The bidding was scheduled to take place on October 3, but several international firms said they would not place a bid unless the government postponed the sale until after the elections. Debt reduction plan approved. According to studies carried out by the international financial institutions, Nicaragua is the only Latin American country that will qualify for this program, along with seven African countries. These countries must, however, continue the application of structural adjustment programs for two years, at the end of which the World Bank and IMF will decide whether or not to proceed with the debt reduction plan. The wire services which provided this information to Barricada misinterpreted the arcane language of the International Financial Institutions.
Heavy rains cause several deaths.
Torrential downpours have caused severe damage throughout Managua this week. More than eighty neighborhoods have been flooded, and some people have had to evacuate their homes completely. One of Managua's principal power plants was shut down Wednesday night due to flooding, leaving approximately half of the city without electricity and a third without water. Firefighters have rescued three people who have been swept away by the currents of the waist-high waters. One person been found dead and five have disappeared.