Friends of The Inter-American Democratic Charter Issue Statement on Crisis in Nicaragua April 22, 2010 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FRIENDS OF THE INTER-AMERICAN DEMOCRATIC CHARTER --FOR DEMOCRACY IN NICARAGUA— The decision last year by a part of the Nicaraguan Supreme Court to declare unconstitutional article 147 prohibiting consecutive re-election in the 1995 Constitution allowed President Daniel Ortega to propose his candidacy for reelection in 2011. Equally troubling was the January 2010 executive decree which extended the terms of congressionally appointed state authorities, including members of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal and Supreme Court. Most recently, acts of violence against opposition members of the National Assembly have further weakened the integrity of state institutions and the credibility of Nicaragua’s democratic governance. The conflict between branches of government continues to worsen and constitutes a major concern about the health of Nicaraguan democracy. We, the Friends of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, express profound concern that this conflict and the present increasing volatility may lead to greater political violence and the further erosion of Nicaraguan stability and democracy. We consider that the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential re-election and the overstepping of executive authority to extend the terms of public authorities legally appointed by the Congress is contrary to the essential elements and components of democracy agreed by Nicaragua and set out in articles 3 and 4 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter. In order to restore democratic principles, peace and stability in Nicaragua, we urge the Secretary General of the Organization of American States and the member states of the OAS to immediately convene a meeting of the Permanent Council and to undertake the appropriate actions and consultations in accordance with the Inter-American Democratic Charter. 1 The November 2008 Municipal Elections in Nicaragua revealed many serious and fraudulent irregularities. Since then concern has been growing within the international community about the further erosion of Nicaragua’s democracy and the loss of space for the exercise of civil liberties and political rights. This concern led to the withdrawal of international funds by many donors. So far the impact on the government of Nicaragua has been negligible, but the loss of funding has had more serious consequences for the people of Nicaragua. We call upon other organizations and institutions which have been closely associated with Nicaragua in the process of pacification and subsequently in its democratic development to express their concerns directly to the government of Nicaragua. Friends of the inter-American Democratic Charter Nicolas Ardito-Barletta Carlos Ayala Corao Former President Former President Inter-American Commission Panama on Human Rights Jimmy Carter Joe Clark Former President of the United States of Former Prime Minister of Canada America Humberto de la Calle John Graham Former Vice President of Colombia Chair Emeritus, Canadian Foundation for the Americas Osvaldo Hurtado Torquato Jardim Former President of Ecuador Former Justice of the Superior Electoral Tribunal of Brazil John Maisto John Manley Former U.S Ambassador to the OAS Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada Barbara McDougall María Emma Mejía Former Minister of External Affairs of Canada Former Foreign Minister of Colombia Pedro Nikken Robert Pastor Former President, Inter-American Court for Former Director of Latin American and Human Rights, Venezuela Caribbean Affairs, National Security Council, United States Andrés Pastrana Sergio Ramírez Former President of Colombia Former Vice-President of Nicaragua María Isabel Salvador Jorge Santistevan de Noriega Former Foreign Minister of Ecuador Former Human Rights Ombudsman of Peru Eduardo Stein Fernando Tuesta Soldevilla Former Vice President of Guatemala Former Director National Office of Electoral Processes, Peru Joaquín Villalobos Founder of the Farabundo Martí Nacional Liberation Front (FMNL), Signatory of the Peace Agreements of El Salvador in 1992 2 .