(posted July 26, 3:30 p.m.)- U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, criticized President Barack Obama today for extending the property waiver to Nicaragua, saying the move is part of the U.S. administration’s efforts “appease dictators in the hemisphere.”
“I am deeply disappointed by the Obama Administration’s decision to reward the regime in Managua with the property confiscation waiver,” said Ros-Lehtinen, the first U.S. lawmaker to react to the waiver decision. “This Administration has failed to utilize this provision as leverage to seek concrete electoral reforms in Nicaragua, which has been plagued by a corrupt system that placates and favors Daniel Ortega, not the Nicaraguan people.”
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)
The Republican lawmaker questioned the Obama Administration’s rationale for extending the waiver, demanding, “Is helping to prop up an authoritarian regime that continues to undermine Nicaraguan civil society in our nation’s interests? On the contrary, U.S. interests are better served by advancing democracy, rule of law, human rights, and respect for the constitution in Nicaragua.”
Despite Nicaragua’s efforts to resolve the remaining cases (65 this year alone), Ros-Lehtinen argues that U.S. business and property owners “have not been adequately compensated for land that has been confiscated by the regime.”
Furthermore, she said, “ Hundreds of pending cases by U.S. citizens continue to languish in the corrupt Nicaraguan judicial system, which has been thoroughly politicized by the executive branch. Evidence shows a rise in new cases being brought by U.S. citizens against the Ortega regime. It is not surprising that the same regime that confiscated these properties in the past continues to do the same now.”
“Rewarding an anti-American and anti-democratic regime with the property confiscation waiver is just another step in the wrong direction by an Obama Administration which seeks to appease dictators in this Hemisphere,” the Foreign Affairs Committee chairwoman concluded. “I strongly urge the Administration to change course and instead focus on helping bring democracy back to Nicaragua.”
Mrs. Ros-Lehtinen,
We, the Nicaraguan democrats, are equally as dissapointed by this gift from the Obama administration that will serve to strengthen his dictatorial aand unconstitutional 3rd regime.
Obama has once again shown that for the western Latin America´s endeavours to consolidate democracies, he will not be a leader in helping Nicaragua.
Ortega is already using this as a sign that Washington approves of everything he has done, of his constant violations of the Constitution and human rights, of illegal, unconstitutional and illegitimate 3rd presidential period. However, he was quick to condemn Micheletti and quick to condemn Franco.
Shame on Obama.
Pero lo más que se puede esperar de Daniel Ortega, como reacción al otorgamiento del waiver de EE.UU., es que simule hacer algunos cambios cosméticos para que todo siga igual, pero no para restablecer la institucionalidad democrática y la integridad electoral. Como el mismo Ortega exclamó al celebrar su fraudulenta reelección inconstitucional, en noviembre pasado: “No vamos a provocar cambios dramáticos en este proceso; ¿para qué cambiar si está saliendo bien?”.
Now whet did you expect Ileana? Barry..I mean Obama’s ideology and Daniel’s are aligned. Di you not know that?
I expected no less from the right-wing Cuban-American ideologue.
I’ts very sad to see that Obama’s administration haven’t seen what is going on in this country where the rule of law doesn’t existe any more, where humain rigths are less and less respected and the National Constitution are more and more outrageously raped by a little dictator…
Not a single person who lives in Nicaragua wanted the waiver to be canceled. It would only hurt the economy! Not advance ileanas realpolitik.
That it’s what you think. You can talk by yourself but stop to talk for orthers. Not all Nicaraguans think like you.There are a bunch of folks in this country who truly believe in democracy.
I WILL NOT VOTE FOR OBAMA THIS TIME. HE DOES SUPPORT DICTATORSHIP !!