The Counterterrorism Group (CTG) is a subdivision of the global consulting firm Paladin 7. Nicaragua is divided into 15 departments: Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Estel, Granada, Jinotega, Len, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rivas, Ro San Juan, as well as in two autonomous regions: North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region and South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region. Publication Type: Collaboration with other CTG Teams will assist in creating well-rounded, up-to-date analysis regarding Latin America and the Caribbean. [12] This decision is almost certainly a power move to combat OAS criticisms of the recent election results. The constitution and laws nominally recognize the rights of indigenous communities, but those rights have not been respected in practice. The constitution provides for a directly elected president, and elections are held every five years. In September 2019, the newspaper El Nuevo Diario announced that it would close after nearly 40 years. How Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega Became a Tyrant | Foreign Affairs The US is planning to implement new sanctions with international partners against the Nicaraguan government as they consider the latest election was unfair. To find out more about our products and services visit us at. It is likely that OAS member States are fearful of autocratic tendencies spreading through the region, emboldening other leaders in the region to attempt to consolidate power. After winning a legislative majority in 2014, President Ortega altered the Constitution to remove presidential term limits. After claiming a decisive win in the November 7 elections, Daniel Ortega who has been in office since 2007 could now lead Nicaragua until 2027, making him Latin Americas longest serving ruler. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has granted protectionary measures to several journalists in light of harassment and death threats. Human rights organizations reported continued monitoring and surveillance in 2019. Led by a council of seven magistrates, the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE) is the co-equal branch of government responsible for organizing and conducting elections, plebiscites, and referendums. In an August 2018 report on repression of the protest movement, the OHCHR detailed severe abuses including psychological and physical torture of detainees, including sexual violence, forced confessions, disappearances, and extrajudicial killings. Executive power is exercised by the government. The election of Sandinista leader Daniel Ortega in 2006 began a period of democratic deterioration marked by the consolidation of all branches of government under his partys control, the limitation of fundamental freedoms, and unchecked corruption in government. In 2019 there were reports of dozens of antigovernment activists being killed in more remote parts of the country, allegedly by police and paramilitaries. This pressure will likely begin with open dialogue with the Ortega administration to emphasize the importance of reestablishing democratic values into the electoral process. Do the freely elected head of government and national legislative representatives determine the policies of the government? 1850 M St. NW Floor 11 Rather, Washington and its partners must seek a path to influence the behavior of OrMu in ways that will reduce oppression and re-open political space for meaningful dialogue. See all data, scores & information on this country or territory. Targeted sanctions remain the easiest option, but they must be coordinated with other countries and better synchronized internally with other U.S. policy tools. It defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman and, as such, deprives same-sex couples the right to adopt children or the ability to receive fertility treatment. LGBTQ Politics inNicaragua explores the untold stories of the L. Independent General Confederation of Labor, President of the Council of State of Nicaragua, "Nicaragua: Ortega allowed to run for third successive term", "Nicaragua Special Report: Daniel Ortega's Media War", "Nicaragua Suffers Worst Slump in 30 Years Amid Ortega Crackdown", Federal Republic of Central America (18231838), South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Politics_of_Nicaragua&oldid=1158403798, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0, Heroes and Martyrs Confederation of Professional Associations or CONAPRO, National Association of Educators of Nicaragua or ANDEN, National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG, Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers Central or CTN-A, Nicaraguan Workers' Central or CTN is an independent labor union, This page was last edited on 3 June 2023, at 21:40. In 1995, the executive and legislative branches negotiated a reform of the 1987 Sandinista constitution which gave extensive new powers and independence to the National Assembly, including permitting the Assembly to override a presidential veto with a simple majority vote and eliminating the president's ability to pocket veto a bill. Nicaragua is a source country for women and children forced into prostitution; adults and children are also vulnerable to forced labor, notably in the agriculture and mining sectors, and as domestic servants. Nicaragua has been locked in a turbulent political crisis since April 2018. The criminalization of abortion can cause women to seek out risky illegal abortions that can jeopardize their health. The country's social and political upheaval is a significant concern despite attempts by the government to improve safety in tourist areas. Employers sometimes form their own unions to avoid recognizing legitimate organizations. The EU has also sanctioned Nicaraguan officials. Nicaragua At-A-Glance. Individuals enjoy broad freedom in their interpersonal relationships and in their personal appearance. The last shots of the "contra" war (1982-1990) against the Sandinista government were heard 25 years ago when close to half of today's Nicaraguans hadn't even been born. The legal minimum wage is inadequate to cover the cost of basic goods. The Electoral Council, stacked with. 'Everyone Is on the List': Fear Grips Nicaragua as It Veers to The United States issued a Level 3 advisory on December 5, 2022, for traveling to . BTI 2022 Nicaragua Country Report: BTI 2022 In May, following the death in state custody of a political prisoner, the opposition Civic Alliance for Justice and Democracy suspended its participation in a dialogue with the government aimed at negotiating a solution to the countrys political crisis. The Communications and Citizenry Council, which oversees the governments press relations, is directed by Vice President Murillo and has been accused of limiting access to information. The index is an average of several other indexes from the Economist Intelligence Unit, the World Economic Forum, and the Political Risk Services, among others. The other half, the war generation, has - quite pragmatically . Government of Nicaragua - Wikipedia Lines of communication must remain open through international mediators, such as the Vatican, the U.N. or the OAS so the government understands there is a way forward. There have been reports that Ortega supporters have infiltrated parishes and harassed or intimidated parishioners at church services. The United States should work with foreign allies and Nicaraguan democratic actors to craft an approach that offers both pressure and relief. In April, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that the number of . Both had been charged with terrorism and detained in 2018, though they were released in June 2019. Freedom of assembly deteriorated severely in 2018, when at least 325 people were killed and at least 2,000 were injured in a ferocious crackdown on an antigovernment protest movement that began that April, after authorities announced social security reforms; it soon turned into a broader antigovernment movement aimed at forcing the regime from power. PDF Political Culture of Democracy in Nicaragua, 2010 Democratic The president appoints the Council of Ministers. At that point, Nicaraguas democracy was clearly on life support. This includes seats given to outgoing Vice President Jaime Morales Carazo and presidential runner-up Fabio Gadea Mantilla. For the United States, countering corruption and repression in Central America is a challenge not only in unfriendly states like Nicaragua but also among erstwhile allies like El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. [9] As part of the Ortega administrations political crackdown, the government banned an additional 30 civic organizations and professional associations. PDF United States Policy Toward Revolutionary Nicaragua - Jstor And Hernndez, labeled a co-conspirator in the drug case against his brother (now serving a life sentence in New York), has denounced prosecutors allegations as vile lies. The three countries have all disbanded the internationally supported anti-corruption commissions that were beginning to investigate and prosecute high-level offenders. Employees have reportedly been dismissed for union activities, and citizens have no effective recourse when those in power violate labor laws. In 2019, repression and intimidation by state and progovernment forces contributed to a generalized climate of fear and terror that continues to restrict free expression. Abortion is illegal and punishable by imprisonment, even when performed to save the mothers life or in cases of rape or incest. Blog, The United States Institute of Peace Legal and Privacy Information | FOIA Inquiries, Organization of American States (OAS) resolution. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the National Assembly. The only independent observer group reported a number of irregularities, including the participation of voters from ineligible areas; low turnout; and a heavy military presence in several municipalities while polling took place. THE CURRENT POLITICAL SITUATION IN NICARAGUA Steven Cortez, Stacey Casas, Raphael Martin, SOUTHCOM Team Week of Monday, November 22, 2021 Woman protesting for democracy in Nicaragua The economic recession has almost certainly contributed to the rise of political corruption by those seeking power and influence. The FSLN controls many of the countrys labor unions, and the legal rights of non-FSLN unions are not fully guaranteed in practice. [3] Over the past few decades, Nicaragua has seen an increase in political opposition candidates, journalists, and human rights defenders being jailed for speaking out against the Ortega administrations policies. / The 2007 Law on Access to Public Information requires public entities and private companies doing business with the state to disclose certain information. The locals are welcoming, there are epic volcanoes to climb, beaches to laze on, the second largest rainforest in the Americas to explore, history abound; it's a travellers' paradise! measures that threaten judicial independence. Nicaragua is a presidential republic, in which the President of Nicaragua is both head of state and head of government, and there is a multi-party system. Opposition groups claimed a moral victory, calling the high abstention rate an act of protest. CTG has a developed business acumen that proactively identifies and counteracts the threat of terrorism through intelligence and investigative products. The election of President Ortega will very likely push the country to become more economically and politically isolated from OAS member States than before as they continue to voice their frustrations with the Nicaraguan crisis. Belli, who lives in exile in Spain, responded to having her citizenship removed by publishing one of her poems on Twitter. Nicaragua country profile - BBC News Some of countrys most celebrated writers and journalists targeted as critics condemn totalitarian drift under 77-year-old president. Business development resources can now be accessed via the Counter Threat Center (CTC), emerging Fall 2021. The OAS resolution states, called the election"not free, fair or transparent and lack democratic legitimacy." Innovation must accommodate political, financial, and cyber threats to maintain a level of business continuity, regardless of unplanned incidents that may take critical systems offline. The CTG produces W.A.T.C.H resources using daily threat intelligence, also designed to complement CTG specialty reports which utilize analytical and scenario-based planning. Ortega knows that he cannot maintain control without promoting economic growth in one of the regions poorest countries. Do the people have the right to organize in different political parties or other competitive political groupings of their choice, and is the system free of undue obstacles to the rise and fall of these competing parties or groupings? Prior to the 2018 crisis, academic freedoms were generally respected, although some academics refrained from open criticism of the government. The move was announced by a Nicaraguan judge on Wednesday and sparked renewed condemnation of Ortegas Sandinista government, which has been waging a dogged offensive against perceived rivals since June 2021. The volatility of the US-Nicaragua relationship almost certainly poses a threat to the US diplomatic mission based in Managua, Nicaragua, and opens the possibility that US diplomats will be expelled. Using a political economic approach, this article traces the historical development of Nicaragua's prerevolutionary economy, focusing in particular on recent capitalist develop-ment and the changes and contradictions associated with it. Seguirn otros lderes centroamericanos el liderazgo autoritario de Nicaragua? Nicaragua is a safe destination for travelers. In 2018, state forces, with the aid of informally allied armed groups, responded to a mass antigovernment movement with violence and repression. Myanmar landmine exacts growing toll on citizens as military rings Chinese assets - Asian News International, China views Myanmar as hot spot in Cold War with Washington - Washington Times, What the Wagner Groups failed rebellion means for Ukraine - MSNBCs American Voices With Alicia Menendez, Africa News Tonight: UN Security Council End Mali Mission, Sierra Leone's Election Observers Raise Concerns & More - VOA Africa. Nicaragua - United States Department of State The citizenry did not believe Ortegas claim that this was a serious election, said Jess Tfel, an exiled analyst affiliated with the Blue and White Unity coalition. Economic activity started to rebound in early 2021, fueled by remittances, rising exports and renewed investment. Critics worried that the law effectively shields state authorities from prosecution for extrajudicial killings and other abuses, and bans people who had been detained for protesting from participating in future demonstrations. Though neither has gone as far as Ortega, Presidents Alejandro Giammattei of Guatemala and Juan Orlando Hernndez of Honduras have presided over democratic backsliding, undermining anti-corruption investigations and threatening civil society. Russia, Cuba, Venezuela and Bolivia sent congratulations. The Counterterrorism Group (CTG) and the SOUTHCOM Team recommend the United States and Central American governments, human rights groups and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) increase their collaboration efforts so that better communication and countermeasures are put in place to address Nicaraguas future relationship with the international community. Hundreds of health professionals were dismissed from public hospitals for providing assistance to protesters or for their alleged role in antigovernment demonstrations. Daniel Ortega, the countrys incumbent president and winner, took some alarming and authoritarian measures before the voting took place. UNITED STATES POLICY TOWARD REVOLUTIONARY NICARAGUA By Royce Quinton Shaw* In recent months, a series of events involving the United States and Nicaragua has served to highlight the continued inability of the Reagan Administration to develop a coherent policy toward the Sandinista- led Nicaraguan government. LGBTQ Politics in Nicaragua: Revolution, Dictatorship, and Social The Sandinista government ensured its victory by shutting down dissent and arresting dozens of regime opponents. In June, the government passed an amnesty law for crimes committed in the context of the 2018 antigovernment protests. Property rights are protected on paper but can be tenuous in practice. On November 7, 2021 Nicaragua held a controversial presidential election. For all intents and purposes, Nicaragua is now a consolidated dictatorship with one overriding goal: the long-run institutionalization of Ortega and MurilloOrMu in the local vernacularand, eventually, the elevation of the next generation of family to leadership. THE CURRENT POLITICAL SITUATION IN NICARAGUA. As part of the 1995 constitutional reforms, the independence of the Supreme Court was strengthened by increasing the number of magistrates from 9 to 12. The newspapers director said that the government was preventing it from obtaining paper and ink, a problem that also persists for the newspaper La Prensathough it remained open at years end. More than 200 prisoners jailed by Nicaragua's authoritarian regime during a ferocious two-year political crackdown have been freed and flown to the United States. Since protests erupted in April 2018, UN investigators and other human rights organizations have documented rampant violations of due process. Similarly, if migration continues to increase due to the political, social, and economic crises in Nicaragua, there will likely be fewer remittances entering the country. Repression of journalists has become acute since the current political crisis broke out in 2018. The manipulation of the 2016 election and the expulsion of 16 opposition politicians from the legislature prevented elected representatives from determining government policies. The government also permits domestic and international human rights monitors to operate freely in Nicaragua. Are individuals free to practice and express their religious faith or nonbelief in public and private? The New York Times explains, He detained the credible challengers who planned to run against him, shut down opposition parties, banned large campaign events and closed voting stations en masse. Ortegas police arrested seven opposition candidates prior to the election. And although El Salvadors president criticizes Ortega, his government has also passed measures that threaten judicial independence. More than 100 people were arrested March 2019 for attempting to protest in Managua, but ultimately released. In September 2019, the government prevented members of an Organization of American States (OAS) delegation from entering the country. Throughout 2019, the Ortega administration refused to release information about the status of prisoners to their families or attorneys. Speaking to the Washington Post last week, Human Rights Watchs acting deputy director for the Americas offered a bleak prognosis for Nicaraguas political future under Ortega. Even on the left some have simply repeated the dubious claims of CNN and. Reconsider travel to Nicaragua due to limited healthcare availability and arbitrary enforcement of laws.Exercise increased caution in Nicaragua due to crime, and wrongful detentions.. Country Summary: The government of Nicaragua arbitrarily enforces laws for political purposes.Throughout Nicaragua, government officials and law . [9] The relations were restored soon after. Washington, DC 20036. "This is huge," Georgiana . Is there a realistic opportunity for the opposition to increase its support or gain power through elections? Right to Vote and Run for Office Election-related changes and laws adopted between October 2020 and February 2021 have been used to deter critical speech, inhibit opposition participation in. The crackdown, which has extended to critics from any social realm, has spared no political dissidents, no matter their personal . Grants & Fellowships Support for Stable Democracy in Comparative Perspective 104 Figure V.9. 'This is huge': Nicaragua frees 222 political prisoners and flies them If the US and neighboring countries do not work towards improving the conditions for Nicaraguan citizens, it is very likely this internal crisis will spill over into neighboring countries. The US is planning to implement new sanctions with international partners against the Nicaraguan government as they consider the latest election was unfair. Since 2018, an estimated 108,000 migrants have left Nicaragua looking for asylum, with most fleeing to neighboring Costa Rica. International supporters of democracy in Nicaragua must be prepared to walk a long and frustrating road alongside the resilient and courageous democratic actors they support. Does due process prevail in civil and criminal matters? Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Score Change: The score declined from 3 to 2 due to increasing state harassment of clergy and parishioners. It is now a full dictatorship, enabled by democratic processes and techniques including elections, as well as new methods including technology for eavesdropping and persecution, and social media. The death watch for Nicaragua democracy began in 2017, when Ortega appointed his own wife as vice president who immediately took control of state spending and presided over the radicalization of the security forces. Changes to the military code and national police passed in 2014 give the president power to deploy the army for internal security purposes and appoint the national police chief, and permitted the police to engage in political activity. 2301 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037Tel: +1.202.457.1700, About In December 2018, police raided and confiscated equipment from the facilities of the digital news platform Confidencial and the television program Esta Semana, and closed the news station 100% Noticias. Since the political crisis opened in 2018, however, church officials have been denounced and smeared by authorities for accompanying or defending antigovernment protestors, progovernment mobs have attacked churches where antigovernment protesters were sheltering, and members of the clergy have received threats and experienced surveillance. It is very likely that the OAS will continue to increase pressure on Nicaragua to prevent their relationship from becoming adversarial. The Biden administration faces a dilemma: Targeted, individual U.S. sanctions have failed to significantly change the Sandinista regimes behavior. Nicaragua is a country in Central America with constitutional democracy with executive, legislative, judicial, and electoral branches of government. The families of victims of regime violence are subjected to routine monitoring and surveillance. Central America makes up most of the tapering isthmus that separates the Pacific Ocean, to . The outcome was manufactured with the sequential jailing of seven leading presidential candidates and numerous opposition influencers, the brazen use of state resources, including security forces, to promote Ortega and Murillo while undermining and intimidating opposition supporters, and active harassment of the press. Brian Nichols, the US state departments assistant secretary for western hemisphere affairs, condemned the move, tweeting: This deplorable act represents a step further away from the democracy the people of Nicaragua deserve.. Covid-19 Response Since taking office in 2007, the government of President Daniel Ortega has dismantled nearly all institutional checks on presidential power. PDF Political Culture and Regime Type: Evidence from Nicaragua and - JSTOR Domestic violence remains widespread and underreported, and few cases are ever prosecuted. There may be an opening at some point for more of a roadmap type approach that better links specific pressure relief by the United States or EU to tangible actions on the part of the Ortega regime, as opposed to the current system of generalized sanctions in search of total change. The intelligence community should remain vigilant in its monitoring and dissemination of intelligence, in order to prepare for increased economic and political tensions in Nicaragua, as it will almost certainly affect the economies in neighboring countries. Focus should be shifted to include more cross-regional support in Central America. Members of the unicameral National Assembly are elected to concurrent five-year terms. Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillos crackdown on clergy and church-affiliated organizations critical of their authoritarian regime not only threatens Nicaraguas religious freedom but also erects significant roadblocks to the countrys return to peace and democracy. Between mid-March and mid-June, the government released nearly 400 people imprisoned for activities related to the 2018 protests; 286 of those were released under house arrest while charges against them remained active. All rights reserved. The modern political tumult of Nicaragua includes revolution,dictatorship, and social movements. World Report 2022: Nicaragua | Human Rights Watch Approximately 5 percent of the population is indigenous and lives mostly in the RACCN and the RACCS. It has virtually no clients due to the ongoing political crisis. With diligent monitoring, the US and other allies will almost certainly be better equipped to deal with the constantly evolving political situation in Nicaragua that affects the greater stability of the region. Groups critical of the government or that focus on issues like corruption have operated within an increasingly restrictive environment under the Ortega administration, which among other measures has used registration laws to choke off their sources of funding. Between March and June, authorities released almost 400 political prisoners detained during the 2018 protests, though many were released to house arrest. Membership in the FSLN is often required in order to hold civil service positions, discouraging people from registering as members of other parties. Has Nicaragua's President Become A Dictator? He's Jailing Political Economic activity started to rebound in early 2021, fueled by remittances, rising exports and renewed investment. Fewer remittances and domestic investment make it very likely that the country will continue experiencing an economic recession. Reissued with updates to wrongful detention information. Last week 222 political prisoners, including some of Nicaraguas leading opposition activists, were deported from Nicaragua and flown to the US a move widely interpreted as a sign of Ortegas determination to remain in power after 16 years as president. Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement, including the ability to change their place of residence, employment, or education? The 2018 antigovernment protest movement was met with violent repression by police and informally allied armed forces, resulting in the deaths of at least 325 people.
Black Billionaires In Atlanta Today, Healthfirst Dentist Long Island, Sugar Creek Charlotte Nc News, Articles I