US no friend to democracy when it doesn’t go their way

Nicaragua: Washington threatens reprisals as poor make gains
12 February, 2012 – By Felipe Stuart Cournoyer & John Riddell – The GreenLeft

In a fit of petulant anger, the US government lashed out on January 25 against the outcome of Nicaragua’s recent presidential election. The leftist Sandinista National Liberation Front’s (FSLN) Daniel Ortega was easily re-elected president and the FSLN won a majority in the National Assembly.

John Riddell spoke to FSLN member Felipe Stuart Cournoyer, who gave his personal take on the situation. The interview is abridged from JohnRiddel.wordpress.com.

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US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton claimed that Nicaragua’s November 6 election “marked a setback to democracy in Nicaragua and undermined the ability of Nicaraguans to hold their government accountable”, but offered no particulars. What has roused Washington’s ire?

It’s quite simple. Daniel Ortega won with 62.66% of the vote, more than twice the total of the Independent Liberal Party (PLI) candidate favoured by the US embassy.

Washington is not pleased when small, poor countries defy its will.

But Clinton says US concern is based on a report by Organization of American States (OAS) observers.

The OAS report notes that the official results were similar to the readings of pre-election polls, and to their own exit polls on election day.

OAS and European Union observer missions noted some irregularities and technical difficulties, but did not consider that they called into question the FSLN victory.

The main complaint of right-wing opposition parties was that Ortega should not have been permitted to run for re-election. The voters certainly gave a clear verdict on that one.

Clinton says the US will respond by a “review of our assistance” and “aggressive scrutiny” of loans by international bodies to Nicaragua. That sounds like sanctions. What’s this about? Have aid projects gone wrong?

On the contrary, aid projects under Ortega’s presidency have been enormously successful. Illiteracy was 30% when the FSLN was elected in 2006. Thanks to a literacy campaign carried out with help from Cuba and Venezuela, the United Nations has now declared Nicaragua to be free of illiteracy.

The recent projects assisted by Venezuela and other Bolivarian Alliance for the People’s of Our America (ALBA) countries have had an immense effect. Also there have been useful World Bank projects, and the Bank says it is “optimistic” about Nicaragua’s performance.

The Nicaraguan economy has expanded well in recent years, particularly in the countryside. Despite the world recession, exports have doubled since 2006, and the rate of foreign direct investment has increased by about two-thirds.

Among the biggest projects include projects to double electrical generating capacity, along with ongoing projects to bring electricity to tens of thousands of rural families.

Economic expansion in 2010 and 2011 was the highest in Central America. …more