From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: NICARAGUA: EX-PRESIDENT SAYS COUNTRY IS LOSING ITS SOVEREIGNTY
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1992 08:23:15 GMT

/** reg.nicaragua: 121.0 **/
** Topic: IPS: Ortega Accuses US **
** Written  1:15 am  Sep  4, 1992 by josefina in cdp:reg.nicaragua **
From: Josefina Velasquez <josefina>
Subject: IPS: Ortega Accuses US

/* Written 12:12 am  Sep  4, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:ips.englibrary */
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Reference: North America
Title: NICARAGUA: EX-PRESIDENT SAYS COUNTRY IS LOSING ITS SOVEREIGNTY

managua, sep 1 (ips) -- nicaragua is about to lose its
sovereignty for a paltry 100 million dollars by bowing to
pressure from the u.s. government, former nicaraguan president
daniel ortega said tuesday.

ortega accused the u.s. government of aiming to control
nicaragua's politics and its economy in exchange for economic aid
which washington promised the government of president violetta
chamorro.

the united states blocked a 104-million dollar aid package in
may in response to demands by a conservative republican lobby led
by senator jesse helms. among other things, the united states
wants chamorro to remove the sandinistas from top governmental
and public service positions.

washington announced tuesday that it would send a mission to
nicaragua to investigate charges made by the helms lobby that the
chamorro government was controlled by ''terrorists,'' ''thieves
and murderers.''

ortega, warned that the internal political crisis would be
aggravated if chamorro submitted to the u.s. demands. he
announced that the sandinistas were establishing ''a new line of
struggle'' in defence of nicaragua's sovereignty.

''failure to be more belligerent in the face of this policy is
tantamount to being an accomplice to submission,'' said ortega ,
who headed the sandinista national liberation front (fsln)
government, from 1979, when the sandinistas toppled dictator
anastasio somoza, to 1990, when chamorro took power.

the sandinista leader denied u.s. claims that the fsln wields
heavy political clout in nicaragua, and said he was opposed to an
economic adjustment plan recommended by the international
monetary fund (imf) which the government has been implementing
since march 1991.

ortega also said the chamorro government had ''committed the
error of withdrawing the claim (in the international court of
justice -icj) against the united states for 17 billion dollars.''

nicaragua won a suit against the united states in the icj in
1986, when the u.n. institution found washington guilty of mining
the central american country's ports.

the icj also upheld a nicaraguan claim against the united
states for financing a war by an irregular army against the
sandinista government, which caused nicaragua to suffer damages
totalling 17 billion dollars. (more)
----


however, the united states refused to accept the court's
jurisdiction on the issue and its verdict and chamorro's
government withdrew the claim shortly after taking office.

ortega said that ''a submissive policy by the nicaraguan
government will not change u.s. economic policy on central
america.''

he said the united states was now withdrawing from the
sub-region and that costa rica, guatemala and honduras were now
receiving less u.s. aid than during the 1980s.

''the united states gives money for war, but not for
reconstruction and central america no longer interests it,''
ortega argued.

announcing that the fsln was declaring war on submission,
ortega described the present situation as ''a retrocession in
humanity's struggle for friendly but independent relations.''

he added that he considered the ''intention of the united
states to change our police and the magistrates of the supreme
court of justice'' a human rights violation, stressing that the
fsln would defend the retention of police chief rene vivas in his
post.

vivas, a former guerrilla commader, is one of the sandinista
officials the united states wants chamorro to dismiss.
(end/ips/trd/so/nnz-in/kb/92)
----


** End of text from cdp:reg.nicaragua **

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