An open letter to Paul Trivelli, U.S. Ambassador to Nicaragua
from citizens of the United States:

The United States forbids the citizens and governments of other nations from attempting by words and/or funding to influence the way United States citizens cast their votes in national elections. The Vienna Convention's provisions that govern diplomatic behavior prohibit diplomats from interfering in the internal matters of the country to which they are assigned.

In spite of this, you, Ambassador Trivelli, our present U.S. Ambassador to Nicaragua have repeatedly violated these standards of international conduct. In addition to acknowledging the expenditure of  $13 million on the Nicaraguan elections, you have repeatedly and publicly urged Nicaraguan citizens to cast their vote according to U.S. advice and interests.

We, the undersigned, U.S. citizens and organizations, reject and censure your behavior. Such behavior would be unacceptable and unlawful if foreign diplomats attempted to influence elections in the United States. The United States cannot claim to support free and fair elections while it attempts to control and manipulate the voting in Nicaragua.

In the time that remains before the Nicaraguan elections, we urge you and other U.S. diplomats in the Bush Administration to be silent about the Nicaraguan elections and let the Nicaraguan people make up their consciences in freedom.

We trust that the courageous people of Nicaragua will resist such outside interference and will vote for the candidates whom they believe will best serve the people, the policies and the dreams of Nicaragua.

Respectfully,

[click here to see all 1072 signers]

A Joint Program of the Quest for Peace and the Nicaragua Network