HCR252DEC16

TheWeekInCongress.com

Week Ending December 16, 2005

H.CON.RES.252 Expressing the sense of Congress that the Government of the United States should actively support the aspirations of the democratic political and social forces in the Republic of Nicaragua toward an immediate and full restoration of functioning democracy in that country.

<< Click flag for map and country data, Nicaragua

BRIEF

During the latter years of the Reagan administration several members of his administration were convicted of a variety of charges for an illegal arms deal that sold weapons to Iran and used the money to fund what Mr. Reagan considered freedom fighters in Nicaragua. The matter became known as Iran / Contra Affair. Since then, much has happened in that Central American country including a move towards democratic reforms and most recently a free trade agreement with the US. However, recent events there indicate a shift in power away from capitalism and democracy to a more socialistic approach to governing the people. This Resolution would address those suspected activities and gives The House’s opinion of them.

The Resolution preamble concludes that the opposition to Democracy is the Sandinistas, the opposition group back in the 1980s. From jail, the preamble says, the Sandinistas influence the Nicaraguan legislature.

The Resolution condemns the alleged manipulation of the legislature and the Nicaraguan Constitution and recommends in a fashion that traditionally opens the door to political, economic or military involvement in countries Congress has a problem with. The Resolution states, “It should be the policy of the United States to actively support the aspirations of the democratic political forces in Nicaragua for a full restoration of democracy and the rule of law in Nicaragua, headed by leaders who are committed to democracy and who deserve the trust of the Nicaraguan people.”

Sponsor: Representative Dan Burton (R-IN-5^th)

Vote: Passed House by voice vote December 14, 2005.

Cost to the taxpayers: No discernible cost.

MORE INFORMATION

Expressing the sense of Congress that the Government of the United States should actively support the aspirations of the democratic political and social forces in the Republic of Nicaragua toward an immediate and full restoration of functioning democracy in that country.

Whereas the United States is strongly committed to promoting freedom, democracy, and the rule of law;

Whereas the Charter of the Organization of American States, of which the United States and Nicaragua are Member States, stipulates that `[t]he peoples of the Americas have a right to democracy and their governments have an obligation to promote and defend it';

Whereas after experiencing a quarter century ago a revolution, loss of personal liberties, destruction of property, and economic instability, the people of Nicaragua are building a democratic form of government;

Whereas jailed ex-President Arnoldo Aleman and Sandinista Liberation Front (FSLN) leader Daniel Ortega have entered into an agreement widely known throughout Nicaragua as the `Pact', to control the National Assembly in order to exploit its legislative powers to undermine the Nicaraguan Constitution, the Presidency of Enrique Bolanos, and all institutions of representative democratic governance;

Whereas Pactist politicians currently control and dominate the Supreme Court, the Electoral Council, the Comptroller's office, and the Human Rights ombudsman's office; and

Whereas polls indicate that an overwhelming percentage of Nicaraguans oppose the Aleman-Ortega Pact, and tens of thousands of Nicaraguans took to the streets in the past year to call for an end to the Pact: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That--

(1) Congress--

(A) strongly condemns the Aleman-Ortega Pact as detrimental to democracy in the Republic of Nicaragua, the future of democracy in Nicaragua, and the stability of the entire region;

(B) strongly condemns constitutional reforms passed by the Pact-controlled National Assembly that stripped important executive branch authorities from the Nicaraguan presidency;

(C) strongly condemns the Pact-controlled National Assembly's actions to stack the Nicaraguan Supreme Court with Pact loyalists, some of whom have had their United States visas revoked on the ground of corruption;

(D) strongly condemns the Pact-controlled National Assembly's efforts to remove democratically-elected President Enrique Bolanos on dubious legal grounds;

(E) strongly condemns the Pact-controlled National Assembly's attempts to remove from office senior officials of the executive branch on dubious legal grounds; and

(F) supports the efforts of Nicaraguan democratic civil society to create the necessary conditions for free and fair elections; and

(2) it is the sense of Congress that--

(A) it should be the policy of the United States to actively support the aspirations of the democratic political forces in Nicaragua for a full restoration of democracy and the rule of law in Nicaragua, headed by leaders who are committed to democracy and who deserve the trust of the Nicaraguan people;

(B) it should be the policy of the United States to work with the international community, including the Organization of American States, to assist democratic forces in Nicaragua to restore full democracy to their country;

(C) it should be the policy of the United States to oppose all political elements that continue to subvert Nicaraguan democracy;

(D) it is critical that the 2006 elections in Nicaragua are free and fair and provide the winner of the election a clear mandate to govern the country; and

(E) the President of the United States, acting through the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, should provide assistance grants to nongovernmental organizations in support of President Bolanos' call for the international community to assist in and monitor the 2006 election process in order to ensure the integrity of the process.

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