Our Man in Granada

In honour of the revolution

Posted in honour of the anniversary of the Sandinista revolution which is currently being celebrated, most noticeably in Managua where free buses have been laid on for the thousands enjoying the party.

While the current Sandinista government may split locals and expats alike it's worth remembering that the revolution was, at the time, almost universally backed.

Whether you blame what went wrong on Daniel Ortega or Ronald Reagan is down to you.

Now this really scares me

Forget crime waves in Granada -  this really scares me:

"Managua, Jul 5 (Prensa Latina) Nicaraguan Police and Army denied their responsibility for a cargo of weapons made in Israel, seized in Spain's Port Algeciras, with the Central American nation as final destination."

As buzzing internet conversations have already deduced - if Israel is sending weapons then obviously they won't be for Danny and the Sandinistas.

Israel is too close to America and as others have noted, aren't averse to doing a little dirty work on behalf of Uncle Sam.

Could this really be a case of enemies arming anti-Sandinista forces?

On World War 4 Report they wonder:

"Could they have been bound for some kind of neo-contra force? Talk about nostalgia for the '80s..."

Guerrilla News Network is clearer still and fills in a little background:

"During the 1980s, Israel was a crucial conduit for the supply of arms to Central American contra forces, as well as to apartheid South Africa and Iran. With a Sandinista government installed in Nicaragua, and the ever present irritant that is Hugo Chavez, could this discovery be a sign of a new counter-revolutionary war?"

It worries me and it's boosted my conspiracy paranoia.  If that is what it is doing to me, then can you imagine what is going on in Ortega's head?

In the comments section, from the above page you can also read:

"The shipment may have been meant to be discovered as a psyop against Commandante Daniel, to help push him to become repressive against his political opponents. If you read Spanish, you should look at the popular El Nuevo Diario (END)newspaper out of Managua: You should see the tremendously ugly hateful spleen launched there against Ortega on a practically daily basis, from the commentors on the different news articles. The hatred expressed is hardly equaled even in the free USA in alternative media commentaries and blogs about W. Daniel has got to be getting a bit wrankled by it all and arms headed for Nicaragua from Israel, making the world news, would add to it."

Isn't that how it works now?  Back your enemy into a corner.  Scare him and when he comes out fighting, point the finger and tell the world he's a madman who needs to be brought to heel.

One thing that has been bothering me for a while.  Living in Nicaragua I am putting up with the almost daily electricity cuts.  As I understand it, Ortega inherited the problem from his predecessor.  Ever since his election we have repeatedly read of his attempts to solve the problem.

Even if this man was as useless as his detractors claim him to be, surely we would have seen some improvement?

So why is it only getting worse?

GNN publishes what I was just starting to think:

"This may put into a new light the power crisis which is hitting Nicaraguans.

“The crisis, worsened since mid-2006, stems from the poor condition of thermal plants, mostly in private hands, and obvious problems of distribution, in charge of Spanish multinational Union Fenosa.” Sabotage is a distinct possibility."

Do I think we are on the verge of Contra War 2.  No I don't.  I think the world has changed and the last thing Bush needs is another war.  But...

You import guns.  Even if the guns are for criminals rather than anti-government forces then it causes turbulence.  You interrupt the electricity flow.  In the Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, they talk of destabilising the country by sending in the CIA jackals.

Then when crime is up, power and water cuts are frequent and the embattled leader is paranoid and defensive - you just let the media and the electorate do the rest.

Sidenote: One of my favourite books of all time is A Very British Coup, it tells of a hard left Socialist becoming British Prime Minister and his attempts to stay in power as the CIA conspire to undermine him.  What is the first thing they do?  They get at the power workers Union which strikes and out go the lights.

And that is exactly what I think of every time it's my lights that go.

No Sandinista celebrations for Nica Peace Corps

From here:

This was sent out to us from the Nica PC security director. Always watching out for us!!......................

"July month of Sandinistas partying, during this month in every Nicaraguan department a celebration takes place, in reminiscence of their liberation.

"These activities start on July 15th and finishes on the 19th day of the Sandinista Revolution, where the most important gathering takes place in Managua, on this day or the day before caravans of vehicles rally from all over the country.

"Be advised that this year celebrations will NOT be as in early years (al suave), with Sandinistas running the government, they will sure become more expressives.

"PCVs or Trainees are not allowed to go near, participate in parties or gatherings related to these celebrations."

Trouble in Paradise

I've left this one alone for a while to let the dust settle. 

However, in order to present something of a true reflection of Nicaragua it seems only right to include it.  Certainly, anyone with any expat links to this country is likely to already know the deal.

In short, in the space of a short while, two Americans were murdered in Nicaragua.  More details here.

Here also is internet expat chatter about the events in Esteli and Granada.

Here are my thoughts, for what they are worth:

Firstly the killing in Esteli seemed essentially domestic albeit somewhat macabre.  As sicking as it was this was only ever a one-off.  The second, which was perpetrated by a drug addict looking for cash, was a crime against a white American lady.  It appears to be a robbery that went wrong.

In short, these are not "Gringo go home" attacks and apparently not motivated by spite.  There is no "anti-Gringo crime wave"

But it has been enough to stir up communities and get people talking and, it appears also open up some divides.

Nicaragua feels the force of the dark side

In a country far far away...

There is no doubting public enemy number one in Nicaragua - it's Union Fenosa

Even coming in late on the issue, as I did, you quickly learn the gripes and feel the wrath. 

In short it's a microcosm of third world meets neoliberalism.  It goes, as I understand it, something like this.  As is their way, the World Bank pressures Nica into privatising their electricity. 

Union Fenosa gets the gig.  Prices go up, service levels go down.  The lights regularly go out. 

People start stealing the electricity and there isn't much of a will to deal with the thieves when UF aren't exactly everyone's favourite folks. If that makes sense, then get you head around the info below, from here: 

"In an example of the pressure the Ortega government will face against its "aspirations of independence” and rejection of neoliberal policies, the World Bank's Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) has sent a bill for US$55 million to recover the money it recently paid to Union Fenosa, the Spanish company which bought Nicaragua's electricity distribution grid when the World Bank forced Nicaragua to privatize the state-owned electric company in the 1990s. Union Fenosa took out an insurance policy with MIGA in 2004 to protect its investment in Nicaragua. Union Fenosa made a claim for US$55 million last year, the amount it claims to have lost over three years."

Good luck trying to figure that one out.  Better still just watch the film above.  My Spanish is still Manuel-level but my guess is the story line is that Union Fenosa, sick of having their leccy ripped off, turn to Darth Vader to take on the thieves. 

Watch to the end because just before the leccy-robbers get their comeuppance the power, in true Union Fenosa style, goes out on Darth's light sabre.

Proof that the Nica machete is more than a match for the Force's light sabre.

So should I have gone back?

Was Ometepe as beautiful as I remembered it? 

Or, as has happened before, were my golden memories only tainted by returning?

The pics from my trip are above and the whole set is here.

Take a look.  What do you think? 

The revolution will be blogged

Sometimes you watch something that will stay with you forever.

Last night I was transfixed by The Revolution will not be Televised.  It tells the story of the failed media-driven coup against Hugo Chavez in Venezuela. It was breathtaking.

And as we continue to read about Chavez closing down TV stations it is worth remember that this is a guy who is arguably safeguarding democracy not fighting it.

You can watch the film here.  Strike that.  You MUST watch the film.  I guarantee it will change the way you see the world and how it is reported to us.

One more thing.  I have marched for various causes throughout my life.  Just once I want to be part of a march like the one which demands the return of Chavez.  Just once I want to be, not only on the "winning" side, but also witness wrongs being righted before my eyes.

Hat tip to Bob Piper for this post which inspired the above.

Nicaragua volunteer work (for free)

I was lucky enough in my last volunteer post to be backed by VSO, which provides a living allowance, rent, health care and flights.

In Nicaragua, with CafeChavalos, I'm self funded but I have spare time to find other paid work and have so far been generously helped out with accommodation.

I must admit every time I see volunteer work where you actually have to pay for the privilege - well it makes me wince a bit.  .

That's why I thought it was worth sharing this list which popped up on an RSS search.  All organisations are in Nicaragua and all would be happy to have you volunteer without a fee.

It's from a website called Serve Your World, which is a new one on me, but I'll be subscribing to it from now on.  If anyone does volunteer then I'd love to hear how you got on.

Pinter on Nicaragua and the Sandinistas

Okay, hardly new, but interesting none the less.  I'm trying to educate myself about the history this country, you're welcome to come along for the ride.

In 2005 when playwright Harold Pinter received his Nobel Prize for literature he delivered this speech - including a large section on the Sandinistas.

It includes this snippet outlining the Sandinistas achievements:

"The death penalty was abolished. Hundreds of thousands of poverty-stricken peasants were brought back from the dead. Over 100,000 families were given title to land. Two thousand schools were built. A quite remarkable literacy campaign reduced illiteracy in the country to less than one seventh. Free education was established and a free health service. Infant mortality was reduced by a third. Polio was eradicated."

All is not what it appears

If you've been  reading this blog from the outset, or ever got bored enough to wade through the archives, you may have read a post on "Gay Rights in Nicaragua"

I wrote it, before I arrived here, as the result of being shocked to find out that homosexuality is still illegal in Nicaragua.

Illegal it may be, but the law is widely unenforced.  In fact, I hear that homosexuality, in Granada at least, is very accepted.