Congressman José E. Serrano
Serrano: “U.S. is Completely Neutral in Nicaraguan Elections”
URGES ALL U.S. OFFICIALS TO MAINTAIN IMPARTIALITY
Washington, DC – October 31, 2006 –Congressman José E. Serrano urged all U.S. officials to maintain a completely neutral stance regarding the outcome of upcoming Nicaraguan elections. Recent commentary by executive branch and State Department officials has given a skewed view of the official U.S. position of impartiality.
“It is simply unacceptable for American officials to pretend our government will take punitive measures if Daniel Ortega is elected president in Nicaragua,” Serrano said. “Our position should be clear: we support free and fair elections and will work with the winner as we would any other elected head of state in the world. Perhaps some in the executive branch and elsewhere have forgotten that the U.S. does not have the right to intervene in other nations’ affairs. They would better serve our nation’s interests in democracy and rule of law by avoiding partisan commentary about other nation’s elections and candidates. To do otherwise is unseemly and counterproductive.”
“The history of the United States’ role in Nicaragua – particularly with regard to Daniel Ortega – is such that any statements made by public officials must be weighed very carefully,” Serrano added. “It seems that some U.S. officials have forgotten that history and forgotten the proper role of our government. I urge them to withdraw their statements, and cease support for any particular outcome in this contest. The free exercise of democracy should be their only goal in the Nicaraguan elections.
“I am particularly troubled by the statements of Embassy spokesperson Kristin Stewart. She publicly linked Ortega with terrorist groups and said that the U.S. would revise its policy toward the Nicaraguan government should he win. I believe her words were unfortunate and wrong, and merit a withdrawal. Electioneering is not the proper role of an Embassy or its spokesperson.”
Stewart told the Nicaraguan newspaper La Prensa that “If a foreign government has a relationship with terrorist organizations, like the Sandinistas did in the past; U.S. law permits us to apply sanctions. [...] Again, it will be necessary to revise our policies if Ortega wins.”
“I also view as inappropriate the thinly-veiled economic threats that Secretary Gutierrez made in recent days,” Serrano added. “Our trade with Nicaragua will be unharmed by the election of either candidate, contrary to what he asserted. The Secretary should not try to influence foreign elections with his statements.”
Gutierrez said: “It is not a secret that when [Ortega’s] party was in power many years ago, the relationship with the United States suffered a great deal, and trade between both countries dropped significantly. [...] These elections are very important and we want the Nicaraguan people remember the important economic relationship between both countries and that this is not a moment to put this at risk.”
“I pledge that I will do everything in my power to make sure that the government of the United States will respect the wishes of the Nicaraguan people regardless of who wins their presidential election,” Serrano concluded. “Our nation desires nothing more than a flourishing democracy in Nicaragua.”
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Congressman José E. Serrano has represented the Bronx in the House of Representatives since 1990.
