U.S. concerned about Nicaragua plan to end presidential term limits

[Zorro]

Source: Reuters

The United States on Friday criticized a proposal by Nicaragua's ruling party to remove presidential term limits, which could allow Washington's former Cold War adversary Daniel Ortega to stay in power indefinitely.

Earlier this month Ortega's Sandinista National Liberation Front put forward a plan to change the constitution that would end restrictions on re-election, although the president has yet to say publicly whether he wants to run again in 2016.

Nicaragua's law had a two-term limit for presidents but that was overridden by a controversial Supreme Court ruling that allowed Ortega to run for office again in 2011.

The U.S. government expressed concern about the new proposal, which would make Nicaragua the latest in a string of Latin American countries from Bolivia to Ecuador to grant presidents power extending beyond their traditional limits.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/u-concerned-nicaragua-plan-end-presidential-term-limits-025819152.html

[MyNameGoesHere]

1. Nicaragua is concerned about how

fucked up America is, but they are too civilized to say it in public.

[geek tragedy]

28. At least women are considered human beings instead of baby hatching

appliances in the US.

[struggle4progress]

2. The US survived as a nation without Presidential term-limits from 1788 to 1951

I can't see good cause for the Nicaraguans to be bound by our constitutional choices

[cer7711]

3. Indeed! FDR, anyone? Hello?

And when are we going to learn to mind our own goddamned business?!

The Nicaraguans should run their own banner headlines tomorrow:

Nicaraguans Gravely Concerned Over Hackability of U.S. Electronic Voting Machines

Nicaraguans Fearful Over Fairness & Accuracy of Florida Voting

Nicaraguans Hold Smoking Gun: Proof that Anonymous Stopped Karl Rove-led Hack of Ohio Vote Tallies

[DocMac]

10. + !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[joshcryer]

17. Colombia's congress paves the way for Álvaro Uribe's third term

Colombia's congress has passed a bill paving the way for President Álvaro Uribe to run for a controversial third term.

Legislators hugged and applauded yesterday after a marathon session ended in a vote 85-5 in favour of the proposal, with 76 abstentions, a landslide which showed the strength of the Uribe bandwagon.

"The congress has fulfilled its duty," said Santiago Castro, a pro-Uribe congressman. "It's up to the Colombian people now to define the fate of the re-election at the polls."

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/sep/02/alvaro-uribe-colombia-third-term

Term limits are to stop one from accumulating more and more power.

[Comrade Grumpy]

25. I wonder if the US was concerned about that?

[Zorro]

19. Daniel Ortega is no FDR

[Comrade Grumpy]

24. That's for sure. He never threw a bunch of Japanese into concentration camps.

[geek tragedy]

27. No, he just confiscated the uterus of every woman as state property. nt

[joshcryer]

15. This is the only graph you need to see:

Latin American incumbents have a seriously huge advantage there. It's simply unfair to strip the term limits.

I am certain we wouldn't be cheering Uribe's desire to have unlimited term limits.

Then again, the hypocrisy is strong when it comes to Latin America.

[Comrade Grumpy]

22. I don't know what this graph is supposed to show.

Is it the margin of victory in presidential elections?

Term limits seems to be one of those issues like jury nullification. It's good when it helps my side, but bad when it helps the other side. Or, it's a tool, which can be used for good or ill.

At any rate, it's up to the Nicaraguans. The US can say what it wants, but might be better advised dealing with its own problems. Like the Nicas needs some tired, old, drunken bully of an Uncle telling them what to do.

[joshcryer]

33. Yeah, margin of victory.

The spread is very large for Latin American incumbent demagogues.

10 point advantage in the US (so it's possible to unseat someone, like G. H. Bush while they run for reelection (but even then you need a spoiler).

30 points is impossible to overcome.

Regardless, the reason I don't like unlimited term limits is because guys like Uribe can have forever control. Guys like Putin sitting on their throne running a country. It's disturbing.

[Make7]

4. I remember a similar concern during the Somoza era... ( n/t )

[Judi Lynn]

9. Oh, certainly! "We"were so concerned all those many, many years.

Nicaragua timeline:

~ snip ~

1927-1934: After five hundred battles fought against U.S. marines and sympathizers, Sandino successfully expels U.S. armed forces from Nicaragua.

1934: The U.S. withdraws, leaving Nicaraguan military officer, Anastasio Somoza as Commander of the National Guard.

1934: Under the tutelage of Arthur Bliss Lane, U.S. ambassador to Nicaragua, Somoza masterminds the assassination of Augusto César Sandino.

1936: Anastasio Somoza founds a brutal dictatorship, fueled by U.S. funds, which is passed from father to son to brother for over 43 years.

1941: Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Nicaragua enters World War II on December 9, 1941.

1945: In June, Nicaragua is recognized as a charter member of the United Nations.

1948: Nicaragua joins the Organization of American States. Somoza dispatches an interventionist military force to Costa Rica.

1954: Somoza sends mercenary forces to Guatemala to help U.S. forces oust socialist president, Jacobo Arbenz.

1955: Somoza pulls Nicaraguan troops from the Dominican Republic, who have intervened with U.S. military operations.

1956: Anastasio Somoza is assassinated and succeeded by his son, Luis Somoza Debayle.
For four years after his son's regime, close associates of the Somoza family maintain political control of Nicaragua.

1960: The U.S. dispatches its Caribbean Float to Nicaragua and Guatemala to protect administrations from popular sector uprisings
1961: US mercenaries depart from Nicaragua's Puerto Cabezas and invade Playa Girón, Cuba. They suffer a historical defeat known as the "Bay of Pigs."

1966: Somoza Debayle makes René Schick president . During a visit to the U.S., Schick volunteers Nicaragua to serve as an U.S. military base for invading Cuba.

1967: Somoza Debayle establishes a military autocracy, silencing his opposition through the National Guard.

1967: Somoza Debayle offers soldiers from his National Guard to fight in the Vietnam War.

1968: Nicaraguan functionaries, sent by Somoza Debayle, help overthrow Panamanian president, Arnulfo Arias.

1971: Somoza Debayle steps down from government, but retains the post, Chief of the Armed Forces. A governing coalition is formed, which is comprised of a Conservative and two Liberal executives.

1972: A devastating earthquake strikes Managua, leaving 6,000 dead and 20,000 injured. Somoza Debayle embezzles money from international relief funds. Martial law is declared; and Somoza Debayle is made Chief Executive of the Nicaraguan government. U.S. marines are sent to Nicaragua to insure Somoza's regime is instituted.

1974: Somoza is decreed president of Nicaragua.

1978: By the end of the decade, Nicaragua experiences an economic slowdown and circumstances are ripe for a revolution. Joaquín Chamorro, editor of the anti-Somoza newspaper, La Prensa, is assassinated. The public holds Somoza responsible. Led by the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), anti-Somoza guerrilla forces launch a violent uprising against the military. Nicaragua is plunged into a near civil war.

1979: Somoza resigns on July 17th, and flees to Miami, exiling to Paraguay. On July 20th, Sandinista forces enter Managua, and hundreds of thousands of Nicaraguans celebrate their triumph.

1980: Somoza is assassinated in Paraguay. The Sandinista government implements social programs, which receive international recognition for their gains in literacy, health care, education, childcare, unions, and land reform. For the first time in history, Nicaraguans are called to decide their own future. Just as they struggle for increased self-sufficiency, the Reagan-Bush administration begins funding the Contra War. The goal is to undermine the Sandinista regime. This ten-year war is fought at the cost of 60, 000 lives, 178 billion dollars, and the Nicaraguan infrastructure and economy.

More:
http://www.stanford.edu/group/arts/nicaragua/discovery_eng/timeline/

[center]~ ~ ~[/center]
Clearly right-wingers yearn for the good old days.

[ReRe]

12. Thank you, profusely!

We do need to mind our own business. We can't even run our own damn country.

..............................When did God die and leave the world to TPTB in the USA?

[Comrade Grumpy]

23. I remember when Somoza was assassinated in Paraguay. Smiles all around.

[delrem]

5. Canada has no term limits. No problem with that.

Maybe the US is just a little too nosy.

[joshcryer]

18. Canada has a parliament and a queen who can dissolve it at any time.

I am not kidding.

Canada is a constitutional monarchy.

Their highest leader serves for life, in this case it is Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas Queen, Defender of the Faith.

[ConcernedCanuk]

20. That is incorrect - the Queen cannot dissolve government in Canada.

.
.
.

The monarchy is just a figurehead. - "Canada is a constitutional monarchy" - that is true,

BUT you must understand that the Monarchy's powers in Canada are limited by the Constitution;

CANADA'S Constitution. That's how a "constitutional" monarchy works.

CC

[Judi Lynn]

29. A splash of reality can be so refreshing! Thank you for taking the time. n/t

[ConcernedCanuk]

30. You are welcome Judi Lynn

.
.
.

I'm not overly proud of my Country right now, especially since Martin and Harper started selling us out piece by piece;

but I do try to clear up misconceptions/misunderstandings about my country when I can,

or when I'm in the mood.

Sometimes I'm just too discouraged to disagree/argue.

But I'm getting older,

just about to the point I don't give a shit about what others think of me or my opinions/observations.

It's a sort of freedom, but I must be cautious/reserved beyond what I would say face to face.

If I get banned, or discredited, then my voice will not be heard.

Even if I only make a small difference for the better;

I can be happy with myself.

I would not be happy

if I didn't try.

CC

[joshcryer]

32. You downplay the Royal's powers.

http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/QueenandGovernment/QueeninParliament.aspx

The reason the Royals don't wield their power to that degree is because the UK would become a Republic pretty much instantly.

[joshcryer]

31. Australia has a constitution but she dissolved theirs once.

So don't be naive.

You live under a constitutional monarchy, but it is still a monarchy.

[freshwest]

6. FDR was great. Obama is great. I say we do it here and make the wingnuts flip out.

They've been predicting it all along, let them face their worst fear. They sure love to scare the pajesus outta everyone here. Only fair they get their share.

[Enrique]

7. the reporter might have asked Nicaragua for its response

it is that country's issue right?

The reporter might have called the Nicaraguan government and given them a chance to say "We don't remember asking the U.S. what it thinks about our internal matters."

[olddad56]

8. Maybe the US government should let other sovereign states make their own rules...

and be more concerned with keeping their side of the street clean.

[DocMac]

11. Don't be silly

We must stick our nose in every ass and sniff it!

[Aaron8418]

13. My thoughts

Well obviously Ortega is paying somebody off, it makes no sense that they would change something like that for " him ". I also have to say it think we are sticking our noses in to much, making people feel nervous and out of place.

[joshcryer]

16. Not paid off, threatened. He's been doing this since 2009.

Had the supreme court just shoot down the term limits enshrined in the constitution completely and got rid of opposition members, unconstitutionally.

Never mind his child rape and Nicaragua's deplorable record on choice.

Worst part is in Latin America the incumbent wins by 30 points or so. So unseating one is extremely difficult.

[Alamuti Lotus]

14. Glad to see that "Monroe Doctrine" nonsense is dead

I really hated those bad old days--far in the past, by now--when the US would interfere in the affairs of Central/South American affairs!

[Gman]

21. I believe this is none of our fucking business

thank you very much.

[City Lights]

26. IMO, the US should mind its own business. nt