In some last minute theatrics prior to the decision by the International Court of Justice on Tuesday, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega wrote a letter to Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla on Saturday evening asking her to join him for the announcement of the Court’s decision.
In a letter by Ortega that was sent to the Chinchilla via the Nicaraguan Ambassador to Costa Rica, Harold Rivas, Nicaragua’s president invited Chinchilla to join him to hear the decision of the World Court together.
“I would like to invite you to hold a fraternal meeting that shows the world an example of the two countries, whose leaders can meet and wait, with calmness and commitment, the response of the international court,” he wrote. “We can meet along the common border, or wherever you would like, to wait together, Costa Rica and Nicaragua, this resolution.”
In a response issued hours later, Chinchilla respectively declined the invitation, thanking him for the gesture though stating that she planned to await the decision of The Hague in Costa Rica.
“This Tuesday we will await the decision of the International Court of Justice with calmness. I will do so together with my nation, which elected me freely and that I am obligated to account for every day, with transparency and calmness, to all that corresponds to democracy,” she wrote.
Despite the diplomatic pleasantries traded by the presidents, both took the opportunity to remind the other of their lingering bitter feelings regarding the ongoing conflict, which was heard before the World Court from Jan. 11-13. Ortega wrote that he was disappointed with the xenophobia expressed by a sister nation, while Chinchilla countered by saying indignation on the part of Costa Ricans was justified.
“The environmental destruction that has been conducted, the scorn of your Government to the truth of the facts and your repeated negativity towards a solution to the crisis within the parameters of dialogue, international rights, multilateral organisms, mutual respect and territorial integrity, has produced a justified worry and anger amongst Costa Ricans,” she wrote.
At the conclusion of each letter, both expressed a willingness to meet to reestablish a harmony between to the two nations after the ruling of the World Court.
