DN 4 NOVEMBER, Nicaraguans flocked to the olls for their first free election. The result was a vicry for the FSLN.
dief, tempered by fears of a US invasion. JOHN TARRISON argues that this response, whilst corect, is rather too simple.
The Financial Times egan its main article on Nicaraguan elections November with the ollowing observation:
erhaps the most remarkthing about last Suny's Nicaraguan elections not the result dely predicted victory the ruling Sandinistas but that they took place all. In modern times, no er revolutionary movewhich has seized power by force of arms has on to hold serious dactions.' This statement was arily a sop to Reagan's bsurd idea that freedom, ocency mut of abstract ideals correlated the ballot box. But it contains a kernel of Elections in the Soviet for example are lessness only by those in panese unions.
Nicaraguan contrast cal country well beyond country's beleagured ders.
The electoral process eremplary — as many critics have been rood recognise. veryone over 16 was enouraged to register Mis entitled them to vote 90 рег cent did so.
president, viceresident and a seat constituent assembly eleced by proportional represparation. advocate which did the armed perthrow of the state ould stand. The closing ale for registration was attended to encourage saverers. All censorship or relating to military in -lagence was lifted for the aree months campaign.
Every party standing received £700,000 exThe TV carried an hour of Western socialists heaved a collective sight of political broadcasts every day. The radio carried/ three-quarters of an hour. Political graffiti decorated every wall and telegraph post in the Some 4,000 polling stations were set up Tor everv × or so electors. All parties were entitled to observers at the booths. Fifty official foreign observers were provided by foreign ments and such bodies as the Socialist International.
Whilst Thatcher refused to send observers, five British parliamentarians did attend, including one Tory. All agreed that no electoral intringements occurred.
So Reagan's claim that the elections were a sham is simply a lie. The 82 pe cent turn out was some percentage points higher than in the US presidential elections. The political differences between the Conservative Democratic Party and the FSLN is greater than that between Republicans the Galle Nicaraguan was policies, less on personalities than was the American.
While neither the US nor the Nicaraguan elections was a sham, of the two the Nicaraguan was by far the more democratic.
The armed Couller" revolutionaries also largely failed in their attempt to disrupt the proceedings. They tried to cut off the northern town of Esteli but were driven back into the Sandinista army moved tanks even into isolated villages DIULCUL the polling booths.
The contras remain deeply divided amongst themselves. The US backed FDN, whose leadership consists of ex-National Guards from the Somoza era, is uneasily allied with a faction of the ARDE led by Frenando 'El Negro' Chamoro. Chamoro fighting to wrest control of the organisation Eden Pastora FSLN commandante who opposes alliances with the FDN A bomb which ripped through an ARDE jungle press conference last May, injuring Pastora, is believed to have been planted by members of the FDN.
But despite the divisions the contras remain a serious problem. The 10,0v or so members ol the FDN are well supplied une CIA. They have killed over 7,300 people since Somoza's overthrow in 1979, caused some £400 million worth of damage and spread the war to 11 of the country's 16 departments. During the election the contras succeeded killing Enrique Schmidt, head of the Sandinista's counter-insurgency forces and minister for telecommunications.
The three main parties which boycotted the election are the Social Democrats, the Social Christians and the Liberal Constitutionalists, who make up the Coordinadora Democratica (Democratic Coordination). They are all small Christian parties rooted Managuan bourgeoisie.
The Coordinadora had demanded negotiations with the contras as precondition for standing in the elections. The FSLN's response was to suggest they stood on that nattorm and let the elec. torate decide. They declinIt is hard to assess the Coordinadora's real support. They called for people to spoil their ballot papers and some seven per cent of voters did so. But with history of free elections, and in which over half the population was t illiterate tive vears ago. manv pro. bably did so by accident.
Three parties stood on programme's to the right of the FSLN's: the Conservatives, ives (ther) Liberals Social Christians splinter groups from the Liberals and Conservatives boycotted the elections They sought encouragement to Torea vestment freedom for the public secLOT al0ol rights land ownership. In company with parties to the 'left' of the FSLN they also sought a greaic. severanon bel ween party and state "de-Sandinisation ot the army the revolucerence Coulttees. Between them the right wing parties picked up not far off one third of the vote The orienteds ComMoscow oriented munist two splinter groups, the Communist the MAP, stood on platforms to the 'left' of the FSLN.
opposed the Sandinista's plan to introduce a foreign investment code and argued for tighter controls on private capital and a redistribution of income favour of waged workers. Between them they polled a paltry four per there is vote clearly no significant support within line the FSLN - although the Socialists' influence in the unions is greater than their electoral performance suggests.
The FSLN stood largeits achievements since 1979 (see Socialist Action, 19 October). commentator summarised the new president Daniel Ortega's speech 150,000 strong rally 1n Managua as 'sovereignty and gallo pinto (rice and beans), Ilational dignity austerity.' The crowd reportedly loved it.
The Sandinistas won 68 per cent valid vote - about 63 per cent if spoiled papers are included. About half the adult population voLed them Three issues will dominate the coming months. One is the stance of the parties to the right of the FSLN — which manifestly command substantial! minority support. FSLN. candidate Roasario tunez's assessment that as the Sandinistas faced serious opposition only the turnout would matter (quoted in Socialist Action, 11 November) has been shown to be far too optimistic.
The FSLN has invited all parties, including those boycotting the elections, parucipale 'national draw up a draft constitution to put to the constituent assembly. This will obviously be a major political process.
The economy will also lections be extremely crucial. No one yet can be sure how the private sector is going to respond to the newly visible balance of forces, the proposed foreign investment code will work out.
Finally hangs over the entire country the war are une threat of US invasion. Whilst the con tras are a constant harass.
not even the CIA believes they overthrow the governThis leaves the US with three basic options: a negotiated settlement, increased efforts economic military destabilisation, an negotiated settlescarcely possible. destabilisation would more acceptable to 'world opinion' than outright in vasion and seems the most likely immediate course of action But WIll United States, particularly will near at le en anything is always possible as the immediate postinvasion threats showed Socialists must have right at the top of their list solidarity with Nicaraguan priorities not only against invasion by the United States but against every other threat it faces.