Citizens Power Councils

Submitted by Daddy-YO on 4 May, 2008 - 10:53.

"Nicaraguan Councils Stir Fear of Dictatorship" That’s the headline from today’s NY Times article by James C. McKinley Jr. It's written with fair balance, lots of pros & lots of cons, but clearly it's an alarm for the potential 'abuse of power'.

We've all seen the billboards with president Ortega saying, "The world’s poor arise!" The Times notes, "... beneath the billboards, on walls and benches all over Managua, is scrawled "No to CPC. No to dictatorship."

To quote further (no cost subscription to read online), "In December, Mr. Ortega established the neighborhood committees, which are controlled by his left-wing Sandinista party and administer antipoverty programs, despite a vote against the plan by the National Assembly. . . . . Mr. Ortega, a former Marxist guerrilla leader, maintains that the councils are meant only to let community leaders have a say in where and how government money is spent. But opposition leaders say the councils are another step in what they call the Ortega administration’s drift toward an authoritarian and secretive government that does not have to answer to the legislature — mostly because the president controls tens of millions of dollars a year in aid from Venezuela. . . .

"Last year, Nicaragua and Venezuela signed a deal that opposition leaders and budget experts say has given Mr. Ortega’s administration essentially a slush fund outside the national budget, worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year. Venezuela supplies about 10 million barrels of oil a year. Nicaragua pays half the market price and has 23 years to pay off the rest at 2% interest. The deal hands Nicaragua what amounts to a large low-interest loan every month for infrastructure projects and social programs. But the loans are not reflected in the national budget, since the transactions are handled through a quasi-public company called Albanisa and the state-owned oil company, Petronic. (The treasurer of the Sandinista party, Francisco López, also runs Petronic and is a vice president of Albanisa.) The Ortega administration has never given a full accounting to the legislature of how the money is spent. . . .

"The network of CPCs is overseen by Rosario Murillo, Ortega’s wife and communications director, who is widely seen here as a powerful political figure. She did not respond to a request for an interview.... Each council has 15 members, ... the vast majority are Sandinistas. The committees decide which stores will handle the subsidized food ..., which streets will be paved ..., which women will receive low-income loans ... , which farmers will get free cattle, pigs and seeds ... and oversee vaccinations and literacy classes. ... All are volunteers and get no pay, though some have government jobs." The Managua CPC has 4 non-FSLN members.

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cpc's

Submitted by pcnren on 11 May, 2008 - 17:00.

La Dalia has very political CPC's. They butt themselves in affairs where the gov't doesn't belong. Not to mention, the political parties are so polarized, that there is DEFINTIELY discrimination of PLC's in strong FSLN towns and vice versa. I personally know of people that state such discrimination as reasons for being denied employment, denied health care at the health centers, and maltreatment. Now, I realize that there could be some paranoia on their parts, and you can't make a general statement that its ALWAYS about what party they belong to. But sometimes it is, and la dalia is super sandanista. The red and black flags fly on top of the Enitel towers like a pirate ship flag. And these good friends of mine who are liberal feel that sort of discrimination because of the prickly political enviornment.

The CPC sounds good in the general sense, can't hurt to have a system of checks and balances. But, as many forms of power in Nicaragua, its abused. Some of these poorer campo towns just don't have the capacity or resources such as SJDS, and its more of an every man for himself kind of situation. Based on my many discussions about the CPC with FSLN'ers and non-FSLN'ers, everyone seems to be a little weary of what they say and how they act.

More online info on CPC’s

Submitted by Daddy-YO on 11 May, 2008 - 13:47.

The NY Times article still heads its ‘World news - Americas’ page online, a week later.

For more history of Nicaragua’s CPC’s see COHA (below) for a balanced report by Dr. F.J. Kendrick posted Feb 4, 2008. Some interesting bits, “plans are to have at least 20,000 CPC’s in operation, with more than a million members, by early 2008.” “The outstanding models for Nicaraguan direct democracy are the ‘Communal Councils’ of Venezuela, and the ‘Popular Power’ assemblies of Cuba.”

Details on the oppositions’ battle against CPC’s in the Legislature and Supreme Court are very informative. The reason for their distrust may have been their experience with the “infamous Sandinista Defense Committees (CDS) ... during the 1980’s ... neighborhood groups ... organized by the FSLN ... used to help ‘defend the revolution’ and report on dissenters and ‘traitors.’

source: http://www.coha.org/category/nicaragua/ title: “Nicaragua: The Second Coming of Daniel Ortega”

Which comes first?

Submitted by fyl on 4 May, 2008 - 11:42.

Quite sincerely, I don't know whether to be concerned or not about CPC makeup. Four of 15 in Managua being non-FSLN makes it sound like it is not an exclusive club. Maybe it should be 6 or 8 or 10 but, on the other hand, as the CPCs are seen as an "FSLN thing", it is reasonable to expect that others don't want to join.

The income stream issues are, well, more troubling. But, that also has two sides. I know a lot of usanos that don't want the government in the business of social programs. So, CPCs not being the government will be a plus.

All in all, I see the reason for concern but on the ground, the CPCs probably make sense. The government itself is politicized—for example, being an FSLN supporter in Estelí will get you priority with regard to government services. While it shoudn't be that way, the reality is it is, it has been for a long time and it is unlikely to change any time soon.

'Slush Fund'

Submitted by Daddy-YO on 6 May, 2008 - 12:14.

Sounds like something produced when you flip the handle on the toilet, or something that lay in the gutter with the dirty water-ice mix at the end of winter.

As soon as I read it in the NY Times article, I thought of Nixon's Watergate 'slush fund', then, of course, Reagan-North's Iran-Contra 'slush fund'. Clearly, people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. When it comes to outside money manipulating politics, politicians & people, I don't believe there's anywhere left unaffected in today's global economy. Americans may be best aware of it in their own Homeland, to wit, Washington, DC, "is an occupied city, a company town, whose population of lobbyists constitute the permanent government. ... There are now twenty-five lobbyists for every member of Congress." (Bill Moyer's Journal, PBS, 22 June 2007). They earn big bucks, for a reason. Kind of makes you rethink 'representative democracy'.

In fairness note that this tsunami of dollars does not come from only one source, but often competing voices. It's monolithic & secretive government, Big Brother stuff, that frightens me. I agree, it’s too early to judge unfairly these CPCs. But should Nicas wait until the next election? Or will it be too late? People's greatest hope for governments everywhere is transparency and balance of power. Would that the Press and the opposition keep digging to drag the truth into the sunlight for all to see.

______________ P.S. Looks like the full NY Times article got copied & pasted here again, at, http://www.nicaliving.com/node/12108

What is a USANO?

Submitted by bluewater on 4 May, 2008 - 15:08.

It appears from your postings that those who differ from your views are USANOS. Please define this term so so we can be clear as to your meaning. Are USANOS contra revolucionarios as exemplified by President Ortega in his speech on the 30th of April? Are they unrepentant savage capitalists or simply misguided souls who need a visit to a reeducation camp for doctrinal enlightenment? I fear that you mean "gusanos" or worms and maggots a term used by Cuban government officials to type cast those who dissent from established government policy.

usano or ?

Submitted by fyl on 4 May, 2008 - 17:18.

This comes up every six months or so. There is nothing political about this "expression" in my book. It is just shorthand for "person of the Unites States of America".

Where I used usano in this topic, I see nothing that indicates disagreement (or agreement) with my views. I was just stating a fact. It does, however, show but another case where some would find the use of the word "American" as potentially misleading.

Ok, I said it. Let the political fight for the correct word begin again. :-)

Better to think about your use of the term

Submitted by bluewater on 4 May, 2008 - 18:55.

Better not to provoke a fight over a silly, inaccurate and admittedly misleading term than to inspire you to take a moment for self reflection on a generalized and biased perspective of citizens, residents (both legal and illegal) and expats coming from the USA.

What do you suggest?

Submitted by fyl on 4 May, 2008 - 19:56.

For some, me included, American refers to people from The Americas. What do you suggest as a reasonable way to identify those I refer to as usanos?

Such a terrible ambiguity!

Submitted by dixietraveller on 5 May, 2008 - 04:04.

Well, if the ambiguity of just plain "American" is just too terrible a burden to bear, you can try "U.S. American) or, if you really like introducing new words, what about "unitedstater" (or just "ustater"), or "usaer?" Then there's the old standby, "Murcan!" :-)

O quantum est in rebus inane! / A palabras necias, oídos sordos.

I know the answer! The answer lies within the heart of all mankind! The answer is twelve? I think I'm in the wrong building. - Peanuts (Charles M. Schulz)

Usano

Submitted by Alra on 4 May, 2008 - 19:27.

A person from Mexico is a Mexic-ano, from Peru is a Peru-ano, from Colombia is a colombi-ano, from the U.S. is a US-ano,

Al

someone

Submitted by Che Guevara on 6 May, 2008 - 16:41.

someone from canada is canadian or slang is canuck. so someone from america is americian or slang would be amuck?

when government grows, liberty yields, thomas jefferson

ooooh _

Submitted by dixietraveller on 5 May, 2008 - 03:54.

Now "ano" opens an entirely new can of worms! Why that could really cause some riots in a bar! :-)

O quantum est in rebus inane! / A palabras necias, oídos sordos.

I know the answer! The answer lies within the heart of all mankind! The answer is twelve? I think I'm in the wrong building. - Peanuts (Charles M. Schulz)

well said

Submitted by dirtbag on 4 May, 2008 - 20:08.

and I'm a Scots-ano, Actually when I'm in Nicaragua I'm just an outsider happy to be there.

Scotland

Submitted by Alra on 6 May, 2008 - 13:36.

Hola D.B. You are an Escoces, but you can be an Escotsi-ano either way it does not change the quality of your Whiskey or the fine traits or your personality.

Cheers,

Al

Thanks so much

Submitted by dirtbag on 6 May, 2008 - 14:46.

Lang may yer Lum Reek. And I have a single malt at home just for you.

doubled up for some reason

Submitted by arlington on 4 May, 2008 - 12:18.

and now it's gone

Oops

Submitted by fyl on 4 May, 2008 - 12:52.

You were probably busy changing the dup while I was busy deleting the other copy.

maybe they should have called them

Submitted by arlington on 4 May, 2008 - 11:39.

maybe they should have called them . . . faith based initiatives

The NY Times' article on CDCs

Submitted by Daddy-YO on 4 May, 2008 - 11:39.

Looks like Katica500 has copied the whole NY Times article and posted it here, http://www.nicaliving.com/node/12088 (Sorry I missed it.) Curiously they changed the title, though the contents look the same. (I hesitated to copy & paste all, for its length & copyright fears.) I would guess the new title tones down the impact of ‘patronage‘. It’s the opposition that would like to view this as FSLN’s ‘patron’ system, but there’s still room for debate, not a lot though.

The ‘patron’ or owner of the land and, effectively, all the peons working (for pitiful wages) on it, is vilified in all modern latino movies & soaps. A carry-over from feudal Spanish America, it is still widely practiced throughout Latin America.

CPCs are they really a political instrument?

Submitted by nicareal on 4 May, 2008 - 15:43.

I can not speak for other towns but here in SJDS we seem to have a number of them. Every barrio seems to have its own version. I was invited to join the one in our little community. While I was hesitant at first, after the first meeting I realized that the items discussed had nothing to do with politics whatsoever. The discussions centered on how to get everyone to cut their "rondos" and how we get the town to improve the roads. As in most places in Nicaragua, people are more interested in the every day problems than in politics.

Will the CPSs be a strong political instrument? I don't think so.

the biggest fear is....

Submitted by Pinolero2 on 6 May, 2008 - 15:53.

Ortega was in power once and he failed!! He is now in power and it seems he is headed the same path. CPCs where stablished during his ERA,and thats were the fear lies. Back in the early 80s when the CPCs where in effect,(back then called CDSs,short for,Comite De Defensa Sandinista) and believe me back then the CPCs were nothing to be proud of,they were looked at as snitches/Orejas of the ruling party,furthermore the vast majority of the heads of the CPCs were crooks who stole the funds gathered by the CPCs,hell I even know a head CPCs person who in mi Barrio,Stole the money the CPCs had collected to do a road repair and used it to come to the U.S.A.

FAP

Thanks for your input, nicareal

Submitted by Daddy-YO on 5 May, 2008 - 12:42.

First-hand accounts are invaluable in putting 'news' in proper perspective.

Update

Submitted by nicareal on 8 May, 2008 - 16:00.

It sure looks as if our roads will be fixed before the start of the heavy rains this year. I am certain that this would NOT be happening without the combined strength of the community. Everyone is contributing in various forms, some with money others with labor. The fact is, we now have a CPC and it is working for the better of our little community. This seems to be the first time here that everyone is on the same team.

For us it's "Gracias Daniel!". Without the CPC as an instrument this would not be happening.

By the way, so far still no one even mentioned politics at any of the meetings.