May 16, 2021 Share
In preparation for the upcoming November 7, 2021 general elections, Nicaragua’s National Assembly passed amendments to its election law on May 4, 2021 and named a new slate of Supreme Electoral Council (CSE) magistrates. The amendments are unlikely to meet the Organization of American States (OAS) minimum standard for democratic reforms, which requires the implementation of guarantees for free, equal, open, and competitive elections, implying that the US, the European Union, and others will likely introduce additional sanctions this year.
Changes to election laws have been enacted in order to restrict opposition involvement in future elections. On May 5, the Electoral Law (No. 331) was released in Nicaragua’s Official Record (La Gaceta), indicating that it had been signed by the President and was in effect. Any political groups, political alliances, and opposition candidates, including those who have engaged in or sponsored anti-government demonstra
Then came an announcement that the so-called “Citgo 6” were being released from a Venezuelan prison to house arrest, a clear overture to U.S. officials who have long criticized Caracas’ 2017 detention on corruption charges of the six executives from Houston-based Citgo Petroleum a subsidiary of the Venezuelan state oil company.
The Biden administration was still analyzing the “Citgo 6” move when Mr. Maduro made headlines again by announcing that two stalwart members of Venezuela’s opposition including a formerly jailed activist would be allowed to fill seats on the country’s National Electoral Council.
“Maduro is trying to get Washington’s attention,” said Geoff Ramsey, who heads the Venezuela program at the Washington Office on Latin America. “The question is what can Washington give in return to induce even greater concessions from him?”
Taiwan, US and Paraguay discuss renewable energy
By Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporter
Taiwan and the US are working with Paraguay to identify private-sector opportunities to bolster the renewable energy and electric vehicle sector in the South American country, the US Department of State said on Thursday.
Paraguay is one of Taiwan’s 15 diplomatic allies and its sole ally in South America.
With Paraguay reporting an increase in COVID-19 cases over the past few months, there has been speculation over whether it would switch recognition from Taipei to Beijing to secure medical supplies from China, including vaccines.
Taiwan’s and the US’ embassies partnered with the Paraguayan government to host a virtual meeting on the Partnership Opportunity Delegation, the department said in a news release.
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Julie Chung on Monday, May 3rd, urged Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and Sandinista deputies to make the electoral system more credible when they discuss an announced electoral reform. President Ortega and his supporters should take this opportunity to make the electoral system more credible, the diplomat said in a message sent to the media by the U.S. Embassy in Managua.
The Nicaraguan Parliament, controlled by the ruling party, plans to discuss Electotal Law reforms, proposed by the Sandinistas, which are seen by the opposition as a . . .