From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: Nicanet Hotline 12/14/92
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 07:03:34 GMT

/** reg.nicaragua: 73.0 **/
** Topic: NICANET HOTLINE -- 12/14/92 **
** Written  1:31 pm  Dec 14, 1992 by nicanet in cdp:reg.nicaragua **
            NICARAGUA NETWORK HOTLINE ** 202-544-9360
 
                         December 14, 1992
 
You have reached the Nicaragua Network Hotline recorded Monday, 
December 14, 1992.   To reach our office, call: 202-544-9355.  
Unless there is a breaking news story, this will be the final 
hotline of 1992.  We will begin again on January 4, 1993.
 
Topics covered in this hotline include:  Nicaraguan government 
projects growth in 1993; Some strikes settled; Chamorro may 
suspend National Assembly's budget; Bush gives Medal of Freedom 
to Schlaudeman; and, Nicaragua and Honduras establish military 
relations. 
 
We reported last week that representatives of donor countries, 
non-governmental organizations, and international lenders met in 
Nicaragua the previous week. In an update on that meeting we have 
learned that in the economic picture presented by the government 
to the delegates they projected an economic growth rate of 3.4% 
for 1993.  The growth is projected based on extending 
agricultural production in sesame, tobacco, bananas, coffee, and 
crops for domestic consumption.  The government also projected a 
3.8% increase in manufacturing and a 21% increase in 
construction.  The delegates were also told that public 
investment will total $280 million which will create 33,900 jobs 
of which 13,600 will be directly from public investment.  The 
Chamorro government does not have a particularly good track 
record on economic predictions, but their presentation appears to 
have satisfied the donor countries and lenders.  The government 
also told the delegates that public sector wages will remain 
frozen and that salaries will not be indexed to the cost of the 
basic food basket, so it appears they will continue to ignore the 
minimum wage law.  The release of $54 million in US aid has 
restored some faith in the economy, and decreased some of the 
pressure to devalue the cordoba.  The exchange rate is pegged at 
5 cordobas to the dollar, but it had been selling on the black 
market for 5.5 to 1.  For a short time after the aid release it 
went down to 5.05 to the dollar and now has stabilized at 5.3 to 
1.  The other $50 million in held up aid is supposed to be 
released in January.  Helms aid Deborah DeMoss stuck her foot in 
it again by accusing Finance Minister Emilio Pereira of signing 
checks over to General Humberto Ortega for deposit in a personal 
account in Canada.  Minister of Foreign Cooperation Erwin Kruger 
called the accusation "another hysterical lie."
 
We also reported last week that the National Labor Front (FNT) 
had called an indefinite national strike, a sort of rolling 
strike through various industries.  That appears to have borne 
some fruit as customs workers were able to reach a "highly 
positive" negotiated agreement after a one day strike, the strike 
of sugar mills ended with a partial agreement and continued 
negotiations, and a strike against INE, the electric company was 
also brought to a close.  The partial strike of hospitals 

continues.  Last week we said the FNT march had turned out a 
disappointing 3-5,000 protesters.  Other sources have reported a 
much more impressive 15,000.  We have no way to independently 
confirm either number, but the number of settled strikes would 
seem to indicate that the FNT had not completely lost its clout.
 
The Nicaraguan Supreme Court has asked Chamorro to take 
"pertinent actions" to pressure the National Assembly to abide by 
the court's ruling that the legislature has been meeting 
illegally during the FSLN and UNO Center Group boycott.  National 
Assembly President Alfredo Cesar has rejected the Court's ruling 
as just another opinion, although some of the UNO parties backing 
him are considering withdrawing from the Assembly in order to 
respect the Supreme Court ruling.  Chamorro is considering 
suspending the Assembly's budget until it comes into compliance, 
but Cesar had previously said he had lined up foreign money to 
keep the Assembly operating if its budget is cut off.  There 
appears to be no end in sight for this serious constitutional 
crisis.
 
President Bush has awarded this nation's top civilian honor, the 
Medal of Freedom, to former Ambassador to Nicaragua Harry 
Schlaudeman, according to the New York Weekly News Update which 
cited the Bloomington, Indiana, Herald-Times.  Schlaudeman has 
been a hatchet man for the State Department going all the way 
back to the Dominican Republic's 1963 coup and Allende's Chile.  
Schlaudeman once said, "Force works. Before you try to win hearts 
and minds, first you have to kill off the communist leaders."  
Schlaudeman contributed to Chamorro's failure to solidify support 
for her government because he continued to plot with Cesar and 
other ultra-rightists to keep the pot stirred and promote US 
government interests.  A new President in Washington will 
hopefully not insult us with Medal of Freedom awards such as 
this one.
 
And finally, at the invitation of the Chief of the Honduran Armed 
Forces, Humberto Ortega recently visited Honduras for joint talks 
between the two militaries.  This is the first meeting of the two 
armed forces since the end of the contra war.  Honduras provided 
sanctuary for the contras in exchange for massive US aid during 
the 1980's.
 
To become a supporter and receive our publications and mailings, 
please contact us.  The Nicaragua Network's address is: 1247 E 
St., SE, Washington, DC  20003; our phone: 202-544-9355.
** End of text from cdp:reg.nicaragua **

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