On Nicaragua

Nicaragua has come to my attention. It’s just had another election won by the Sandinistas. Were they free and fair? The US, under a democrat, are threatening sanctions. No observers were allowed. Here’s some more news and campaigning clips. …

1. Nicaragua: Ortega’s re-election threatens human rights ‘horror thriller’  from Amnesty International UK, not the balanced reporting one would expect.
2. The General Election of 2016, from wikipedia
3. The Nicaraguan Revolution (1960’s to 1990) from wikipedia
4. Amnesty’s report, dated 2021, they are criticised for a poor corona virus response, oppression of human rights organisations and state harassment of the opposition (i.e. imprisonment and surveillance). (It’s not good enough to say that the UK is worse, but arguably it is, as we would need to add harassment of lawyers, restriction of rights of assembly and police impunity.)
5. NSC on peace for ordinary people and international press coverage

Other links,

1. Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign
2. Sandinista by Kris Kristopherson, from spotify

In this, on Venezuela, I write about the legality of the sanctions levied; the wikipedia article on the Revolution, catalogues the persistent often military interference by the USA. Truly understanding what’s going on is hard, both Amnesty and Wikipedia are overly influenced by a US world view and the press are an instrument of US foreign and trade policy. In 2023, I had another look, the prime UK campaigning organisation is the Nicaraguan Solidarity Campaign, which says, on its about us page, “The work of our main partner, the Nicaraguan Rural Workers Association (ATC) in supporting  sustainable, localised, biodiverse farming practices  is exemplary.” NSC supports the Nicaraguan people, not its government. Amnesty International’s report on Nicaragua’s government and its human rights is not good, but then neither is that of the UK.