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E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/22/2018 
TAGS: NU PGOV PHUM
SUBJECT: NICARAGUA: CIVIL SOCIETY ON THE MARCH AGAIN 
 
REF: MANAGUA349 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Paul A. Trivelli, Resaons 1.4 (b and d) 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY: After a successful march on June 27, 
Nicaraguan civil society organizations rallied twice more to 
speak out for democracy and against the Ortega 
administration.  On July 13, the Sandinista Renovation 
Movement (MRS) and civil society organizations marched in the 
neighborhood of Monimbo in Masaya ) the place where the 
seeds of anti-Somoza resistance were planted in the late 
1970s.  In Managua, an estimated 10,000 people marched across 
town to the National Assembly building on July 16 in an 
effort to maintain the pro-democracy momentum that they 
gained from their June 27 rally.  Though the turn-out was 
smaller than the previous march, spirits appeared high as 
participants chanted slogans against dictatorship and Ortega. 
 The march demonstrated that diverse civil society groups, 
many of which have historically refused to work together, are 
coalescing and coordinating their efforts ) a rare positive 
sign for democracy in Nicaragua.  Beyond marches, however, it 
remains unclear how civil society groups will seek to press 
their agenda with the Ortega government, in an ever narrowing 
democratic space. 
 
"Ortega y Somoza son la misma cosa" 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶2. (U) The town of Masaya became the center of the opposition 
movement on July 13 as civil society actors organized a civic 
assembly to march against the Ortega administration.  Dora 
Maria Tellez, the Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS) leader 
who had previously engaged in a 13-day hunger strike to 
protest the loss of her party's legal registration, said that 
they were doing the first civic assembly in the Monimbo 
barrio in Masaya to "refresh Daniel Ortega's memory." 
According to Tellez, this is the place where the seeds of 
popular resentment were planted to topple the Somoza 
government in February 1978.  Tellez said that "as they 
destroyed the Somoza dictatorship, they will also destroy the 
dictatorship of Daniel Ortega and Arnoldo Aleman."  This 
sentiment was reflected by others in attendance and many 
called for the Nicaraguan people to fight for their rights. 
 
¶3. (U) Though touted to be all inclusive, the civic assembly 
in Monimbo was organized by, and the majority of the 
participants were party activists from, the Sandinista 
Renovation Movement (MRS) political party, which lost its 
 
legal registration on June 11, and has been one of the 
primary mobilizers for the recent marches.  This civic 
assembly was slightly different from the other recent marches 
in that it seemed to represent a more explicit attempt by MRS 
to recall the "revolutionary spirit" of the 1970s. 
 
March to the (Empty) National Assembly 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶4. (U) A variety of civil society organizations, led by the 
Coordinadora Civil (a grouping of over 600 NGOs and 
associations), and including Movimiento por Nicaragua 
(focuses on citizen participation and rights), JUDENIC 
(promotes democratic principles in youth), Movimiento 
Autonomo de Mujeres (promotes gender equality and womens' 
rights), and Comision Permanente de Derechos Humanos 
(promotes and defends human rights) amongst others (reftel), 
coordinated the July 16 march in Managua in an effort to both 
make their voices and opinions heard and to demonstrate that 
the Nicaraguan people do not support the way the country is 
being run.  With an estimated 10,000 in attendance, this 
march was smaller than the one on June 27 and fell short of 
organizers' expectations, but people still came from all over 
the country ) even as far away as Jalapa on the Honduran 
border ) to assert their rights to democracy and freedom. 
 
¶5. (U) As the people gathered, various leaders spoke out 
against high food prices, hunger, and the Ortega 
administration in general; all with the common theme of 
"Dictadura no, Democracia si" (Dictatorship No, Democracy 
Yes) throughout their speeches.  During the speeches given in 
front of the National Assembly building, Tellez declared that 
the people attended the march to remind the government that 
they have to respond to the problems of the country and that 
all Nicaraguans "have the right to eat."  However, almost as 
soon as the crowds arrived at the National Assembly (which 
was out of session) they started to leave, demonstrating a 
possible a greater level of interest in the march rather than 
in what civil society leaders had to say. 
 
¶6. (U) Civil society leaders and observers commented to us on 
the overall positive atmosphere of the march and emphasized 
that the people marched from across the political spectrum in 
support of unity and democracy.  Unlike the previous marches, 
only a few politicians were present, most notably the Vamos 
con Eduardo (VCE-PLC) mayoral and vice mayoral candidates 
Eduardo Montealegre and Enrique Quinonez, and there were few 
party banners flying amongst the thousands of blue and white 
national flags.  Along the march route a few groupings of 
Sandinista National Liberation Front party (FSLN) 
sympathizers tried to provoke the crowd along the way, but 
these were very minor perturbations to the large opposition 
crowd. 
 
So, what now? 
- - - - - - - 
 
¶7. (C) Because of the diversity of opposition organizations 
involved in planning the march, a variety of slogans were 
used, each of which were chanted in due course.  However, the 
lack of a single, clear message may have diluted the turnout 
and the overall impact of the march.  Civil society 
organizations are searching for any possible avenue to rally 
public support to stop the closing of democratic space by the 
Ortega administration, but the array of slogans seemed to 
indicate that the only idea they have been able to reach 
consensus on thus far is to hold marches. 
 
¶8. (C) During the marches and in subsequent media interviews, 
civil society leaders have proposed a 'national dialogue,' 
though what that term means is unclear.  Each civil society 
organization seems to have its own agenda for such a 
dialogue.  For example, the NGO Movimiento por Nicaragua 
stresses transparency, inclusivity, abstention from attacks 
on candidates, and that the MRS and the Conservative Party 
(PC) be given back their legal status.  Other NGOs, such as 
Coordinadora Civil, believe the national dialogue should be 
focused on addressing the growing social problems facing 
Nicaragua.  Though civil society is increasingly working 
together, their differing views of a national dialogue and 
lack of clarity on the outcome, may impede further tangible 
progress. 
 
¶9. (C) Comment: Despite the lower turnout, the July 16 march 
in Managua brought together a diverse array of civil society 
groups, many of which have historically refused to work 
together, and built successfully upon the themes of the 
earlier marches in support of democracy, improved social 
services, and political freedoms.  This breadth of 
cooperation has not been seen in many years and is a positive 
indication of Nicaraguan civil society's potential.  However, 
the civic assembly in Monimbo and its "revolutionary" slant 
demonstrates that the various opposition actors hold 
differing views.  Not only do the differing views make it 
difficult for them to coalesce into a single opposition 
force, but their lack of even a unified slogan does not help 
the cause.  Though their marches have been fairly successful 
and gained the attention of both the average citizen and the 
Ortega administration, civil society seems unsure of the next 
steps.  These groups are planning another march for 
mid-August, possibly to coincide with the National Assembly 
returning to session.  However, civil society will need more 
than marches if they are to build on the momentum they have 
gained and mobilize a broader segment of the population. 
 
TRIVELLI