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UNCLAS MANAGUA 000912 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV NU
SUBJECT: DEATH TO THE YANQUI - ORTEGA LAMBASTES U.S. AT 
NICARAGUAN ARMY'S 30TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS 
 
¶1.  (U) On September 12, Nicaragua conducted ceremonies to 
celebrate the 30th anniversary of the founding of the 
Nicaraguan Army. Ambassador Callahan, Major General Keith 
Huber, U.S. Army South, Brigadier General Dominic Cariello, 
Wisconsin National Guard, USMILGRP, and the Marine Marching 
Platoon from the 8th and I Marine Barracks, Washington D.C., 
represented the U.S. at the ceremonies.  Cuba, Chile, the 
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico 
and Russia were also represented at the event. 
 
Anti-Imperialism Is Our Philosophy 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) In his most belligerent and openly anti-U.S. speech in 
months, President Daniel Ortega launched into a nearly hour 
long tirade on the evils of U.S. imperialism and expansionism 
in Nicaragua and all of Latin America.  The history of the 
Nicaraguan Army, he asserted, is drawn from the "roots of 
anti-colonialism and anti-imperialism, not Marxism-Leninism." 
 He asked, "why should we be blamed for being 
anti-imperialists?  Death to the 'Yanqui' was the call in 
1856" (in expelling William Walker). This message has been 
the philosophy behind Nicaragua's struggle against "the 
Empire" and remains so. 
 
¶3.  (U) The Nicaraguan Army, he asserted, must hold onto its 
arms and weapons and will resist all efforts to disarm it. 
"We have not achieved a peaceful world.  We still face the 
expansionist policies of the North American Empire."  In the 
past, under Somoza, and even now the "oligarchs" have wanted 
to disarm the Army, make it disappear, or make it serve only 
the rich.  The oligarchs seek these changes to the Army, he 
claimed, at the "imposition of the Empire." 
 
¶4.  (U) The "right-wing oligarchy" in the U.S. is now 
attacking President Obama to derail his policies, according 
to Ortega.  "Those that provoked war in Iraq, Afghanistan and 
seek a war with Iran are now installing bases in Colombia." 
These bases threaten Colombia's neighbors, Venezuela, 
Ecuador, and Brazil, and the U.S. owes an explanation to 
Latin America for these bases.  Moreover, Ortega warned the 
"North American bases" open the door for Colombia to be 
occupied by the U.S. and thus threaten Nicaragua directly. 
Over the past several decades, the U.S. had been closing 
bases in the region.  Now, he lamented, the U.S. has returned 
to its expansionist and imperialist tendencies and is 
"multiplying bases" in Colombia, threatening peace in the 
entire region. 
 
¶5. (U) In a direct insult to the Marine Corps Marching 
Platoon, baking in over 100 degree temperatures throughout 
the harangue, Ortega pointed to the Marines and said, "you 
young soldiers ... you are not responsible (for these 
policies).  Policy in the U.S. is determined by powerful 
groups" who only seek to promote war. 
 
Honduras - The U.S. Supported the Coup 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (U) Ortega returned to his ongoing theme that the U.S. 
was involved in the coup in Honduras.  Ortega claimed the 
Honduran military has always acted at the behest of the U.S., 
from the 1980's when Honduras "launched aggression against 
Nicaragua -- at the service of the Empire," up to today and 
the recent coup.  Ortega lamented that at the Summit of the 
Americas, President Obama pledged a new era of relations in 
Latin America based upon respect.  Unfortunately, this change 
has not happened.  According to Ortega, the reality is that 
it has been difficult to change policy because of the ongoing 
control of the military and right-wing forces in the U.S. 
 
¶7.  (U) Instead of a changed policy towards Latin America 
there has been a return to coups and expansionism.  He 
renewed claims that U.S. "intelligence services" were 
involved in the coup and that the U.S. military facilitated 
President Zelaya's removal from Honduras through Palmerola 
(Soto Cano).  Ortega said it was "ridiculous" to claim that 
Palmerola was not a U.S. military base.  In his September 
meeting with Southcom General Douglas Fraser, Ortega claimed 
he was told that the base is Honduran.  In reality, he said, 
"the base is controlled by the North Americans.  It is a U.S. 
base -- a virtual fortress." 
 
Relations with the U.S. - Give Us More Aid 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶8.  (U) Despite these differences, Ortega claimed he wants 
respectful relations with the U.S.  Nicaragua and the U.S. 
share a struggle against narco-traffickers and terrorism. 
According to Ortega, no progress can be made in cooperation 
on terrorism, however, until the U.S. releases the five Cuban 
"patriots" (i.e. convicted spies) who only sought to protect 
Cuba from violence being planned by the exile community. 
Moreover, Ortega asserted that the U.S. needs to give more 
resources to the Nicaraguan Army and National Police to fight 
drugs.  "They (the U.S.) help very little," he lamented, 
despite pledges to provide more aid through the Merida Plan. 
In stopping the flow of drugs north to the U.S., Ortega 
complained, "we help the North American people but they give 
us very little." 
 
¶9.  (U) Ortega concluded the even with a final insult - 
giving only a perfunctory salute to the Marine Marching 
Platoon as they marched past along with cadets and marching 
teams from other countries represented at the ceremonies. 
Ortega saluted for extended periods all other units as they 
marched. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Ortega's insulting behavior contrasted sharply with 
the Nicaraguan military's treatment of their American guests 
at a dinner on Friday night.  There, CHOD Omar Halleslevens 
decorated the two American officers and acknowledged the 
Ambassador by name, the only diplomat he mentioned (three 
ALBA ambassadors were present, including the Cuban). 
CALLAHAN