Nicaragua News Service Published by the Nicaragua Network Education Fund Vol. 4, No. 30 July 28 - August 3, 1996 by Dee Mitchell MAJOR NEWS STORIES FOR THE WEEK: 1. Recovery from Hurricane Cesar continues. 2. Magda Flores de Tobie sentenced for July 19th deaths. 3. Electoral news briefs. 4. General news briefs. 5. Health/Environmental news. _______________________________________________________________________ 1. RECOVERY FROM HURRICANE CESAR CONTINUES. Recovery from Hurricane Cesar, which struck Nicaragua during the early morning hours of Sunday July 28, continues with new tallies daily on the amount of destruction and devastation. While initial reports estimated the monetary damage from the hurricane at between "US$11 - 14 million," it is quite likely that final estimates will be significantly higher. The hurricane, which was downgraded to Tropical Storm Douglas late Sunday, affected virtually all areas of Nicaragua, as well as Panama, Costa Rica, and Honduras. Hardest hit areas in Nicaragua were the Atlantic Coast region and the Corn Islands, although the Pacific side and northern Nicaraguan took a severe blow, as well. On the Atlantic Coast, people are still without basic services such as food, water, and shelter. While the Chamorro government organized relief efforts utilizing the Red Cross and Civil Defense, numerous complaints have been levied against the government claiming that it has not responded sufficiently or quickly enough to the emergency. In particular, Barricada, the FSLN newspaper, blasted the Chamorro government on Monday for "its total lack of feeling for the suffering poor sectors of the country." Members of the FSLN worked throughout the week to help the poorest barrios along the shores of Lake Managua in the capital which were virtually obliterated by the hurricane. Carlos Silva Fagoth, director of the Government Press Information Center in Puerto Cabezas, stated that "the government hasn't done anything for the people...[and] the outbreaks of disease are only going to get worse." The Ministry of Health (MINSA) issued alerts this week concerning an alarming increase in epidemics. In particular, MINSA officials stated that hemorrhagic dengue, classic dengue, cholera, leptospirosis, dysentery, malaria, diarrhea, yellow fever, and various other respiratory diseases were beginning to spiral out of control in some regions. On the Pacific coast, MINSA sent out some thirty health brigades to poor communities to try and combat the spread of disease. Another concern at the moment is the devastation to agriculture. According to Salvador Robelo, vice-minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cattle Ranchers (MAG), some 25,000 acres of crops were destroyed in several regions. The loss of agricultural crops has led to a sharp increase in the price of basic food supplies such as beans, corn, sorgum and sugar. To date, the only major crop not affected by price increases is rice. While both the Nicaraguan and international communities have responded with enormous generosity, more aid is desperately needed. Within Nicaragua, various companies such as Texaco, Esso, Solka Laboratories, and Shell, along with organizations such as World Vision collected some US$60 million in donations of food, clothing, cooking utensils, medicines, and other items. The United Nations has pledged some US$300 million to help with recovery, while the United States donated $25 million, and Norway gave over $30 million in aid. On July 31, the Nicaraguan Civil Defense League used the Internet to call for even more assistance and to distribute the following preliminary data on the destruction caused by the hurricane: Affected population = 100,000 Refugees = 25,718 Refugee Centers = 94 Affected communities = 148 Deaths = 9 Serious injuries = 8 Missing/Disappeared = 34 The Civil Defense League asked for some 2,000 tons of food, material to reconstruct more than 2,300 dwellings, and as much in the way of medical supplies as possible. Also desperately needed is fuel, including gasoline, diesel, and kerosene. (Barricada, El Nuevo Diario, La Prensa, La Tribuna 28, 29, 30, 31 July, 1, 2, 3 August; Internet 31 July.) Anyone desiring to contribute to hurricane relief may contact the Nicaragua Network Education Fund at (202) 544-9355. Aid will be routed through the largest and most respected non-governmental organizations working on hurricane recovery, the Augusto C. Sandino Foundation (FACS). Make your check out to NNEF and mail it to Nicaragua Network Education Fund, 1247 "E" Street SE, Washington, DC 20003. The money will then be wired to the FACS. 2. MAGDA FLORES DE TOBIE SENTENCED FOR JULY 19th DEATHS. Magda Flores de Tobie, the woman who purposely ran down and killed four Sandinista bicyclists on their way to the July 19th celebration of the 17th anniversary of the 1979 revolution in Managua, was sentenced this week to thirty years in prison. Managuan District Court Judge Luz Amparo Caldera imposed the maximum sentence allowable by law for charges of "inhuman murder, severe injuries, and destruction of property." A panel of three psychiatrists in a Managuan hospital examined Sra. Flores de Tobie during the first part of this week and concluded that she was "fully conscious of her actions" at the time of the incident. Other psychiatrists, however, are disagreeing with the diagnosis, as is Flores' new defense attorney, Owyn Hodgson. One psychiatrist, Dr. Jose Ayerdis, states that Flores suffers from "Ganser syndrome" which affects a person's ability to control their impulses. Attorney Hodgson said that he will appeal the sentencing stating that he was not allowed to present a proper defense. Flores' former attorney, Ignacio Miranda Chamorro was dismissed by the family earlier in the week for "ineffectiveness" and "passivity" toward the case. Hodgson states that Judge Caldera rushed to a decision because this case is loaded with "political implications." Hodgson is calling for a second opinion by a new panel of psychiatrists, arguing that Flores is indeed "mentally unstable" and "unable to distinguish reality" as she alternately claims either to be the Virgin Mary or to be speaking for her. Barricada reported that Flores claimed to hear "angelic voices" that told her to kill the bicyclists because they were Sandinistas. When asked by a friend if she had any animosity toward the Sandinistas, Flores replied "the Sandinistas have done a lot of damage to Nicaragua." At the sentencing, however, Flores cried that she "couldn't repent because [she] hadn't done anything." She stated that "In all my life I've never killed so much as a dog." La Prensa states that some unnamed colleagues of Judge Caldera are questioning the sentencing of Flores, as well. Other judges are stating that Flores should have been charged with "homicide" which carries a much stiffer penalty, but the judges anonymously agreed that the sentencing was "a delicate situation because it was so full of political tension." (La Prensa 30 July, 1, 3, Aug; La Tribuna 31 July, 1, 3 Aug; Nuevo Diario 30, 31 July, 2, 3, Aug; Barricada 28, 30, 31, July, 3 August.) 3. ELECTORAL NEWS BRIEFS. Despite the fact that all political parties and associations have been campaigning vigorously for many months, Friday, August 2, marked the "official" day of the beginning of the electoral campaign for the upcoming October elections. Celebrations were held throughout Nicaragua by the different campaigns. Additionally, candidates from each party and association signed an "Ethics Accord" promising to respect the integrity of the elections and the electoral campaign. The 18 point document on ethics, which was endorsed by Dr. Oscar Santamaria, head of the Organization of American States (OEA) delegation, condemns violence of any sort during the campaign and calls for all parties to respect the political propaganda of opponents. The ethics agreement also calls for "respect for human dignity and rights" and for a "free electoral process...just and honest." Also, the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE) announced that as of August 2nd, all political parties and associations will now be limited in the amount of radio and television time each may use for campaigning. Dr. Rosa Marina Zelaya, president of the CSE, stated that with the "official" start of the campaign season, according to Article 94 of the Electoral Law, all parties and associations are limited to thirty minutes daily on television and forty-five minutes daily on radio. They are also limited to only two pages of advertisements in the newspapers. (La Tribuna 30 July, 2 Aug; Nuevo Diario, Barricada 1, 2 Aug; La Prensa 2 Aug.) Barricada maintains that there are only two "real contenders" for president--Daniel Ortega of the FSLN and Arnoldo Aleman of the Liberal Alliance. La Prensa also states that a survey done by the Costa Rican opinion research group "Borges and Associates," lists Aleman as the favorite to win a plurality of votes in the first round of elections, but gives Ortega a large percentage of support as well. According to a survey of registered Nicaraguan voters, 40.4% were in favor of Aleman, while 30.1% wanted Ortega for president. Sergio Ramirez of the Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS) registered a mere 2.2%, and controversial United Liberal Party (PUL) presidential candidate Haroldo Montealegre received only 0.8%. [If no candidate wins 45% of the vote, a runoff election will have to be held in December, according to ammendments to the Constitution passed in 1995.] (Barricada 2 Aug; La Prensa 31 July.) In the meantime, the CSE has yet to make a decision as to the eligibility of Haroldo Montealegre to run which is questioned because of confusion about his citizenship. Opponents of the PUL candidate are still claiming that he is a U.S. citizen. Montealegre, on the other hand, held an "impromptu," but highly orchestrated demonstration in front of CSE offices this week with his supporters chanting his name. La Prensa, a competing newspaper to Montealegre's La Tribuna, claims that the rally was held "in desperation" to try and convince the CSE that he is not a U.S. citizen. La Tribuna reported that Montealegre "is confident the CSE will find him innocent [of having renounced his Nicaraguan citizenship]." Montealegre also stated that the CSE "is under lots of strong political pressure from various political groups" to disqualify him, but he "is Nicaraguan...always has been and has never renounced [his] citizenship." Montealegre directly accused Arnoldo Aleman of "heading the campaign to perpetuate corruption in Nicaragua." (La Tribuna, Nuevo Diario, Barricada 1 Aug; La Prensa 29 July, 1 Aug.) 4. GENERAL NEWS BRIEFS. Peter Tarnoff, the United States Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs announced this week that the U.S. government will continue to give financial assistance to Nicaragua in the upcoming year, waiving a legal requirement to suspend aid over the issue of property seized from U.S. citizens during the years of Sandinista government. Most of these U.S. citizens acquired their citizenship only years after their property was confiscated. Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Ernesto Leal reports that thousands of property cases have been resolved since 1990. (La Tribuna places the number of resolved property cases at 2340, while Barricada states that more than 4200 cases have been resolved.) To date, some 900-1000 properties are still in question. The Chamorro government has promised to continue to work on resolving the property problem, and places all the blame for the confusion of ownership on the Sandinistas. Tarnoff also stated that Nicaragua must "continue the promotion of democratic, economic, political and social" reconstruction in order to continue receiving U.S. aid for the 1996-1997 period. (Barricada 30 July, 2 Aug; Nuevo Diario 30 July; La Tribuna 28, 30 July; La Prensa 30 July.) In the meantime, Emilio Pereira, Nicaraguan Minister of Finance is going to meet with Senator Jesse Helms, chair of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee to discuss problems associated with the confiscations, and also to seek possible financial aid for the elections. (La Tribuna 30 July.) August 1st marked the beginning of the ten day celebration of the patron saint of Managua, Santo Domingo de Guzman. This year, the National Police have assigned more than 400 policemen to try and keep order during the celebration which La Prensa described as "happiness, fervor, and vandalism." The festival honors a saint from the 12th century. Traditionally, many people party heavily throughout the first and last days of the celebration, drinking, dancing, and "blessing" each other with axle-grease. Due to the increase in youth gangs in Managua, police are being extra cautious this year to make sure there is as little violence as possible. On the first day some 60 people were detained by the police for various infractions. Police are also trying to limit the shooting off of the enormous "bombas" or huge firecrackers so popular in Nicaragua. The police have declared (to little avail) that it is now illegal to shoot "bombas" from 11 pm until 7 am. (La Prensa, Barricada, La Tribuna, Nuevo Diario 1, 2 Aug.) 5. HEALTH/ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS. The Ministry of Health (MINSA) has declared that the Department of Jinotega is suffering a "critical health situation" this year with some 9800 cases of diarrhea reported, 130 cases of cholera, 888 cases of malaria, 32 cases of classical dengue, and over 3,000 respiratory infections. (La Tribuna 29 July.) The Department of Granada is reporting more than 900 cases of malaria in 1996 alone. MINSA is calling for the government to do more to fight infectious diseases in Nicaragua. (La Prensa 30 July.)