Quest for Peace blogs

Hurricane recovery efforts going strong on the Atlantic Coast!

Wed, 5 Mar 2008 11:42:55 -0500

Miskito communities in Waspam are working hard to build homes from salvaged lumber before the next rains set in. See our full report.

Some amazing photos of the destruction wrought by Felix

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 12:11:30 -0400

We are seeing some amazing and frightening instances of the destructive power of Hurricane Felix. The below images are from the work of Mirjana Kavelj with the UN World Food Program.

Criminal to Criminal?

Fri, 10 Nov 2006 15:09:45 -0500

Despite the elections in the United States and Nicaragua, there is still cause for concern over U.S. intentions for the Nicaraguan people. Even as Donald Rumsfield resigned in disgrace, Bush appointed an unhappily familiar face to replace him.

Why Must I contribute $25?

Thu, 19 Oct 2006 17:54:05 -0400

Dear Friend of Nicaragua,

I want to address a few complaints about the $25 contribution to include your signature in the full page ads that appeared in the two Nicaraguan papers on October 13. We publicly challenged the U.S. Ambassador Paul Trivelli to stop trying to manipulate the Nicaraguan voting process. Our ads produced a strong defensive reaction from the Embassy.

Nicaragua plans rival canal route (BBC)

Thu, 5 Oct 2006 20:08:04 -0400

"Nicaragua has announced plans to build a waterway linking the Pacific and Atlantic that would carry bigger ships than the existing Panama Canal."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5405884.stm

600 signers for Nicaraguan Democracy - can we add your name?

Mon, 2 Oct 2006 10:36:07 -0400

Our Hands off Nicaragua campaign has generated a terrific response since we launched it September 13th. Over 650 of you have signed the open letter to Ambassador Trivelli opposing U.S. interference in Nicaragua's elections, and contributed $25 or more to get that letter published in La Prensa and Nuevo Diario on October 13th.

Since we launched the campaign, the U.S. has stepped up its interference in the electoral process. Just two examples from recent weeks:

Just last week, U.S. Congressman Dan Burton, Chair of the sub-committee on Western Hemispheric affairs, visited Nicaragua and threatened that a Sandinista victory would mean war, inflation and destabilization and that aid from the US might be cut off. Said he, "It is important that the people know what could happen if the FSLN wins the elections."
In late September Ambassador Trivelli was identified as the instigator of an effort to use a massive survey of voter preferences among the anti-Sandinista forces as a means of uniting the opposition to Ortega.

Clearly, our voice is needed more than ever to let the Nicaraguans know that there are Americans who support their right to free and fair elections. We need at least 150 more signatures by this Sunday to get the letter published in the newspapers. If you haven't yet signed the letter and contributed, now is the time. Click here to sign the letter and contribute to its publication.

Will you help us say NO to illegal US interference in Nicaragua's elections?

Fri, 8 Sep 2006 16:00:38 -0400

Will you help us say NO to illegal US interference in Nicaragua's elections?

If you follow this site, you know by now that the U.S. government is illegally interfering in the Nicaraguan elections to be held in November. In June, with the help and signatures of many of you, we ran an open letter denouncing this interference as half-page ads in Nicaragua's two main newspapers. This ad generated a lot of media attention, but U.S. Ambassador Paul Trivelli has continued his blatant and outrageous attempts to influence the election's outcome.

Nicaragua Network pre-election delegation Report

Sun, 16 Jul 2006 11:19:16 -0400

Report finds condemnation of US role among Nicaraguan parties and civil society groups.

WASHINGTON - July 10 - The Nicaragua Network sent a delegation of academics and representatives of human rights and solidarity groups to Nicaragua June 17-24, 2006, to investigate the role of the US government in Nicaragua's presidential election scheduled for November 5, 2006. The Nicaragua Network is a national network of local committees which has worked for 27 years to change US government policy toward Nicaragua.

How the United States Continues to Manipulate Nicaragua's Economic and Political Future

Fri, 23 Jun 2006 10:50:38 -0400

[This analysis prepared by the Council on Hemispheric Affairs]

Last April, the Nicaragua Network, a Washington-based solidarity group, “condemned” the intervention of U.S. Ambassador Paul Trivelli in Nicaragua’s election process. Arnold Matlin, of Nicanet’s board of directors, asserted that “what the U.S. government is doing in Nicaragua would be illegal if a foreign government tried to do it in the U.S.” The April 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations supports Matlin’s assertion, providing that representatives or diplomats “have a duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of that state” to which they may be assigned. But regardless of international law, the U.S. has rarely felt constrained over intervening in the internal affairs of many countries, and for 150 years Nicaragua has borne the brunt of more interventions than almost any other country in this hemisphere. However, it is far from being alone.

Toledo Introduces Peru FTA to Congress as Garcia vows to Re-negotiate

Wed, 7 Jun 2006 11:24:50 -0400

President Toledo has introduced the U.S. Peru Free Trade Agreement to Peru's national legislature for a vote. The vote may happen as early as today. Toledo will be leaving office in late July. The new President of Peru, Alan Garcia noted in an interview on Monday that "he would insist on revising – line by line – the free-trade agreement that Peru's outgoing government of President Alejandro Toledo signed with the United States in April."

Poll Numbers

Fri, 2 Jun 2006 20:35:42 -0400

A blogger named Boz (whose blog is simply called Bloggings by Boz) publishes poll numbers (mostly about elections) towards the end of each week. Here’s the Nicaragua bit from this week's entry:

The Latest on Aleman

Fri, 2 Jun 2006 20:20:23 -0400

When I come across Nicaragua-related stories reading my Bloglines feeds (I share my public feeds here) I'll post them to Windmills with a few key paragraphs.

US loses interest in FTA with Ecuador

Mon, 22 May 2006 15:54:37 -0400

The chances for a short term conclusion to trade negotiations between the U.S. and Ecuador were handed a major setback last week, when the national government decided to revoke its operating contract with Occidental Petroleum and seize $1 Billion of its assets. This action was taken after the energy ministry ruled that the company had acted improperly when it transferred 40% interest in its oil fields to EnCana, a Canadian oil company.

COHA Memorandum to the Press: Bolivia's Gas Nationalization:

Thu, 4 May 2006 14:30:29 -0400

Good analysis from Council on Hemispheric Affairs on Morales' decision to nationalize Bolivia's national gas industry - and some specifics on what that means. It is not an expropriation of existing infrastructure - despite the theatre of soldiers of occupying facilities. Morales is fulfilling a promise he made during the campaign, and it is a move that could bring many benefits if that state company is able to manage the new contracts well. There is also some good analysis here of the regional political situation, and how this may play out with Brazil.

Whose Democracy is the United States Promoting in Nicaragua?

Mon, 1 May 2006 14:32:11 -0400

Below is a nice analysis of U.S. intervention in Nicaragua’s election process from Brynne Keith-Jennings of Witness for Peace’s international team in Nicaragua. Published by the International Relations Center (IRC) at http://americas.irc-online.org/am/3238