NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #30/NN_1992_30.iso/spool/misc/activism/progress/9342

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From: [e-mail] (Rich Winkel)
Subject: Nicanet Hotline 12/14/92
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/** reg.nicaragua: 73.0 **/
** Topic: NICANET HOTLINE -- 12/14/92 **
** Written  1:31 pm  Dec 14, 1992 by nicanet in cdp:reg.nicaragua **
            NICARAGUA NETWORK HOTLINE ** 202-544-9360

                         December 14, 1992

You have reached the Nicaragua Network Hotline recorded Monday,
December 14, 1992.   To reach our office, call: 202-544-9355.
Unless there is a breaking news story, this will be the final
hotline of 1992.  We will begin again on January 4, 1993.

Topics covered in this hotline include:  Nicaraguan government
projects growth in 1993; Some strikes settled; Chamorro may
suspend National Assembly's budget; Bush gives Medal of Freedom
to Schlaudeman; and, Nicaragua and Honduras establish military
relations.

We reported last week that representatives of donor countries,
non-governmental organizations, and international lenders met in
Nicaragua the previous week. In an update on that meeting we have
learned that in the economic picture presented by the government
to the delegates they projected an economic growth rate of 3.4%
for 1993.  The growth is projected based on extending
agricultural production in sesame, tobacco, bananas, coffee, and
crops for domestic consumption.  The government also projected a
3.8% increase in manufacturing and a 21% increase in
construction.  The delegates were also told that public
investment will total $280 million which will create 33,900 jobs
of which 13,600 will be directly from public investment.  The
Chamorro government does not have a particularly good track
record on economic predictions, but their presentation appears to
have satisfied the donor countries and lenders.  The government
also told the delegates that public sector wages will remain
frozen and that salaries will not be indexed to the cost of the
basic food basket, so it appears they will continue to ignore the
minimum wage law.  The release of $54 million in US aid has
restored some faith in the economy, and decreased some of the
pressure to devalue the cordoba.  The exchange rate is pegged at
5 cordobas to the dollar, but it had been selling on the black
market for 5.5 to 1.  For a short time after the aid release it
went down to 5.05 to the dollar and now has stabilized at 5.3 to
1.  The other $50 million in held up aid is supposed to be
released in January.  Helms aid Deborah DeMoss stuck her foot in
it again by accusing Finance Minister Emilio Pereira of signing
checks over to General Humberto Ortega for deposit in a personal
account in Canada.  Minister of Foreign Cooperation Erwin Kruger
called the accusation "another hysterical lie."

We also reported last week that the National Labor Front (FNT)
had called an indefinite national strike, a sort of rolling
strike through various industries.  That appears to have borne
some fruit as customs workers were able to reach a "highly
positive" negotiated agreement after a one day strike, the strike
of sugar mills ended with a partial agreement and continued
negotiations, and a strike against INE, the electric company was
also brought to a close.  The partial strike of hospitals

continues.  Last week we said the FNT march had turned out a
disappointing 3-5,000 protesters.  Other sources have reported a
much more impressive 15,000.  We have no way to independently
confirm either number, but the number of settled strikes would
seem to indicate that the FNT had not completely lost its clout.

The Nicaraguan Supreme Court has asked Chamorro to take
"pertinent actions" to pressure the National Assembly to abide by
the court's ruling that the legislature has been meeting
illegally during the FSLN and UNO Center Group boycott.  National
Assembly President Alfredo Cesar has rejected the Court's ruling
as just another opinion, although some of the UNO parties backing
him are considering withdrawing from the Assembly in order to
respect the Supreme Court ruling.  Chamorro is considering
suspending the Assembly's budget until it comes into compliance,
but Cesar had previously said he had lined up foreign money to
keep the Assembly operating if its budget is cut off.  There
appears to be no end in sight for this serious constitutional
crisis.

President Bush has awarded this nation's top civilian honor, the
Medal of Freedom, to former Ambassador to Nicaragua Harry
Schlaudeman, according to the New York Weekly News Update which
cited the Bloomington, Indiana, Herald-Times.  Schlaudeman has
been a hatchet man for the State Department going all the way
back to the Dominican Republic's 1963 coup and Allende's Chile.
Schlaudeman once said, "Force works. Before you try to win hearts
and minds, first you have to kill off the communist leaders."
Schlaudeman contributed to Chamorro's failure to solidify support
for her government because he continued to plot with Cesar and
other ultra-rightists to keep the pot stirred and promote US
government interests.  A new President in Washington will
hopefully not insult us with Medal of Freedom awards such as
this one.

And finally, at the invitation of the Chief of the Honduran Armed
Forces, Humberto Ortega recently visited Honduras for joint talks
between the two militaries.  This is the first meeting of the two
armed forces since the end of the contra war.  Honduras provided
sanctuary for the contras in exchange for massive US aid during
the 1980's.

To become a supporter and receive our publications and mailings,
please contact us.  The Nicaragua Network's address is: 1247 E
St., SE, Washington, DC  20003; our phone: [phone].
** End of text from cdp:reg.nicaragua **