I gather that we're supposed to understand this as a setback for democracy, though I don't really understand why. One would think that power alternating peacefully between the former parties to a violent civil war would be considered a triumph of democracy.
« Election Shocker | Main | Fuck You, GG Parker »
¡Sandinista!
07 Nov 2006 08:10 pm
Comments (10)
Actually, it is something of a setback. Since his revolutionary days, Ortega has transformed into a power-hungry autocrat. I don't remember all the details of El Pacto, but basically it allowed Ortega and another ex-president, Aleman (his major conservative rival), permanent immunity from prosecution, lifetime parliamentary appointments, and a way to stack the election council that escapes my mind. Leaving corruption aside, he may have abused his stepdaughter for a decade, plus his politics have run further and further to the right (now anti-abortion, pro-zona franca). So he's bad both substantively and procedurally.
Every person I talked to in Nicaragua about politics said "Soy Sandinista, pero no soy Danielista." As far as I could tell, he has nothing but arrogated political power and a cult of personality with a base I never met. (Maybe my view was skewed, never actually meeting his supporters.) I wasn't still in Nicaragua when Herty Lewites died, but in the spring everybody was excited to have a non-Ortega Sandinista to vote for. I don't know much about Lewites's politics, but that seemed to be a real loss for the cause of democracy in Nicaragua.
Also, I finally got Sandinista the album. Holy moly, is it ever good.
I agree with you- sounds like a fair election and sounds like a fair result. the time you know a place is a democracy is when the ruling party tolerates a peaceful change of power.
By that definition, Gracchi, it remains to be seen whether we are still in one!
I gather that we're supposed to understand this as a setback for democracy
Where do you gather that from?
It isn't a setback for democracy, though it is likely to be economically problematic for Nicaragua.
It's certainly going to be economically problematic if it means Oliver North starts blowing up their schools and bridges and hospitals again. That sort of thing can be a real economic drag.
Incidentally, is everyone really, really sure that the US is no longer selling Iran weapons? I ask because the last time tensions were this high between the two countries it turned out that various members of the US administration were making a good deal of money out of illegal arms sales to Iran. Seems like a good business model.
If you can find an Afghan rebel that the Moscow bullets missed, ask him what he thinks of voting Communist.
fair election??? please. if you do not know about the topic, be quiet so you can learn. the politics in nicaragua are extremely complicated and corrupt. suffice it to say in order for daniel to "win";
1. he purchased mayorals last march
2. he packed the courts to deny convictions of child rape and war crimes of genocide on indigenious people. convicted in international court btw.
3. using his purchased legislature the courts are now 100% sandinista
4. using his purchased power he changed the constitution to allow for 35% minimal from 45% percnt minimal vote to avoid run off. he has never polled over 40%.
5. the "pacto" relates to first aleman appointing rizo as the liberale opponent, then becoming daniels VP candidate in exchange for imunity. so daniel split the liberales ensuring he would not be blown out.
there are many other subtlties. family and culture trump ideology here. but if you think the village idiot jimmy carter means clean elections then you think chavez wins too. changing laws and shooting people to win is not a fair election. the democrats whining election fraud in the USA need to look south if they want to learn what fraud really is. fortunately after a few years of daniel, i am certain the nicaraguan people which is a wonderful culture and greatly fears the sandinistas will throw him out again if he trespasses on their derechos.
citizens of the USA have difficulty understanding the world because they speak only one language and rarely leave the country.
Comments closed November 21, 2006.
| 
Heads in the Sand
Matt, you have a very unsophisticated idea of democracy. It works like this: outcomes that are unpleasant to right-wing American elites are bad for democracy.
Posted by dj moonbat | November 7, 2006 8:24 PM