VZCZCXYZ0035
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMU #1573/01 2011331
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 201331Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY MANAGUA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7007
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0741

UNCLAS MANAGUA 001573 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM SOCI NU
SUBJECT: A PEEK BEHIND THE CURTAIN: A LOOK AT THE 2006 
LEGISLATIVE PLATFORMS 
 
 
¶1.  (U) SUMMARY:  National Assembly candidates from FSLN, 
PLC, AC, ALN and MRS presented their parties, legislative 
priorities in a panel discussion broadcast live by Channel 
¶10.  ALN's Jamileth Bonilla emphasized poverty reduction, job 
creation, education and social justice, while PLC's Francisco 
Aguirre commented on Nicaragua's weak economy, the need for 
job creation, and National Assembly reform.  FSLN's Bayardo 
Arce focused on credit and financial support for micro, small 
and medium enterprises to generate employment while AC's 
Orlando Tardencilla stressed citizen participation and the 
creation of a new legislative branch.  Finally, MRS candidate 
Victor Hugo Tinoco declared his party's plans to launch an 
ethics and morality crusade to clean up government and cut by 
fifty percent the "mega salaries" of high government 
officials.  END SUMMARY 
 
¶2.  U) On July 12, in a live broadcast from La Universidad 
Centroamericana (UCA), listeners of Radio Tiempo and viewers 
of Channel 10's "El 10 de la Nacion" heard National Assembly 
candidates from the Sandinista (FSLN), Liberal Constitutional 
Party (PLC), Alternative for Change (AC), Nicaraguan Liberal 
Alliance (ALN), and the Sandinista Renewal Movement (MRS) 
discuss their parties, legislative platforms.  Despite a 
late start, the late arrival of the MRS candidate, a blown 
fuse mid-way through the AC candidate,s remarks, and several 
miscues by the host, the event proceeded relatively smoothly. 
 The audience was treated to a first glimpse at the nascent 
legislative platforms of the leading political parties.  The 
Foro Electoral 2006 was sponsored by the Danish Embassy and 
co-sponsored by the Nicaraguan Chamber of Commerce (Jose Adan 
Aguerri, President), El Nuevo Diario (Francisco Chamorro, 
Deputy Director), La Universidad Centroamericana (Manuel 
Arauz), Radio Tiempo and Channel 10's "El 10 en la Nacion" 
(Jaime Arellano - host). 
 
ALN - "You and Your Family" 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶3.  (U) ALN candidate Bonilla emphasized that: 
 
     -- Nicaragua needs a new approach to government.  An 
important theme was "you and your family."  This theme 
focuses on poverty reduction, employment generation, ending 
corruption and the pacts (called "pactos") between political 
parties, and improving salaries for public sector employees. 
The government should help provide jobs for everyone, 
strengthen social justice, and educate more citizens. 
 
     -- The 1980's Sandinista government destroyed the 
country,s economy and economic recuperation will be very 
difficult. 
 
     -- Technical assistance, financing and training is 
necessary for producers. 
 
     -- The new government will emphasize women,s rights, 
including laws to protect them. 
 
PLC - No Clear Platform 
- - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶4.  (U) PLC candidate Aguirre stated that: 
 
     -- Nicaragua,s economic situation is bad:  A severe 
housing deficit (500,000 units); large income inequalities; 
economic migration out of the country and a serious energy 
crisis are hurting the country. 
 
     -- Due to the Bolanos government,s failure, Nicaragua 
is becoming "Dominicanized." 
 
     -- The National Assembly must be an agent of change. 
 
(Note:  PLC candidate Aguirre did not summarize the PLC 
legislative agenda.  His presentation was short, very general 
and ended quite abruptly.  It is unclear whether he was 
unwilling or unable to present details related to the PLC 
agenda.  End note) 
 
FSLN - Fostering Small Business 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶5.  (U) FSLN candidate Arce stressed that: 
 
     -- The FSLN would promote a government of reconciliation 
 
and national unity. 
 
     -- The National Assembly needs to institutionalize 
dialogue with the Executive Branch and other civil 
institutions. 
 
     -- The FSLN will promote laws and actions to generate 
employment and activate production. 
 
     -- The debt carried by "producers" must be reduced. 
 
     -- The FSLN government will establish a development bank 
"Banco de Fomento" and state intervention should be 
eliminated. 
 
     -- Communal banks are required to help micro-enterprises 
and small businesses. 
 
     -- Banks that extend services and credit for 
under-served clients and areas should receive incentives. 
 
     -- The National Assembly must pass a law that guarantees 
credit for small and medium size businesses. 
 
     -- Employment generation is the key to reducing poverty. 
 
     -- Companies that hire recently graduated professionals 
should receive tax breaks. 
 
     -- The GON must pass laws that promote and provide 
incentives to investment in clean and renewable energy 
sources (ethanol, bio-diesel). 
 
     -- Incentives should be given to companies that sell and 
promote the use of low-energy consumption products. 
 
     -- Laws regarding health, education, environment, and 
international economic integration must be legislative 
priorities. 
 
(Note:  In sharp contrast to the PLC presentation, FSLN 
candidate Arce was very well prepared.  He presented a clear 
and detailed list of the party,s legislative priorities. 
End note.) 
 
AC - Participation of Civil Society 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶6.  (U) AC candidate Tardencilla promised to: 
 
     -- Pass a new "organic law" for the Legislative Branch 
stating that the GON cannot continue legislating under the 
current system. 
 
     -- Revise the "Law of Citizen Participation." 
 
     -- Organize the National Assembly by simplifying 
procedures and taking into account citizens, needs. 
 
     -- Reform the law governing control over spending of 
public funds so that it punishes the corrupt and prevents 
further corruption. 
 
     -- Create a law to measure the performance of elected 
National Assembly Representatives. 
 
MRS - Fire and Brimstone 
- - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶7.  (U) MRS candidate Tinoco's priorities: 
 
     -- Launch an ethics and morality crusade to clean up 
government and improve job performance among public officials. 
 
     -- Break the political "pacto" between Aleman and Ortega. 
 
     -- Change the composition and reduce the number of 
representatives in the CSJ (Supreme Court) and CSE (Electoral 
Counsel) to break the "pacto." 
 
     -- Alter the composition of "Mesas Electorales" to 
guarantee greater citizen participation. 
 
     -- Cut the "mega salaries" of high government officials 
by 50 percent and use the savings to improve salaries of the 
 
health and education system personnel. 
 
     -- Punish corrupt officials. 
 
     -- Require MRS National Assembly deputies to donate 50 
percent of their salaries to fund the purchase of school 
furniture and drugs and equipment for health centers. 
 
     -- Promote the generation of 500,000 jobs in the next 
five years. 
 
     -- Emphasize laws to promote family and small business 
in the tourism sector to create more jobs. 
 
(Note: Tinoco launched into his presentation in the style of 
a fire and brimstone preacher talking to a roomful of 
sinners.  His intensity and use of strong words like 
 break,,  cut,, and  punish, made him appear radical 
relative to the other candidates.  End note.) 
 
Students Universally Critical of National Assembly 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶8.  (U) Immediately following the presentations, the host cut 
to a five minute segment of live interviews with students on 
the UCA campus that the audience could hear by speakerphone. 
A Channel 10 reporter asked students what they thought of the 
National Assembly.  The students' responses were universally 
negative and critical of the National Assembly.  Students 
described the deputies as corrupt and blamed the "pactos" for 
Nicaragua's economic and social woes.  Listening to these 
criticisms, the candidates chuckled and nodded and members of 
the audience openly laughed.  (Note:  There was no response - 
applause, booing, etc. - from the audience at any point 
during the candidates' platform presentations, making it 
impossible to assess audience reactions.  It may be that the 
live broadcast intimidated the audience or they did not want 
to disrupt the host who moved quickly from one candidate to 
the next.  However, while the atmosphere of the live 
broadcast might have silenced the audience members, the 
students outside felt no such reservations about expressing 
their opinions of the National Assembly.) 
BRENNAN