Nicaragua: Democracy and rule of law must be restored - Main contents
The ALDE Group in the European Parliament condemns the undemocratic behaviour of the Nicaraguan President, Daniel Ortega, following the exclusion of 28 opposition MPs from the National Parliament, ahead of the upcoming presidential elections in November. The MPs are linked to Eduardo Montealegre, Vice-President of the Liberal International, ex-leader of the Independent Liberal Party (PLI) and one of the main political enemies of Daniel Ortega.
MEP, Hans van Baalen (VVD, The Netherlands), ALDE Group’s coordinator in the Foreign Affairs Committee, who visited Nicaragua on the invitation of the united opposition in 2009, said:
“Nothing has changed for the better in recent years. Ortega was a dictator and has become an even stronger one. It is in the interest of the Nicaraguan people and its international partners that Nicaragua becomes a normal democracy.”
The ALDE Group asked for an urgency resolution on the situation in Nicaragua, but the request has been rejected by left-wing Groups in the European Parliament. ALDE MEP, Beatriz Becerra (Independent, Spain), Vice-Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights, questions the double standards of the left wing of this house when defending democracy and rule of law:
“It is regrettable that Left European parties refuse to condemn human rights violations and abuses when it happens in Nicaragua or Venezuela, but they are the first ones to strongly denounce human rights breaches in Mexico or Colombia. We must be consistent with our mandate to defend human rights in Europe and abroad.”
Note to editors:
The National Coalition for Democracy is likely to emerge as Ortega’s main challenger, but it already faces relatively low chances of success. In early June, the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court stripped opposition leader Eduardo Montealegre of his title as president of the PLI, transferring power over to Pedro Reyes Vallejos. Montealegre immediately accused President Ortega of a “coup” against the opposition and has called on his supporters to take to the streets.
There are also serious concerns about the electoral process and the potential for electoral fraud. Like other key institutions, Ortega has undermined the independence of the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE). In addition, Ortega has announced that independent international observers will not be allowed to oversee the elections in November, an explicit violation of Nicaragua’s electoral law.