator, Medardo Mairena after he discussed in La Prensa about an internal strife involving himself, Ramirez and legal counsel Monica Baltonado.  The letter itself stated that “the differences that exist in the Council will not be resolved with lies. Therefore, we disavow Medardo Mairena and we demand that he cease dishonoring our struggle and those who have supported us.”

Ramirez was also sidelined during the first National Dialogue, where Mairena represented the Movement. At the time, Ramirez told the press that the government had vetoed her participation in the proceedings.

It is unclear whether Ramirez was consulted or included in the decision to name new delegates. However, as social media accounts linked to the Peasant Movement have also announced the changes, it seems clear that there is a new rift within the Peasant Movement, though perhaps it is merely a continuation of an old strife.

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Atlantic Coast Regional Elections Underway

The Atlantic Coast Regional Elections are underway as I type these words. Ninety council persons will be elected, forty-five for the North Atlantic Region (RACCN, by its Spanish acronym) and forty-five for the South Atlantic (RACCS). The Consejo Supremo Electoral (CSE) — Nicaragua’s electoral authority — announced the date in August of last year, as the socio-political crisis enveloping the country entered its fourth month.

Seventeen political organizations are participating in the regional elections today. According to Confidencial, most of these parties did not reach the 4% vote threshold in the previous election, a requirement mandated by law to retain legal personhood and compete in an election. In spite of this, none of the participants were barred from the contest, presumably because of their ties with the FSLN.

When the elections were announced, indigenous rights advocate Daisy George, characterized the planned elections as a sham. “There are no conditions [to hold an election]. Most of the Afro-Caribbean population rejects the elections because, as long as there is no electoral reform, the result is preordained. It will be a fraud in favor of the governing party, FSLN.” George also argued that because of the repression, loss of life, and political incarcerations, the entire country was in mourning. “There are no sociopolitical or economic conditions to hold an election. It is a farce, and the people do not want it,” she concluded.

George is a member of the Alianza, and participates in the negotiations with OrMu as an advisor.

This morning, several independent media outlets, including Trinchera de la Noticia and Confidencial, reported on Yatama’s serious allegations about electoral fraud, allegedly planned by the FSLN. According to Yatama, the FSLN has created “parallel polling places” for their supporters to vote “ten times or more”, without being detected. Yatama also alleged that the mayor of Puerto Cabezas had instructed the staff to “take all of the office equipment home, because the FSLN was going to commit fraud and that would lead to violence”. Confidencial reached out to the mayor’s office for comment, but received no answer. In contrast, Trinchera published the press release unquestioningly, as is.

In spite of George’s protestations and Yatama’s warnings, the elections are happening as scheduled. OrMu media are covering the contest, emphasizing massive participation “in peace.”. In addition, a series of images labeled “I voted…Will of the people” are great examples of propaganda masquerading as “journalism”.

Canal 4, also part of the OrMu Propaganda Machine, opted for images branded with the logo of Juventud Presidente, the Juventud Sandinista’s digital platform.

Independent media are also reporting on the contests, highlighting irregularities that OrMu media ignores. For example, Nicaragua Investiga reported that observers for the Alianza Liberal Nicaraguense were not accredited, and will therefore be unable to observe the polls in the municipality of Desembocadura de Rio Grande.

Local radio station, La Costeñisima, reports several irregularities as well. They include lack of accreditation for electoral observers of opposition parties, police officers voting in polling places where they are not registered, and other issues that “have been reported by political candidates that are participating in the election.”

Some voters are using their ballots to send political messages, as shown in this image posted by journalist Elizabeth Romero. This particular ballot will probably be challenged and excluded from the count, even though it does reflect the voters clear intention. You’re only supposed to mark your choice with an X.

The results of these regional elections are tainted by suspicions of potential fraud, and without independent scrutiny, such as international observation or the participation of local election watchdog groups, the proceedings cannot be considered a legitimate and unquestioned expression of popular will.

 

 

 

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