by the El Reportero’s news services
Daniel Ortega
Nicaragua celebrated on Monday, July 20, 2009, the 30t Anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution.
But for Dora Maria Téllez, her achievements as a Sandinista guerrilla commander 30 years ago earned her a place in the pantheon of Nicaragua’s revolutionary heroes.
But while thousands will flood the streets of Managua tomorrow to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Sandinista victory over the dictator Anastasio Somoza, Dora Maria Téllez will stay away.
Ms Téllez is one of a growing number of Sandinistas who have broken with the government of Daniel Ortega as, they say, he completes his transformation from revolutionary to “caudillo” — one of the Latin American despots he once so despised.
“We are nearing a dictatorship,” Ms Téllez told The Times. “He is concentrating power, buying officials, eliminating institutions, creating the conditions to advance his own authoritarian project.All that he needs now is to remain in power,” she said in a reference to Mr Ortega’s plans for constitutional reform allowing him to stand for re-election when his term expires.
“He needs only parliamentary approval to do so,” she noted, adding: “He doesn’t have the votes yet, but he is close. And he will buy the ones he needs.”
(Reported Hannah Strange in Managua in Managua).
Honduras talks break up without deal
On July 19 the mediation talks between the de facto and elected governments of Honduras broke up without an agreement.
The sticking point was the de facto government’s refusal to countenance the return of President Manuel Zelaya as president, even as a president shorn of a lot of his powers and under international supervision.
This hard line looks like a mistake because it enabled the elected president Manuel Zelaya, who has previously fl oundered in the PR battle, to claim that his opponents were “arrogant” and “intransigent”.
Honduras’ de facto leader came under increased pressure on Monday July 20 to hand power back to the ousted president with Europe halting economic aid and top Latin American officials warning of bloodshed if he does not back down.
Efforts to broker an end to the power struggle in Honduras following a June 28 military coup collapsed on Sunday after interim leader Roberto Micheletti rejected a proposal to reinstate overthrown President Manuel Zelaya.
Costa Rican President Oscar Arias, the frustrated peacemaker in the talks, asked both sides to give him until Wednesday to broker a solution to the crisis. But Micheletti, who was appointed by Honduras’ Congress after the coup, appeared unwilling to compromise despite being shunned by foreign governments.
Now come the regional implications of the Honduras coup.
The almost slow-motion coup that led to the elected Zelaya, leaving his palace for the airport and exile in his pyjamas and at gunpoint was condemned by every government
in the region and every multilateral organization that mattered. But, as this is written,
almost three weeks later, Zelaya looks as far from being restored as he was when he was ousted.
However, papers around Latin America have reported that Zelaya has started to organize an insurrection, which according to the Honduran Constitution, said the ousted president, the people has the right to lift up in arms against the illegitimate government.
The European Commission tightened the screws on Micheletti on Monday by suspending all budgetary 5support payments to his government.
It had earmarked 65.5 million euros ($92.73 million) in payments in the 2007-10 period.
As the interim government digs in its heels, more diplomatic and economic sanctions are expected in coming days. Latin American leaders fear violence in the impoverished Central American country unless Micheletti steps aside.
García battens down the hatches in cabinet reshuffle
Peru’s President Alan García has entrusted the formation of a new cabinet to Javier Velásquez Quesquén, the head of congress and a stalwart member of the ruling Partido Aprista Peruano (PAP), after Yehude Simon presented his irrevocable resignation. Velásquez Quesquén duly appointed seven new ministers while holding on to nine members of Simon’s cabinet. His appointment was roundly condemned by the opposition, trade unions and indigenous groups for failing to address the causes of the regional social protests which brought down Simon. (Latin News and World News contribute to the report.)
