The Year of Big Advances in Nicaragua

 By Nan McCurdy

On December 18, Nan McCurdy gave the following presentation at a webinar on Nicaragua hosted by Task Force on the Americas, Ecumenical Peace Institute, and Mt Diablo Peace & Justice Center. The webinar “Countering the Lies about Nicaragua:  Eyewitness reports vs Washington accusations”  can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmj8xEY4tCI

I’m going to talk about some of the big advances in  2021 and how Nicaragua continues to make lives better and recuperate essential rights!

Defending Sovereignty

In my opinion the most important advance in 2021 for Nicaragua is defending their right to sovereignty. As their historic leader, Augusto Sandino said: Sovereignty is not discussed, but defended. This is essential for Nicaragua but also an excellent example for other small nations still treated like colonies by the US and Europe.

Analyst William Grigsby asserts 2021 was the year that Nicaragua began the final offensive to achieve full independence. He says, “We have a model of nation-building, very different from the Yankee model of colony building. The only way we can progress is if we are independent, sovereign, and express self-determination. It’s the only way and this has already been proven. In the 17 years between 1990 and 2007 Nicaraguans suffered the pro-Yankee predatory model in which we were effectively annexed to the United States in foreign, economic and all policies. We were annexed to the Yankee logic of imperialism and the result was a social catastrophe: poverty and backwardness in all walks of life. The logic of building a country for everyone did not exist. There were no social rights. The logic was to build a country to serve a few, and even those few were beholden to foreign interests. With our current model our social rights have been recuperated. If we return to the Yankee colonial model, our social rights will end; our unique model of development that includes things like empowering small and medium-scale producers will end. It is the people who build the nation and defend a development model that builds social justice to end poverty.”  (Sin Fronteras, Radio La Primerisima, 27 September 2021)

Relations with China

On Dec. 9 Nicaragua reestablished relations with China. Analyst Oscar Gomez writes: “Nicaragua has made a wise decision to establish diplomatic relations with the one and only China. This transcendental news for Nicaragua must be understood as a matter of National Security for Nicaragua’s development. Investments with China can be projected to modernize the infrastructure of land, air and port transportation.”

Foreign Minister Denis Moncada said to China on Dec. 9 when they reestablished relations:

“We emphasize the need for mutual respect for sovereignty, non interference in internal affairs, the dignity and territorial integrity of states, their right to development and to have social security systems… And to resolve disputes by peaceful means; we reject the threat or use of force as a means of conflict resolution. We reject unilateral, coercive measures contrary to international law. We need to urge the international community to foster a new kind of International relations based on mutual respect, equity, justice, and mutually beneficial cooperation.”

Leaving the OAS

Another important action is the decision to leave the Organization of American States – a process that will take about two years.

Responding to US Interference

Another advance in sovereignty is in regard to US agents. In early 2021 you had the Nicaraguan agents of the United States on constant trips to Washington to receive their orders, while at the same time they were continuing to receive millions directly and through their nongovernmental organizations for a new coup.

These are the same agents who carried out the 2018 US coup handing out the money and the orders. In June, this pretty much came to a stop with the arrest of Cristiana Chamorro and suspension of her company for money laundering.  Others were arrested later for money laundering and other very serious crimes like treason, acts that are crimes in every nation on earth. In part what made this possible were new laws at the end of 2020: one similar to the US Foreign Agents Registration Law. The new law said if you receive money from a foreign government you have to report on it – and they didn’t. The population appears pleased with these actions as there has not been even one small protest, even by their friends.

Economic Advances

Let us look at the economy. Central Bank President Ovidio Reyes, said  the accumulated growth rate up to September is 9.9%.  Nicaragua grew by about 5% from 2007 to early 2018 until the US coup. It is set to have one of the best growth rates in the Americas this year. (Radio La Primerisima, 13 Dec. 2021)

In 2021 there have been record exports. Between January and October, exports totaled US$5.4 billion, 26% more than in 2020. (Radio La Primerisima, 12 November 2021)

The World Bank and the United Nations Development Program report that employment in Nicaragua has already recovered to pre-pandemic levels. (Informe Pastran, 30 Nov. 2021)

On July 30 the World Bank said that 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 that place Nicaragua among the top 10 in the world. (Radio La Primerisima, 30 July 2021)

The transparency of government officials and the satisfaction of the population with public services were highlighted by the Inter-American Development Bank in an Aug. 14 report.

The World Bank reported on October 11 that Nicaragua ranks third in the world in renewable energy with 70% production. The report states that “since 2007 Nicaragua has implemented an electrification program that tripled energy production from renewable sources and expanded electricity coverage from just 54% in 2007 to 99% in 2021…I – n a few years Nicaragua will overcome dependence on fossil fuels..” (Nicaragua News, 12 October 2021)

Nicaragua Ranks First in Infrastructure Investment in Central America
On October 11 the Strategic Alliance for Measurement of Public Investment in Infrastructure (Infralatam) published a report entitled “Public Investment in Economic Infrastructure in Central America,” that says that Nicaragua ranks first in the region in infrastructure investment. (Nicaragua News, 15 October 2021)

The 2022 Budget is aligned with the National Program for the Fight against Poverty and for Human Development 2022-2026: 23% is for education; 22.2% for health and the rest for social protection programs. Among the priorities are access to quality health services, and education at all levels. The Fight against Poverty also foresees reaching more than 95% food security by 2026.

Between 2007 and 2021 the government invested more than a billion dollars to bring drinking water and sewerage to people as a human right and not as a business. In 2006 only 65% of the urban population had potable drinking water; today it is 91.5%. 28 drinking water and sanitation projects were completed this year in 18 cities. The National Plan to Fight Poverty includes more than US$500 million for 31 more water and sanitation projects in the next 4 years. (Informe Pastran, 15 October 2021)

The number of sports facilities has doubled since 2007 when there were 1,015. Today there are 2,030 sports facilities. The major cities will all have new Baseball and soccer stadiums. The plan includes 13 baseball and 13 soccer stadiums, 12 sports centers and five major recreational centers like the large Luis Alfonso Velazquez Park in Managua. (Radio La Primerisima, 3 Dec. 2021)

A major new pier in Bilwi was finished in October. The previous one was destroyed by hurricanes in November 2020. See photos: https://radiolaprimerisima.com/noticias-generales/destacado/muelle-de-bilwi-ya-esta-reconstruido/  (Radio La Primerisima, 13 October 2021)

The first Indigenous Agricultural University in Latin America was inaugurated in November. It is located in the Indigenous territory of the South Caribbean Region. The initiative is unique in Latin America, as it will provide professional training to Indigenous people who were taught to read and write in their mother tongue through the “Yo Sí Puedo” program, and who have completed their primary and secondary education. (Radio La Primerisima, 29 Nov. 2021)

Advances in Health in 2021

House to house vaccination began in November. The population over 30 years of age is 80% covered with the vaccine. (Radio La Primerisima, 2 Dec. 2021)

Nicaragua closes the year 2021 with the best hospital network in Central America. More than 100 new health facilities were built including ten hospitals: 6 primary hospitals and 4 departmental hospitals. Another ten were rebuilt or expanded. Dozens of health centers and health posts were built. The Prinzapolka and Waspam hospitals on the Caribbean Coast, damaged in the hurricanes, are almost rebuilt. A new surgery section is almost ready in the Bluefields hospital. (Sin Fronteras, 20 October 2021)

Community medical brigades made hundreds of thousands of visits. Health Minister Dr. Martha Reyes stated that infant mortality has declined from 29 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2006 to 12.8 in 2021. With the construction and staffing of maternity wait homes around the entire country, maternal mortality has declined from 92.8 a 32.9 deaths per 100,000 live births during the same period. Chronic child malnutrition in children under five years of age has declined from 21.7% to 9.3%. Cancer diagnosis and treatment has vastly improved, including, for example, 22,200 endoscopies and 15,700 ultrasounds for the detection of stomach and prostate cancers. (Informe Pastran, 21 Dec. 2021)

#1 in Gender Equality

Nicaragua is number one in the world in women in Ministerial positions and is number one in the Americas in Gender Equity. The Women’s Police Station in Diriamba was inaugurated on October 28. At least 20 have been opened this year bringing the total to 91. (Radio La Primerisima, 28 October 2021)

Advances in Environmental Protection

Nicaragua was elected Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Conference of the Parties (COP) against Climate Change, representing Latin America and the Caribbean, during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) held in Scotland from October 31 to November 12. Climate Change Secretary Javier Gutiérrez stated that “the unanimous election of Nicaragua to the COP Board of Directors is recognition of its work on climate change adaptation and mitigation, as well as sustainable development with climate justice.” (Nicaragua News, 16 November 2021)

A US$108 million loan for a Bioclimate Project seeks to mitigate the effects of climate change by containing deforestation and forest degradation, conserving biodiversity, and promoting sustainable production systems. The loan is from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration and the United Nations Green Climate Fund. (Nicaragua News, Nov. 18, 2021)

Advances in Indigenous Rights

All 25 Indigenous Territories have now been demarcated and titled, in such a way that the rights of 41,000 families in 315 communities of the Caribbean Coast to their ancestral lands have been restored. 371,800 square kilometers, 31.16% of the national territory, belong to the Indigenous communities of the Caribbean. Denis Sanchez, Deputy Attorney General, said “There was a process of delimitation which allows the indigenous territorial governments to administer that area and not allow invasion.”

Since 2007 property titles have been given to 41,000 families in 315 communities of the Caribbean Coast, according to Attorney General Wendy Morales. She said that this represents 30% of the 533,068 titles delivered nationwide in the last 14 years. 38,000 square kilometers have been titled in the Caribbean Coast. During this process, a consensus was reached between some long-time occupants and the original ancestral ones, allowing them to work in a better way.

Conclusion

Nicaragua’s social and economic progress in the last years is quite surprising given the intensity of the US unconventional war. Starting in 2007, this war has included the funneling of millions of dollars to foreign agents and organizations in Nicaragua, a failed coup attempt in 2018, illegal (under international law) unilateral sanctions (2018 Nica Act, the recently passed RENACER act), and a pre and post-election USAID destabilization plan called RAIN that began in 2020.

Despite all this foreign interference, Nicaragua held very transparent elections (for President and Representatives) last November, with electoral participation reaching 65% of eligible voters ( with nearly 300,000 electoral volunteers). President Ortega’s re-election was due to social and economic advances of the last years as well as the stability of the country. Specifically, his soaring popularity among teens and young adults was mainly, but not only, due to important improvements in education and sports programs as well as the inclusion of youth at all levels of political power. 2021 turned out to be a very peaceful year in Nicaragua; Nicaraguans only hope for a peaceful and stable 2022.

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Nan McCurdy is a United Methodist missionary who has worked in Nicaragua for decades. She is  the editor of Nica Notes available from the Alliance for Global Justice.