Incensed by its failure in the violent attempt to undermine President Ortega in April 2018, the US continues to try to force his removal (see FRFI 265). On 19 November the Organisation of American States (OAS), fresh from its shameless assault on the Bolivian electoral process, published its uninvited report on Nicaragua.
The pro-imperialist OAS demands an ‘effective solution’ to what it insolently calls ‘the political and social crisis in Nicaragua’; that is to get rid of the FSLN (Sandinista) government. This report claims that the government has violated human rights guaranteed in the 1987 Constitution, and speculates that such actions ‘are giving rise to an alteration of the constitutional regime that seriously impairs the democratic order in Nicaragua’. In brief, we see the usual assertions by the enemies of civil progress in the country, disturbed by the political challenge that Nicaragua’s successes pose for imperialism in Latin America. The OAS is anxious to strengthen and unify the opposition against President Ortega’s government before the 2021 presidential election.
The opposition – the Blue and White National Unit and the Civic Alliance for Justice and Democracy – divided, fragmented and without leadership, with barely 10% sympathy in the polls, has no proposals which meet the peoples’ needs, yet the violent, criminal actions of these reactionaries in April 2018 reduced real GDP by 3.8% in the year as road blockades and destruction of infrastructure disrupted supplies. Bank deposit outflows and decreased private investment were promoted by the wretched US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s sanctions. The tourism, construction, and retail sectors were particularly affected. Consequently, in 2019, the economy is likely to shrink further. Inflation may rise, reflecting transient effects of small tax increases adopted earlier this year. However, the FSLN has been hardened in battle with US imperialism since 1961 and has no intention of making political concessions in the face of these threats.
Alvaro Michaels
Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! 273 December 2019/January 2020
