On August 19 the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), awarded the “IFAD Award 2021,” for Gender Equality to the Government of Nicaragua. The Minister of Finance, Iván Acosta said that IFAD’s selection committee awarded one country per region. The implementation of policies, programs and strategies has been a government commitment to guarantee equal opportunities for women social, political and economic spaces, with special attention to rural women allowing empowerment and active protagonism of women as agents of change for the transformation of family life and the country’s economy. The award will be made in a virtual ceremony in October. Radio La Primerisima, 19 August 2021
A 5% Salary increase went into effect in August. It was announced by President Ortega in his July 19th speech. This is possible due to the careful fiscal discipline that the country has achieved, according to economist Frank Matus. (Radio La Primerisima, 20 July, 2021) Also in his speech President Ortega announced that since 2007 the Sandinista government has delivered 500,380 property titles to families throughout the country. (July 19 Speech, President Daniel Ortega, 19 July 2021)
The Ministry of Health inaugurated the expanded virology and tuberculosis laboratory at the National Center for Diagnosis and Reference. The US$1 million lab was financed by the General Budget and will increase capacity to diagnose known diseases such as Dengue, Chikungunya, Zika, Leptospirosis, Tuberculosis and HIV, and investigate highly infectious organisms capable of causing public health problems. (Nicaragua News, 15 July 2021)
Road Section in El Rama Finished
The 11- kilometer road section between El Areno and Monte Rosa, in the municipality of El Rama, was inaugurated July 22 benefiting 60,000 citizens; promoting more production and trade, improving access to health and education. It also saves time and mobilization costs. (Radio La Primerisima, 20 July 2021)
Two Alliances and Five Parties Registered Candidates for the November Election.
The registration of candidates for President, Vice President, National Assembly Deputies and Central American Parliament Deputies for Election, lasted from July 28 to August 2. A total of 1,564 candidates were registered by two Alliances and five political parties. (Radio La Primerisima, 2 August 2021)
2.82 million Nicaraguans went to their voting center on July 24 and 25 to verify they are on the voting role, or change their address. The president of the CSE, magistrate Brenda Rocha said that the citizen verification process took place in 3,110 voting centers, usually the local school. If the person has not voted in two Elections they will re-enter the voting roll and will be added during this process. 95% of Nicaraguans 16 and older have an identification card which serves for voting. The provisional Electoral Roll available at the online voting center includes 4,347,340 registered citizens (Radio La Primerisima, 24, 26 July 2021)
In more election news the Supreme Electoral Council published the respective electoral roll in all the voting centers. Each party that is registered for the elections has received a copy of the national electoral roll. Each citizen may go to his polling place any day to confirm if he or she appears on the list. See photos: https://radiolaprimerisima.com/noticias-generales/destacado/cse-publica-padron-electoral-en-centros-de-votacion/ (Radio La Primerisima, 8 August 2021)
The predisposition to vote for the FSLN is 66.7% for the November elections, according to the opinion poll by M&R Consultores announced August 17. 85.7% of Nicaraguans surveyed consider that the elections are very important, while 78.5% affirm that they will probably vote. The rating of the work done by President Daniel Ortega is 70.6%. 76.8% consider that there is respect for fundamental rights in Nicaragua. 69.5% is the index of political predisposition for the FSLN and 26% for the opposition. See details: https://radiolaprimerisima.com/noticias-generales/destacado/aumenta-intencion-de-voto-para-fsln/ (Radio La Primerisima, 17 August 2021)
On August 2 the Congress of the Sandinista National Liberation Front unanimously ratified President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo as its presidential ticket for the November 7 elections. This will be the second time that the two run together after they won the elections of 2016. In the 2006 elections, the candidate for Vice President was an ally, Jaime Morales Carazo; and in 2011, the former head of the Nicaraguan Army, retired General Omar Halleslevens. The party Congress also approved the government program for the period 2022-2026 focused on reducing poverty and creating more well-being for the population.
The Congress was attended by 2,932 delegates from 27 territorial units in the country. Among the delegates there were 1,485 women, 1,447 men, 1,199 young people under 30 years of age. During the session, the 20 candidates for national deputies, the 70 candidates for departmental deputies and the 20 candidates for deputies to the Central American Parliament were approved. According to the law, half of the candidates must be women. (Radio La Primerisima, 2 August 2021)
At the FSLN Party Congress President Daniel Ortega reiterated that Nicaraguans must solve their problems among themselves, peacefully and without anyone serving as an instrument of the Yankee Empire. The President reiterated that his government will not allow violence and death like in 2018 again, nor will foreign interference in the internal affairs be tolerated. Despite all the benefits that the Sandinista Government has brought to all social economic sectors, powerful forces tried to destroy them and take them away, “but we managed to defeat that terrorist aggression that violated the human rights of Nicaraguans,” he said. He asked those who still have “bad thoughts” to get rid of them and assume a true role as Nicaraguans, so that together we can continue building peace and eradicate poverty…”true human rights are more health, more education, more electricity, roads, schools and welfare.” (Radio La Primerisima, 2 August 2021)
650,000 doses of vaccines were administered for the prevention of influenza during the Third National Influenza Vaccination Campaign in July. (Nicaragua News, 23 July 2021)
Student choirs and symphony orchestras are now part of the comprehensive training that students receive in schools, developing skills, talents, values and national identity.
Currently there are 7,837 Rubén Darío student choirs with the participation of 220,000 children and adolescents. And there are 39 orchestras, with 1,308 children and youth members. The orchestras include violins, violas, cellos, double basses, oboe, clarinet, flute, horn, bassoon, trumpets, trombones, tuba, drums and more. (Radio La Primerisima, 24 July 2021)
On July 21, Forbes Central America magazine published the results of the CID Gallup “Optimism about Economic Future in Latin America” survey which states that Nicaragua is the fourth country in Latin America where citizens are most optimistic about the national economic outlook. (Nicaragua News, 22 July 2021)
The maximum investment in sports infrastructure made by Nicaragua’s neoliberal governments (1990-2006) in one year was one million dollars, while the Sandinista government invests US$16 million annually, that is, as much as the three neoliberal governments invested in total, according to National Assembly Deputy Carlos Emilio López. “The right to sports is a reality for our youth from the countryside and the city.” stated the deputy. (Radio La Primerisima, 28 July 2021)
The new “Bello Amanecer” primary hospital in Quilali was inaugurated August 3 and is the 20th new hospital built since 2007. The cost of the US$7.35 million hospital was financed by the General Budget and will benefit 47,000 people in 54 communities. (Nicaragua News, 28 July 2021)
The national electricity coverage has reached 98.83% and is expected to exceed the 99% projected for this year. MEM Minister, Salvador Mansell said that “Over the last 14 years we have gone from 54% electricity coverage in 2007 to 98.83% at present. Nicaragua is making great strides in expanding national electricity coverage in keeping with the United Nations 2030 Human Development Goals.” (Nicaragua News, 30 July 2021)
New CABEI Loan for Sustainable Electrification and Renewable Energy
A US$40 million loan agreement was approved with the Central American Bank for Economic Integration to modernize of the Center for Electricity Dispatch of the Bluefields Substation ensuring a stable supply of electricity for 70,000 inhabitants. (Nicaragua News, 29 July 2021)
Nicaragua Stands Out in World Bank Portfolio Execution for the period of July 2020 to June 2021. According to a press release from the Bank, in FY21, Nicaragua completed disbursements of US$99 million, for a disbursement rate of 53%; both the amount and the rate being record figures in the last 10 years and places Nicaragua among the top 10 in the world. (Radio La Primerisima, 30 July 2021)
Nicaragua’s National Plan for the Fight against Poverty and for Human Development 2022-2026 foresees reaching more than 95% food security in the country by 2026. Between 2007 and 2016, the Productive Food Program grew to more than 200,000 families and contributed to diminishing hunger, chronic malnutrition, extreme poverty and unemployment, by increasing production and consumption of food with higher protein content. (Informe Pastran, 4 August 2021)
On August 6, the Nicaraguan solidarity ship “Augusto C. Sandino” arrived at the Port of Mariel with an important food shipment for the Cuban people that will contribute to alleviate the difficult situation generated by the Covid-19 pandemic and the tightening of the U.S. blockade against the island. (Radio La Primerisima, 6 August 2021)
US$185 million is being invested to expand and modernize the Port of Corinto, the largest on the Pacific Coast. It will be fully operable by the end of 2023. It will be a regionally competitive port, with greater capacity for bulk ships. (Radio La Primerisima, 5 August 2021)
On August 11, 13 new reinforced concrete bridges on the Waslala – Siuna highway were inaugurated to benefit residents of Matagalpa and the Mining Triangle affected by the November 2020 hurricanes. (Radio La Primerisima, 9 August 2021)
The Electricity Transmission Company (Enatrel) reported that 21,000 public lighting fixtures were installed in different neighborhoods so far in 2021. (Radio La Primerisima, 6 August 2021)
The Indigenous and Afro-descendant Governments of Alto Wangky and Bocay of the Northern Caribbean released a proclamation on August 7 in which they support the Sandinista Government for restoring their rights to health and education, for their fight against poverty and malnutrition, the construction of highways and productive roads. They indicate that they also recognize the FSLN as promoter of the Autonomy of the Caribbean Coast for the Original Peoples by recognizing them in the Political Constitution of 1987. “At present, the Indigenous and Afro-descendant Territorial Governments of Alto Wangky and Bocay of the Northern Caribbean are part of the National Development Plan, a strategy in which poverty has been recognized and established as a political issue that must be fought,” the text states. See photos: https://radiolaprimerisima.com/noticias-generales/destacado/gobiernos-territoriales-indigenas-y-afrodescendientes-ratifican-respaldo-al-fsln/ (Radio La Primerisima, 8 August 2021)
The Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) [formed under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change] signed a US$64 million agreement for the Bio-CLIMA Project to promote forest conservation and restoration in the Bosawás nature reserve and the Río San Juan biosphere. The total cost of the project is US$116.6 million; the GCF will provide US$64.1 million, of which US$38.0 million is a loan and US$26.1 million is a donation; CABEI will finance US$44.2 million through its Poverty Reduction and Economic and Social Exclusion Program (PRPEES). “In addition, there will be a US$8.3 million grant from the Global Environment Facility (GEF). (Informe Pastran 12 August 2021)
The government microcredit program Zero Usury has helped thousands of women to lift their families out of poverty during the last 14 years, said the program’s director, Leonor Corea. “Women are advancing, evolving in their businesses, learning how to get a loan, how to know if they are actually making money, or if they have to change to another business to obtain profits,” she explained. “Half a million women who have received an average of three credits each,” explained Corea. (Informe Pastran, 13 August 2021)
The government delivered another 100 houses to their new owners in the Bismarck Martinez program in the Villa Jerusalén urbanization in Managua for a total of 1,300 homes in this neighborhood. The goal is to reach 4,000 homes this year. (Informe Pastran, 13 August 2021)
The National Police reported August 13 that an investigation has begun of Editorial La Prensa and its directors for the crimes of customs fraud and laundering of money, goods and assets, to the detriment of the State of Nicaragua and the Nicaraguan society…. The National Police found many large rolls of paper in the newspaper’s warehouses located on the north highway. The authorities are dismantling the newspaper’s lies that they didn’t have paper to publish the newspaper because the government had blocked the raw material to continue with the publication of the newspaper. See photos and video: Click Here (Radio La Primerisima, 13 August 2021)
