VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMU #2286 2901633
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 171633Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY MANAGUA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7900
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS MANAGUA 002286 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR WHA/CEN AND USOAS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM EAID OAS NU
SUBJECT: OAS EOM POSITIVE ON NICARAGUAN ELECTIONS 
PREPARATIONS 
 
REF: MANAGUA 1593 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: The technical team leading the OAS' 
electoral observation mission (EOM) in Nicaragua appeared 
generally positive during a recent briefing regarding 
preparations for the November 5 national elections, although 
they noted some areas of concern.  Technical mission chief 
Patricio Gajardo confirmed that the Supreme Electoral Council 
(CSE) will soon complete production and distribution (to its 
local branches) of approximately 400,000 voting documents. 
The EOM has also received complaints from the Liberal 
political parties regarding the use of the National Stadium 
as a data collection point for Managua and reports of 
irregularities concerning the training of voting station 
officials.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) The OAS briefed representatives from countries 
contributing to the EOM on October 11.  According to the OAS, 
the CSE plans to have completed delivery of 214,000 
"documentos supletorios" (temporary voting documents) and 
180,000 cedulas (national/voter ID cards) to the Municipal 
Electoral Councils (CEMs) by October 13.  The OAS confirmed 
that, unlike previous elections, the CSE has no plan to 
distribute voting documents beyond the CEMs.  (Comment: Many 
voters in remote areas are unable to bear the expense of 
traveling to their CEM to retrieve their voting documents. 
In past elections, the CSE has made efforts to distribute the 
uncollected documents door-to-door.  Even though IFES has 
offered to provide a bus and motorcycles for CSE officials to 
travel to rural areas, the CSE has not shown any willingness 
to accommodate voters who cannot collect their cedula or 
documento supletorio at the CEMs.  Several political parties 
have denounced the CSE's unwillingness to come up with a more 
comprehensive distribution plan.  End Comment.) 
 
¶3. (SBU) The CSE also told the OAS representatives that the 
Council has completed 90 percent of requests for observer 
status from international and national observation groups. 
The OAS team agreed to follow up on complaints from national 
observers that the CSE has not guaranteed them access to the 
CEDs, CEMs, or vote computation centers.  (Note: The OAS has 
been aware of this issue for some time -- see reftel.  End 
Note.) 
 
¶4. (SBU) Liberal Constitutional Party (PLC) and Nicaraguan 
Liberal Alliance (ALN) officials told OAS observers that they 
do not want the CSE to designate the National Stadium as the 
central collection point for vote results in the department 
of Managua as it will be too crowded, and the FSLN could 
delay submission of results if it is behind in the vote 
tallies on election day.  The PLC and ALN prefer to submit 
results at the voting centers themselves, or at more 
dispersed and convenient locations. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The OAS also noted problems with the IFES-sponsored 
training for JRV (voting station) officials.  Many CEMs have 
not submitted their registries of JRV members in a timely 
manner.  Some parties have complained that other parties 
(specifically the Sandinista Renovation Movement and 
Alternative for Change) have submitted the same names for 
multiple positions -- supposedly because they do not have 
enough people to fill all of the JRV slots they were 
allotted.  The OAS reported, however, that the JRV suplentes 
(alternates) are receiving the training, although each party 
is only allowed to accredit a number of suplentes equal to 10 
percent of the total number of primary JRV officials allotted 
to that party in a specific department (although the 
suplentes may serve at any JRV in that department). 
 
¶6. (SBU) Comment: After the briefing, OAS EOM officials 
informed Emboffs that the EOM would not be able to 
accommodate 20 Amcits in the EOM, even though they 
acknowledged initially agreeing to this number months ago. 
They explained that their superiors in the OAS had insisted 
that the EOM allocate only 10 spaces for each nationality, 
although they were willing to make a "special exception" for 
the U.S. and authorized 15 spaces.  Emboffs resolved the 
conflict by asking the EOM officials to register the "extra" 
Amcits under their dual nationalities (some are foreign-born 
spouses of mission personnel). 
TRIVELLI