Nicaragua Moves on
Poverty
Eight months after
arriving to power, the
Sandinista government
led by President Daniel
Ortega continues
recruiting allies for
its project to move
Nicaragua ahead; it is
the second poorest
country of Latin
America.
Affirmations of this are
the visits to Managua in
the last 20 days by
top-level delegations
from Venezuela, Spain,
Iran and Brazil.
These visits began with
Venezuelan President
Hugo Chavez, who
attended the 28th
anniversary of the
triumph of the July 19,
1979 Sandinista
Revolution, and
initiated construction
of an oil refinery.
The second was Spanish
Government Vice
President Maria Teresa
Fernandez, who
established priorities
of bilateral cooperation
with Ortega, as well as
cancellation of the
Nicaraguan debt with her
country.
Next was Iran Energy
Minister Hamid Chitchian,
whose country will build
at least one
hydroelectric plant in
Nicaragua, and will
supply thousands of
tractors and
agricultural machinery,
and is expected to
construct houses, milk
processing plants, docks
and ports.
The fourth was Brazil"s
President Luiz Inacio
Lula da Silva, who in
only 24 hours recovered
Nicaraguans" affection
and signed a group of
cooperation accords.
Most of the agreements
inked in the last 20
days with Venezuela,
Spain, Iran and Brazil,
as well as those signed
with other countries
since January, are for
medium and long terms,
but they represent
future hope for the 70
percent of Nicaraguans
who currently live in
poverty. |
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