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LatinNews Daily - 8 April 2008

Regional elections suspended in Nicaragua

 Development: On 4 April the supreme electoral court (CSE) postponed regional elections in the North Atlantic Autonomous Region (Raan) until April 2009.

Significance: The ruling, backed by President Daniel Ortega and the ruling Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional (FSLN), has been heavily criticised by the opposition and is likely to result in continued tensions in the region which is home to various indigenous communities.

The possibility of suspending the November municipal elections in Waspam, Prinzapolka and Bilwi (also known as Puerto Cabezas), three provinces in the RAAN has been on the cards for several weeks; Ortega maintains that the conditions for voting do not exist due to damage caused by last September's Hurricane Felix.

The opposition, however, claim that the real reason is fear on the part of the FSLN that discontent in the region could translate into an electoral defeat. They also protest the move claiming that it is illegal and that only congress is authorised to make such a decision.
The immediate justification, however, for the ruling by the Sandinista-led court, was an outbreak of violence in Bilwi between members of the indigenous party Yatama, some of whom are allied to the FSLN, and a much larger opposition group. The latter had met with a delegation of liberal deputies who had travelled to the coast to investigate the situation.

Both the government and opposition, Partido Liberal Constitucionalista (PLC) have since accused each other of inciting the violence and rioting, with the FSLN filing a criminal accusation against one of the legislators, PLC deputy Enrique Quiñónez.

Separately, the first poll released regarding the Managua mayoral elections, due to take place in November, promise a tight contest. The survey by pollster M&R Consultores show Eduardo Montealegre, of the Alianza PLC-Vamos con Eduardo and FSLN candidate Alexis Argüello neck-and-neck with 32.1% each, far ahead of nearest competitor, Movimiento Renovador Sandinista (MRS) candidate Enrique Sáenz who took 3.4% of voting intention. Nevertheless a third of those questioned (30.1%) refused to disclose their preference.

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