No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeNewsCosta RicaU.S. Congress looks to condition loans to Nicaragua on political changes

U.S. Congress looks to condition loans to Nicaragua on political changes

Nicaraguan politicians and economists expressed concern Thursday after the United States House of Representatives passed a bill calling for economic sanctions against Daniel Ortega’s government for restricting free elections and curbing political freedoms.

The Nicaragua Investment Conditionality Act (NICA) was passed unanimously Wednesday in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Senate would have to pass the bill and President Barack Obama would have to sign it in order for the bill to become law.

According to Florida Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the bill’s main sponsor, the law looks to “stop Ortega from accessing international funds until he adopts reforms that promote democracy, strengthen the rule of law, respect human rights, and celebrate free, fair, and transparent elections supervised by electoral observers.”

“It’s unfortunate, but this is the result of the misrule under Ortega, who has been building a dictatorship disrespecting all human rights,” Violeta Granera, an ex-candidate for the vice presidency told AFP.

On the wrong track

The main Nicaraguan opposition candidate was banned earlier this year from the Nov. 6 general elections, in which President Ortega of the Sandinista National Liberation Party (FSLN) is seeking a third consecutive term. Opposition leaders have called this year’s elections an “electoral farce.”

The opposition has said it will continue to try and undermine Ortega’s reelection plans by intensifying calls for abstention and protest, hoping to force a new election with international observation and an impartial electoral tribune. They also made an effort this week to reorganize under an expanded coalition.

Nicaragua receives $250 million in loans annually from entities like the World Bank and the International Development Bank. The NICA bill making its way through the U.S. Congress is aimed at making it more difficult for Nicaragua to receive such loans on a long-term basis by leveraging U.S. influence on international lenders.

Ortega’s government responded Thursday in a news release to the U.S. House’s vote on the bill, saying it was a “violation of international law and the United Nations charter.”

Nicaraguan opposition reorganizes

On Thursday, Nicaraguan opposition parties announced the creation of a new “Broad Front” party that brings together the country’s conservative parties with Sandinista dissidents and other opponents of Ortega’s administration.

Leaders hope the new alliance will revive the opposition’s chances of defeating Ortega.

“The goal is to unify all the government opponents to speak out against the wrongs of this electoral process,” said Fabio Gadea, the 2011 presidential candidate for the Independent Liberal Party (PLI).

Trending Now

In Costa Rica, Rare White-Lipped Peccaries Still Survive

Today we meet the white-lipped peccary, a large animal that travels in large groups that has disappeared from a large part of its historical...

Mexico Battles Wildfire Damage with Drone-Based Reforestation

Authorities in the state of Michoacán, in western Mexico, are using drones to scatter seeds from the air in an effort to reforest hundreds...

Nicaragua Hosts Historic 2025 AmeriCup Basketball Tournament

The 2025 AmeriCup, the men’s basketball Copa América, tips off this Friday in Nicaragua, marking the most significant international sporting event in the country’s...

End of Air Canada Strike Brings Relief for Costa Rica-Bound Passengers

Air Canada flight attendants ended their strike Tuesday after reaching a tentative agreement with the airline, paving the way for flights to resume gradually....

El Salvador Schools Enforce Military-Style Uniform Inspections

El Salvador's public schools will start enforcing daily inspections for students' uniforms and haircuts from August 20, as ordered by the new education minister,...

Earthquake Shakes Costa Rica’s Central Valley

An earthquake shook Costa Rica early Friday morning. The tremor occurred at 12:45 a.m. with a magnitude of 4.4. Its epicenter was located 1...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica