How long can pro/anti Nicaraguan government protesters avoid a clash...

M O N D A Y,  N O V E M B E R  2 3,   2 0 0 9

Managua - On Saturday, a show-down was avoided between pro and anti-government demonstrators, despite Ortega's warning that the police would take whatever action was necessary to stifle protest.

While there have been widespread accusations of fraud against Ortega's Sandinista National Liberation Front in last year's municipal elections, the outrage and anger was truly ignited when, on October 19th, the Presidential term-limit (2 non-consecutive terms max) enshrined in Nicaragua's constitution was scrapped! BY SIX SANDANISTA JUDGES!! The seven opposition judges swear they were not consulted or in any way involved with the ruling.

Now you may ask why the Supreme Court has the authority to change the constitution... IT DOESN'T! In fact Manuel Martinez (who just happens to be the Court President) says the Sandinista are conspiring against Nicaragua's democracy, and that constitutional amendments can only be enacted by the National Assembly.

Now Danny-Boy has been trying to scrap the limit (duh!) for awhile now, but the National  Assembly just kept telling him to take a flying leap at a rolling donut. So, he gets 109 Sandinista mayors to file a motion after all of the (majority) opposition judges had left the building. Now as much as that might sound like a move our Prime Minister would use, Ortega couldn't even get support for a referendum on the amendment, so he obviously has little support within the assembly or the population at large.

So Ortega (who can now run again in 2011 because of the move) says "The power is in the hands of the people, and that is not something that the oligarchs, the traitors and the imperialists like!" He added that there is no opportunity for appeal, saying that the ruling was "Carved in Stone".

U.S Ambassador Robert J. Callahan was reported to have said, "From our point of view, the Supreme Court acted improperly and with unusual speed, in secret, with the participation of judges from only one political movement and without any public debate or discussion. We're worried"

He's not alone! A close Nicaraguan friend is very concerned that things could very well escalate, and is urging her family to have travel plans on the ready!

I make no secret that I support the growth of Socialism within Central and South America to help forestall the continued pillaging of their natural resources by U.S. corporate interests, and I continue to believe that the people of Venezuela are far better off being in control of their own wealth. I also maintain the same cautious but heartfelt respect for Chavez as I did for Castro for most of my life.  But I have no faith in Danny the Dog's commitment to his people. It must be remembered that while Nicaragua, in it's current incarnation, is born of revolution, it remains a Republic. This requires that, left or right, the government must always answer to the people.

The Nicaraguan people survived 40 years of the Somoza family, followed by  ten years of the Sandinista... It's pretty obvious why they would have put a term-limit in their constitution. I know for a fact that they do not wish to lose what few checks and balances they have afforded to them. Ortega's assertion that this somehow empowers the people, as he removes a democratic right (and pits the population against each other), is absurd!