From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: NICARAGUA: CHAMORRO SHRUGS OFF "TECHNICAL" COUP
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 09:23:24 GMT

/** reg.nicaragua: 114.0 **/
** Topic: IPS: Chamorro Shrugs Off **
** Written  8:16 am  Aug 10, 1992 by hrcoord in cdp:reg.nicaragua **
From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord>
Subject: IPS: Chamorro Shrugs Off

/* Written 12:16 am  Aug 10, 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'.

Title: NICARAGUA: CHAMORRO SHRUGS OFF ''TECHNICAL'' COUP

managua, aug 7 (ips/nazarena zeledon) -- nicaraguan president
violetta chamorro has shrugged off an attempt by three
politicians of her ruling coalition to force radical changes in
her administration, dismissing observers' analyses that their
''technical' coup could lead to a new civil war.

''it is a scratched record,'' chamorro said, referring to an
eight-point declaration issued wednesday by the three, who
include vice-president virgilio godoy. foremost among their
demands is the dismissal of general humberto ortega as head of
the armed forces.

godoy, parliamentary speaker alfredo cesar and managua mayor
arnoldo aleman formed a ''strategic alliance wednesday in an
attempt to force chamorro to purge her administration of members
of the sandinista national liberation front (fsln) including
ortega.

the three belong to the independent liberal party (pli), the
social democratic party (psd) and the constutional liberal party
(plc), three of the parties of the national opposition union
(uno) which backed chamorro at elections in february 1990.

they also want the passing of a draft law on property,
accepted by liberal and conservative parties but vetoed by
chamorro.

the draft law prescribes the return to their former owners of
property confiscated under the previous sandinista government,
including lands which had belonged to supporters of former
dictator anastasio somoza.

a uno source is reported by the media as saying that the
alliance's ultimate aim is to force chamorro to resign, following
which she would be replaced by godoy.

chamorro said the eight demands resume the pressures and
threats which she has been receiving ever since she assumed power
two and a half years ago.

in public reactions to the demands, the nicaraguan president
dismissed the importance of the triumvirate and denied that she
had called an emergency cabinet meeting to analyse the situation.

''no one has sent me the document,'' she said, explaining that
she heard of their demands through the press.

chamorro also warned the population about promises which the
group headed by the three politicians might make. ''they will
even offer you money. never in my life have i bought anyone,''
she said. (more)
----


godoy, cesar and aleman had formed a similar alliance in the
1980s, when they were arch-enemies of the sandinistas.

chamorro recalled that godoy had backed her against the
sandinistas in the electoral campaign in 1989-1990 she said he
was under foreign pressure to oppose the line of her government.

she also recalled that cesar had participated in the main
decisions on the composition of the government. ''we worked
together and decided on most of the ministers,'' she said.

the new alliance not only wants chamorro to remove fsln
members from all influential positions in the public service, but
is also demanding the removal of ''any minister who opposes'' any
of the eight points.

it has maintained that the nicaraguan president is governing
jointly with the fsln and is managing the country's ''politics
and economy in an irresponsible manner.''

they said she was responsible for an ''impending economic
collapse'' and had ''betrayed and derailed the main objectives of
the governmental plan for which the people voted'' in 1990.

the alliance has the backing of a powerful conservative lobby
in the united states, led by republican congressman jesse helms.

this lobby moved successfully to have a 104 million dollar
u.s. aid package for nicaragua frozen. chamorro needs the funds
badly for an economic stabilization and reactivation plan her
government is implementing.

the u.s. administration has conditioned the release of the
package on the dismissal of fsln members from top administration
posts.

however, chamorro has the support of a section of the u.s.
congress. on thursday, 61 members of the house of representatives
called for the release of the aid in a letter to secretary of
state james baker.

they said chamorro's government was trying to make the
necessary political and economic changes which will lead to
lasting democracy and economic growth.

the helms lobby is also backing the alliance's call for the
formation of a new cabinet.

''this is nothing more than a declaration of war against
anything that smells of chamorro,'' said parliamentarian
alejandro solorzano, member of the so-called 'centrist group'
which broke away from the uno to throw its support behind the
president. (more)
----


solorzano accused the alliance of instigating an economic
blockade against nicaragua, ''knowing fully well that there are
unemployed people who need job opportunities.''

the alliance has been conducting an intense campaign and has
vowed to travel abroad to win support for its cause, including in
the united states.

the political conjuncture has also helped the alliance, which,
responding to the demands of 30,000 university students on strike
for over one month now, has called for an increase in the
government's budget for universities.

while chamorro has the backing of the fsln, that support is
not unconditional and she is now locked in a hard negotiation
with the leaders of the front, which is the largest political
party in nicaragua. (end/ips/trd/so/nz-oh/kb/92)
----


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

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