According to political analyst José Dávila, triple pressure is needed against CABEI so that they condition their contributions to a democratic opening in Nicaragua.
Despite the fact that the Daniel Ortega regime has consolidated its repressive system, causing international condemnation, its finances seem healthy, thanks to the management of the economy and to the fact that it has significant financing such as those provided by the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI). .
On March 17, the presidents of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Bob Menéndez, and of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael McCaul, asked the presidents of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras scrutinize those loans to Nicaragua.
In view of this, the organization Urnas Abiertas points out that this is a very important moment for international pressure to increase “so that the regime restores fundamental freedoms and democratic order, which includes setting a schedule for free, fair, competitive and integral elections.” ”.
Likewise, it refers that it is necessary for the presidents of Central America, founders of CABEI, to take forceful measures to restrict the funds that reach the Nicaraguan government through the bank, since to date they are accounted for at 3.5 billion dollars. .
It is important that the presidents of #Central Americafounders of CABEI, take forceful measures to restrict the funds that reach the Government of #Nicaragua through the bank, to date they are accounted for at 3 thousand 500 million dollars https://t.co/JkWy0UrzzX
— Open Ballot Boxes (@UrnasAbiertas) March 20, 2023
“At Urnas Abiertas we have pointed out the serious deficiencies in accountability and transparency that exist in Nicaragua. In addition, the UN GHREN has denounced the commission of crimes against humanity in the country with the participation of at least 7 public institutions,” the agency said through its social networks.
Open Polls stresses that it is important to increase the parameters of human rights and transparency and not continue doing business with a regime designated for this type of crime, because this only maintains a structure that operates for political persecution.
Analyst: triple pressure is needed
For the political analyst José Dávila, triple pressure is needed against CABEI so that they condition their contributions to a democratic opening in Nicaragua.
The first one that he mentions is against the bank as such so that it corrects its concept of development and does not continue to believe that development is only infrastructure, “for example roads and physical works, development is also the full experience of citizens of their freedoms and rights, their initiatives, their right to live in peace, and not under oppression”.
Another of the pressures is on the president of the bank, Dante Mossi, “who is seeking re-election in November of this year, and the governors, who are the ones who decide the destination of the bank’s projects and money, and by giving preferences to the Ortega regime, they put in their hands the propaganda that they are doing works for the people because of their generosity when they are loans that the people themselves have to pay”, he adds.
And thirdly, it refers to the need for pressure on CABEI’s extra-regional partners, such as Spain, Argentina, South Korea and Taiwan, among others, so that they condition their contributions to a democratic opening in Nicaragua.
Letters to Central American Presidents
The letter that the presidents of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the US Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives sent to the Central American presidents refer to the recent report by UN investigators, who found that in Nicaragua committed crimes against humanity.
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“In recent years, the United States has taken steps to increase scrutiny and reduce funding from multilateral institutions that would directly benefit the Ortega-Murillo regime. While the United States has ensured that funds remain available for initiatives that benefit the basic human needs of the Nicaraguan people, this heightened scrutiny has ensured that funds do not flow to the Ortega-Murillo regime,” the letter states.
“We urge your government to follow similar policies regarding CABEI loans,” they concluded.
Napoleón Campos, a specialist in international affairs, regional integration and migration, told the graphic press of El Salvador that this request took some by surprise and that it is evident that in said body “there is a clear political will for this to move away from of the internationally agreed democratic clauses for this bank and for other regional integration banks”.
Campos added that he applauds “that these congressmen extend this type of letter, because, I am sure, the presidents referred to in that letter have made CABEI, like Daniel Ortega, their petty cash; and they are not going to respond to that letter because, simply, they in turn are part of that same scheme to milk and distort the bank”.
