In her first appearance as U.S. Ambassador to Nicaragua, Phyllis Powers told the Nicaraguan-American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) this afternoon that it will be difficult for Nicaragua to get another extension on its property and transparency waivers and that U.S....

U.S. Ambassador Phyllis Powers presented her credentials to President Daniel Ortega last night promising to “advance our relationship and build programs that benefit everyone and stand for regional peace.” Powers, a career diplomat who last served as U.S. Ambassador to...

(posted March 28, 6:50 a.m.)- The U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations yesterday approved a resolution against the alleged election fraud in Nicaragua last November and in support for “the democratic aspirations of the Nicaraguan people.” The resolution (S. Res....

News Analysis Under different circumstances, President Daniel Ortega’s fervid defense of the drug war would curry favor with Washington and bolster Nicaragua’s position as a steady U.S. ally in an increasingly rambunctious region. But unfortunately for Ortega, it could be...

(posted March 8, 10:30 a.m.)- U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairwoman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, yesterday pushed a step further legislation calling on the State Department to develop a strategy to counter Iran’s increasing presence in the...

(posted March 6, 2:30 p.m.)- President Daniel Ortega arrived in Honduras this afternoon to participate with his Central American colleagues in a meeting with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden to discuss drug trafficking and organized crime in the region. Not...

(posted March 2, 4:20 p.m.)- U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is pressuring the U.S. government to not increase 2013 budget funding for Nicaragua. In the congresswoman’s opening statements at a Feb. 29 House...

The Sandinista government is not acting like a good team player when it comes to building democracy in Nicaragua, according to Kevin Whitaker, the U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for the Western Hemisphere. In addition to brushing away independent...

(posted Feb. 17, 1:20 p.m.)- The Embassy this afternoon issued a statement to The Nicaragua Dispatch saying it “remains concerned over respect for private property rights in Nicaragua.” Although there are no U.S. citizen claimants involved in the recent land...

(posted Feb. 13, 12:00 p.m.) - Kevin Whitaker, U.S. deputy assistant secretary for Western Hemisphere affairs, arrived in Managua this morning for a three-day meeting with highly placed government officials, business leaders, civil society members and opposition politicos to discuss...