Republic of Nicaragua

Position Paper for the 2021 ESMOAS Summit of the Americas

Nicaragua’s Position Paper / 2021 ESMOAS Summit of the

Americas / Documento de posición de Nicaragua / 2021

ESMOAS Cumbre de las Américas

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I. GENERAL STATEMENT / DECLARACIÓN GENERAL

Greetings to all delegates of the Organization of American States (OAS). The delegation

of Nicaragua is honored to be a part of the historical mission of the OAS in supporting the

independence and sovereignty of its member states. Being an original member of the OAS after

having joined in 1948, Nicaragua is proud to have had the opportunity to witness pivotal changes

within the Western hemisphere. The movement within Latin and Central America towards

defending the equality of its peoples and the sovereignty of nations are to be commended by the

OAS. In this summit, the delegation of Nicaragua is pleased to work with other member states in

standing up for a core belief of the OAS- that being, the principle of nonintervention out of

respect for the sovereignty of a nation.

Nicaragua suffered through almost 300 years of Spanish colonization. Beginning from

the moment other conquistadores, such as Gil Gonzales Davila, were interested in the fruits of

the land (centralamerica.com, 2019). However, the benefits of conquest were not distributed to

the native inhabitants of the land and in 1815, with diminished Spanish influence in the territory,

Nicaragua issued an act of independence. Nicaragua then became a province of the Captaincy

General of Guatemala, which was overseen by the Viceroyalty of New Spain or Mexico

(centralamerica.com, 2019). With the same amount of negligence from Mexico as it received

from Spain, Nicaragua pulled out of the Mexican empire. The United Provinces of Central

America gave Nicaragua an official place to continue the regional unity with Costa Rica,

Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras (Britannica, 2021). Nicaragua declared full independence

and became a sovereign state in 1838.

During much of the mid to late 1800s, the nation of Nicaragua was ruled by the

conservative party. This would come to an end in 1891 with the election of Roberto Sacasa,

whose election resulted in a split in the conservative party. The liberals, under the leadership of

General José Zelaya, would take advantage of this division, leading to a series of revolts. General

José Zelaya would assume the position of president in July of 1983 (Tim Merrill, 1993).

The presidency of José Zelaya would come to be viewed by historians as one of the most

controversial in Nicaraguan history, President Zelaya held the office for a period of 16 years

despite constant opposition to his dictatorial rule. While President Zelaya had much opposition,

he was responsible for a rise in nationalism due to the economic and infrastructural growth in the

nation under his administration. Zelaya was also responsible for ending a longstanding territorial

dispute with Great Britain. However, while this agreement was favorable at home, it resulted in a

loss of support on the international stage. Zelaya’s brewing imperialistic ambition along with his

anti-United States stance resulted in the United States backing a conservative rebellion in 1909,

removing José Zelaya from office and marking the end of his 16-year rule (Tim Merrill, 1993).

After the removal of José Zelaya, the office of the president would be held by multiple

figures, including Juan Estrada, who after failing to unite both parties would be removed from

office and replaced with Adolfo Díaz. The Díaz administration would see a period of United

States occupation of the region, as the administration was unable to handle opposition revolts.

The United States would remain in Nicaragua from 1912 to 1933. In response to U.S.

occupation, the liberal party refused to participate in elections until 1920, resulting in multiple

conservative administrations. While the liberal party struggled to grasp any ounce of political

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power in Nicaragua, conservative administrations would continue to request support and

mediation from the United States, as there were still multiple liberal revolts and violence began

to worsen. The constant violence and rebellion allowed for many figures to take center stage; one

such figure was Augusto César Sandino (Tim Merrill, 1993).

Augusto César Sandino was a strong nationalist, who valued social equality and saw the

current state of affairs under conservative rule as a failure and in desperate need of change.

Sandino had come to the conclusion that he must bring about the change he deemed necessary,

so he formed an army and joined the liberals in their efforts to remove conservative president

Emiliano Chamorro. However, due to U.S. mediation, Sandino’s priority began to shift from the

removal of conservative officials to a focus on maintaining national sovereignty. Sandino

rebranded his military as the Army for the Defense of Nicaraguan Sovereignty (EDSN) and

began a guerilla movement against the United States. The election of 1932 would see the election

of the first liberal president since José Zelaya, Juan Sacasa. Sacasa would lose the support of

Sandino, despite the removal of United States troops in 1933. Sandino’s EDSN continued to

combat the Nicaraguan National Guard since they had been trained and funded by the U.S.

making them remnants of U.S. occupation. Sandino would meet regularly with President Sacasa

to discuss the removal of the National Guard in return for an end to the conflict, this demand

would mark Sandino as an enemy of then Chief Director of the National Guard Somoza Garcia,

who would order the assassination of Augusto Sandino, and on February 21, 1934, Sandino

would be arrested and murdered (Tim Merrill, 1993). Sandino’s undying nationalism and the

fight for sovereignty would not be forgotten, and his movement would once again rise. Augusto

Sandino and his fight for the sovereignty of Nicaragua has become the embodiment of the

movement Daniel Ortega has pursued.

The very man who ordered the assassination of Sandino, Anastasio Somoza Garcia, would

rule Nicaragua from 1936 to 1956. After his assassination, his sons would take power and rule

until 1979, staying in power for so long due to support from the United States of America. In

addition to embodying anti-democratic ideals for over four decades, the Somoza family

accumulated capital through overt bribery and corruption. The Somoza family grew their wealth

to equal 33% of Nicaragua’s GDP (Birdsall, 2002). The valiant efforts of Sandinistas, under the

direction of Daniel Ortega, brought an end to the autocratic Somoza regime in 1979. When the

Sandinistas were able to triumph over the Somoza reign, Ortega recognized the country required

a different approach to governance than that of his predecessors. He created a platform that

prioritized the well-being of all people instead of the wealthy.

Education and literacy were considered threats to the pre-existing political structure, as the

exploitation of illiterate workers was an integral part of the Somoza regime. Ortega recognized

this as a tool of oppression and quickly took action. After a year of Ortega being in office, the

national illiteracy rate fell from 50.3% to 12.9% through the National Literacy Campaign

(Osborne, 2000). The policy had a profound impact on an entire generation of citizens: the

cultivation of a robust democracy begins with literacy. The program itself was awarded the

esteemed UNESCO Literacy Award for its immense impact within the country (Osborne, 2000).

Informed by notions of social justice, the Sandinistas have continuously reiterated their

commitment to the welfare of the people.

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The works of the Sandinistas have been continuously undermined by the presence of

unchecked Western influence. Counterrevolutionaries, or Contras, were backed by the United

States government to subvert the social and economic reforms being implemented in Nicaragua.

The Reagan Administration supported the efforts of the Contras to sabotage the new government

of Nicaragua, providing the rebels with arms, training, and financial backing (Joseph et al.,

2010). By 1985, the United States placed a trade embargo on Nicaragua to diminish the

economic gains of the Sandinistas. Five years later, the next administration continued to interfere

in the electoral process, in a gross violation of sovereignty and democracy. The Bush

Administration supplied $9 million to the opposition party led by Violeta Chamorro and $49.5

million to the Contras, contributing to widespread reports of election intimidation and violence

(Joseph et al., 2010). Western governments unequivocally exert their power to express political

and ideological dominance -- and destabilize the innovative policies that threaten their capitalist

agenda.

In this conference, the delegation of Nicaragua wishes to serve all people of the Americas by

reinforcing the OAS stance of noninterventionism. This is with the understanding that by

pressing one nation’s agenda unto another, then the wealthiest among the member states have an

unfair and unwelcome advantage and could hinder the growth of another nation. This is

something the Western hemisphere has seen for centuries, and recovery is well underway. But

the OAS must stand firmly against hindrances to this healing. Therefore, in this summit,

Nicaragua will serve to remind other member states of the harm that has been done when

sovereignty goes unrecognized and will seek to protect and strengthen the sovereignty of all

member states at this conference.

II. PARTICULAR STATEMENTS / DECLARACIONES PARTICULARES

A: Committee: General Committee (GC)

This delegation is deeply appreciative of the opportunity to speak about the pressing issue

of democracy as it pertains to member states of the OAS. The matter of strengthening democracy

through the Inter-American Democratic Charter (IADC) is one that must be considered from

various perspectives. One of the many reasons this topic is on the table for the General

Committee (GC) is because the western-based model of democracy would indicate that

democracy is flawed in the region. For example, Freedom House is an indicator of liberal

democracy, which is a Western conception in itself. Therefore, holding nations with vastly

different histories, values, and resources to one standard for democracy is nonsensical and

disregards the rich history of Central and South America.

According to Freedom House, the region’s overall score is 30 out of 100, and is

categorized as ‘not free’ (Explore the Map, n.d.). This delegation stands firmly in the argument

that this is flawed for one simple reason- because democracy is about the will of the people, and

not about the will of the West.

It is also significant to note that this Western iteration of democracy is not infallible,

although many Western nations wish to promote the idea that it is. In 2020, the United States had

37.2 million people suffering from poverty, approximately 3.3 million more than the year prior.

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Overall, the U.S. saw an increase in poverty after five decades of continuous decline. (Bureau,

n.d.) This was concurrent to the political distress occurring in this U.S. that ultimately reached a

boiling point on January 6th, 2021.

As citizens of the United States stormed their Capitol building, it became clear to the

global community that Western-baked democracy is little more than an illusion designed to keep

other countries docile and malleable. A nation that is secure and protected in its own right to rule

as its leaders deem fit is one that will not bend to the will of the wealthy, the will of those who

have been imperialists in the past and come dangerously close to being imperialists again today.

It is, for this reason, that respect for sovereignty must be a priority for the OAS regarding

the topic of the IADC. By supporting member states in their centuries-long mission of service to

the freedom of their people, the OAS is committing to protecting sovereignty on all fronts, as one

cannot exist without the other.

The IADC was signed on September 11th, 2001 in Peru. It is generally well-aligned with

the goals of the OAS, both stating the importance of promoting democracy, “with due respect for

the principle of nonintervention.” (Inter-American Democratic Charter, n.d.). While this is

certainly a noble goal, it is one that the OAS has not done due diligence to ensure follow-through

and has demonstrated a lack of commitment to the original intent of the IADC.

Just as recently as 2019, the OAS declared “serious irregularities” in the Bolivian general

elections (OAS, 2019), casting significant international doubt of the legitimacy of election

winner Evo Morales. Referring to this alleged instance of election interference as “malicious”

(Welle, n.d.), these unfounded accusations eventually culminated in a military coup in which the

fairly elected Morales was ousted.

However, it was found by MIT researchers that there was no statistical evidence

supporting the claim of fraud in this election (RT, n.d.). This effectively means that the OAS,

acting in “support” of the IADC, played a significant role in ridding a nation of their chosen

leader.

To this point, this delegation proposes a solution to anticipate and prevent election interference

in the digital age.

Electoral interference has been an issue for centuries. However, in recent years it has come to

light as more advanced technology gives the ability to interfere in a less direct, yet more far-

reaching and ultimately effective manner. Influence via social media has proven to be a direct

threat to a nation’s ability to maintain democracy. It is for this reason that the delegation

proposes cooperation between the OAS and NGOs for the common goal of protecting a country

from foreign electoral interference, whether overt or covert.

For the sake of defending the sovereignty of the member states, the delegation urges all member

states to think in the interest of the next generations, who will only live in a successful nation if

freedom is protected today.

B: Committee: Executive Secretariat for Integral Development (SEDI)

Each nation state in the Organization of American States, as of 2020, on average has

approximately 20% of their total population between the ages of 0 and 14 (World Bank, 2020).

The children and adolescents that call the Americas their home not only make up a large

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percentage of the overall population but are undoubtedly the future leaders that will one day fill

the shoes of each political leader. There is no demographic more at risk, more vulnerable, or

neglected than that of children, children are heavily dependent on the actions of each member

state to live prosperous, successful, and happy lives. It is the responsibility of each member state,

within their own nation, to guarantee that all children have access to equal opportunities, access

to an education, and access to basic necessities such as food, water, and shelter.

In Latin America alone, approximately 46% of children between the ages of 0 and 14 live

well below the poverty line, these economic inequalities directly correlate with lack of access to

equal opportunities, education, and basic necessities (UNICEF, 2021). The high poverty rates in

the region have resulted in only six out of ten children between the ages of three and four attend

early education, and even fewer complete their education (UNICEF, 2021). Children of the OAS

should not be forced to work at a young age to provide for themselves, nor should they be denied

their childhoods. It is not the responsibility of a governing entity to protect the most vulnerable

population, however this cannot be done without the creation of an Inter-American Declaration

on the Rights of Children. The nation of Nicaragua stands on the side of children, and against the

forces that impede their success.

The nation of Nicaragua is proud to have signed and been one of the first nations to ratify

the Convention on the Rights of the Child (United Nations Treaty Collection, 1995). The nation

of Nicaragua has always acknowledged the importance of protecting the most vulnerable

population and understands the responsibility that such a convention elicits. Due to the

ratification of the convention, there has been great strides in reducing infant mortality, decrease

in malnutrition, and access to basic necessities (UNICEF, 2021). However, these strides have

impacted each region of the world differently, with Latin America being one of the most unequal

in the world with 2 out of 5 children not having their rights fulfilled, and with over 3 million

children under the age of 5 not even being registered (UNICEF, 2021).

The nation of Nicaragua stresses the importance of the creation of an Inter-American

Declaration on the Rights of Children, out of fear that the United Nations has succumb to the

influence of global superpowers, that only wish to weaken developing nations such as Nicaragua

and many other nation states in the Organization of American States (UN General Assembly,

2019). The Government of Nicaragua strongly believes in a nation’s right to independence and

sovereignty and does not believe that with the current model of the United Nations has the

interest of Latin American nations in mind. Nicaragua believes that due to the UN’s encroaching

control, that the Convention on the Rights of the Child will not be upheld on a global scale, and

it has become the responsibility of the OAS to guarantee the rights of children in the hemisphere.

The nation of Nicaragua is proud to be a participating member in the Organization of

American States in the fight for the rights of children and has openly supported mandates that

guarantee these rights. The Government of Nicaragua cares deeply about children and access to

education, and as such has been in support of mandates that guarantee this right. While the

Government of Nicaragua has been in support of these mandates, Nicaragua believes that such

progressive strides could not be successful if forced upon nations. The nation of Nicaragua,

independently, has been capable of making significant strides on the right to an education that

has been recognized by UNICEF. While Nicaragua acknowledges the importance of the OAS

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and its role but must question the overall impact the OAS has on the region, especially seeing

that nations such as Nicaragua has been capable of great strides without the support of the OAS.

The nation of Nicaragua especially under the presidency of Daniel Ortega, has always

cared deeply about the rights of children and adolescents. It would be untrue to claim that the

nation of Nicaragua has been perfect in regards to guaranteeing the rights of children yet

claiming to be perfect on this issue is a stance no member state can make. Biased media has

spread exaggerated inaccuracies on the condition of children in Nicaragua, while blatantly

ignoring the great strides that have been made.

Under this administration, the nation of Nicaragua has made great strides that have been

acknowledged by organizations such as UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s

Emergency Fund). The nation of Nicaragua has been praised by UNICEF for its economic and

social policies, as well as its significant progress in the eradication of poverty through economic,

political, educational, and social development. Aside from these significant successes, UNICEF

has also recognized the legal framework that have been implemented in Nicaragua in protection

of the rights of children and adolescents, along with national and international instruments that

protect the rights of children (UN General Assembly, 2019). These progressive strides have only

been possible under the administration of Daniel Ortega, previous administrations have been

unable to make successful strides similar to that of the Ortega administration.

Progress that has been made under the presidency of Daniel Ortega for the betterment of

the rights and condition of children has also been the impressive reduction of the poverty rate in

pre-pandemic periods. As acknowledged by UNICEF is the poverty rate reduction of general

poverty by 17.6% and extreme poverty by 7.7%, between the years of 2009 to 2016 (UN General

Assembly, 2019). The issue of poverty is an issue that all Latin American and Caribbean nations

have been forced to combat, UNICEF has released data that shows that approximately 46.2% of

all children in Latin America and the Caribbean between the ages of 0 and 14 live in poverty or

extreme poverty (UNICEF, 2021). This impressive reduction of poverty was not only possible

through cooperation with UNICEF, but by Nicaragua’s participation in intergovernmental

organizations.

Through the partnership with ALBA-TCP (Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our

America - Peoples' Trade Treaty), Nicaragua has been able to garner the respect of UNICEF for

the significant strides made in guaranteeing access to a free and quality education (UN General

Assembly, 2019). These progressive strides in education, have not only been possible due to the

nation’s participation in ALBA-TCP, but due to President Ortega’s dedication to the eradication

of illiteracy in the nation. President Ortega cares deeply about the education of children in

Nicaragua and has invested great economic resources for education, which has included proper

equipment in classrooms as well as adequate training for teachers. Prior to the presidency of

Daniel Ortega in 2007, the previous administration has illiteracy rates as high as 22%, this rate

has since dropped due to President Ortega increasing the number of Child Development Centers

from a mere 32 in 2007 to more than 250 in present day. Not only are there more facilities, but

each facility is also staffed with trained teachers, this has allowed for an increase of over 200,000

students attending school (Radio Nicaragua, 2021). While there have been impressive strides in

the eradication of illiteracy, the nation of Nicaragua under the presidency of Daniel Ortega has

been focused on the eradication of the real issue impacting all children, poverty.

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The nation of Nicaragua stresses the importance of education and the eradication of illiteracy for

economic gain. Nicaragua wants to provide each member state the opportunity to mirror its

success through the participation in organizations such as ALBA-TCP that combat poverty

through the eradication of illiteracy, and the development of sustainable agriculture.

The nation of Nicaragua acknowledges the high levels of illiteracy in the OAS and

wishes to teach member states the economic benefits that can be gained with a focus on

educating children. In Latin America, 3.6 million children between the ages of 3 and 4 are not

adequately developed for their age, this is a direct result of the fact that only 6 out of 10 children

between the ages of 3 and 4 attend early education, with even less children staying in school past

early education (UNICEF, 2021). Nicaragua has seen great economic gain with the prioritization

of education, Nicaragua is keeping children in school long enough to transition to technical

schools that prioritize agriculture as well as other trades. The nation of Nicaragua has been able

to combat the issue of illiteracy with the support and aid of other ALBA-TCP member states and

stresses the importance of creating subregional groups that can work support each other to

combat illiteracy and decrease poverty while doing so.

The Government of Nicaragua cares deeply about the education of children and has spent

years combatting illiteracy in the hopes of eventual eradication. The nation of Nicaragua has

seen economic growth as a result of its efforts to eradicate illiteracy, Nicaragua in cooperation

with ALBA-TCP has made efforts to improve the quality of virtual education as well as make

virtual education accessible to all children. President Ortega has established a National Literacy

Crusade, with the goal of keeping children in school. As more children progress in their

education, they are guided towards technical education where they will be taught trades such as

agriculture. As a result of these technical schools, there has been a major improvement in

performance and production, which has already been shown to have economic benefits (Radio

Nicaragua, September 2021). The nation of Nicaragua is proof that with the prioritization of

education, there can be major economic benefits that can improve each individual member state.

Nicaragua wants nothing more than to see the success of other member states and wants to guide

other nations towards self-determination.

C: Committee: Secretariat for Multidimensional Secuirty (SMS)

The travel and tourism sector makes up one of the most vital segments of the Americas.

In addition to the immediate health risk posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the disease has also

radically altered the economic landscape of the region. The United Nations World Trade

Organization estimated a 69% reduction in tourist arrivals within the Americas in 2020, deeming

2020 as “the worst year in tourism history (UN World Tourism Organization, 2021).” Thus, it is

necessary to focus policy solutions on reactivating the tourism industry and securing sustainable,

long-term economic development.

The Twenty-Fifth Inter-American Congress of Ministers and High-Level Authorities of

Tourism convened virtually on October 6, 2021 to underscore the importance of reinvigorating

economic development within the Americas. The Ministers and High-Level Authorities of

Tourism noted how the pandemic has “disproportionately harmed” micro, small, and medium-

sized tourism enterprises of all sizes (Organization of American States, 2021). Within the

convention, member states were given a forum for “examining the nature and cost of the

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pandemic’s impact on the tourism sector” and policies to reduce the harm it has caused

(Organization of American States, 2021). Each participating member demonstrated their

commitment to collaboration in times of crisis by jointly signing the Declaration of Paraguay.

The adopted Declaration encourages protocols to standardize biosafety, the formation of public-

private partnerships, and support for tourism enterprises affected by the pandemic. Interregional

unity was placed at the forefront of the agenda, and Nicaragua has resolved to pave the way for

other countries.

One of Nicaragua’s greatest strengths lies in its ability to lead the region in promoting

cooperation and peace-making. From signing the Esquipulas Nicaraguan Peace Agreement of

1987 to being an active member of the Central American Security Commission, Nicaragua has

demonstrated a steadfast commitment to coordinating with neighboring governments in the face

of international emergencies (Isacson, 1997). COVID-19 is a multidimensional crisis that harms

economic activity and human health, highlighting an imminent need for expertise in strategic

partnerships and decisive action.

Nicaragua’s unconventional approach to managing the pandemic should be considered by

other members of the OAS. The measures implemented were taken after consulting with South

Korea and Taiwan, which had overcome separate coronavirus epidemics in 2002 (Perry, 2020).

The Government of Nicaragua stresses the importance of creating peaceful alliances with

national governments to unite against a common goal. Streetside clinics and campaigns to

combat social media misinformation were created to protect public health and minimize

economic disruption. Nicaragua boasts a triumphant COVID-19 response that has

simultaneously defended the health of the people and the economy.

The Government of Nicaragua was among the first national governments to recognize the

immediate threat posed by COVID-19. Data from the World Health Organization and the

University of Oxford suggests that the efforts were successful: Nicaragua was recognized as one

of the top ten safest countries in the world to visit during the COVID-19 pandemic (Shayron

Tower, 2021). Furthermore, the comparatively lower mortality rates from COVID-19 within the

country indicate the national government has set a precedent for other countries to follow – even

Western ones (Reuters, 2021).

Promoting economic activity and protecting public health should not be seen as mutually

exclusive objectives. Instead, they should be recognized as interconnected. For instance, it is

unlikely for citizens to consider the long-term ramifications of the pandemic when job cuts leave

them unable to feed their families. Nicaragua has reiterated its commitment to its people by

rejecting the use of draconian and impractical lockdowns. It is not necessary to choose between

public health or the economy since both are essential for securing the “health of society

(Secretaria Privada para Políticas Nacionales, 2020).”

Various reports indicate that lockdowns are not conducive to the economic activity of the

host country. The United Nations Economic and Social Council has cited concerns that

lockdowns could collapse developing economies to the extent that foreign investors would be

deemed essential to “revive” the economy (UN Economic and Social Council, 2021).

Nicaragua believes these concerns can be circumvented through carefully crafted

partnerships designed to encourage long-term economic viability. Resolving these issues means

tackling business problems endemic to the region, such as a wide vocational skills gap, to avoid

dependency on Western foreign investment. According to the World Economic Forum, as many

as 40 percent of surveyed employers across the Latin America and Caribbean region point to the

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skills gap as the principal obstacle to raising employment and boosting productivity (World

Economic Forum, 2021).

The World Economic Forum estimates that investment in “upskilling” could boost the

global GDP by $6.5 trillion by 2030. Nicaragua trusts in emerging technologies to provide online

vocational training programs to teach students the jobs of the future. Online-based modules can

elucidate the latest priorities of the tourism industry, including infection-prevention measures

and eco-tourism. Individual countries have enhanced their technical training programs to great

success: both El Salvador and the Dominican Republic have developed national initiatives with

this aim, through the Modelo Educativo Gradual de Aprendizaje Técnico y Tecnológico

(MEGATEC) and New Employment Opportunities (NEO) programs, respectively (FHI 360,

2016).

To address regional workforce disparities, the Government of Nicaragua recognizes the

urgent need for policy directed towards workforce development. In the digital age, the problem

poses an opportunity to expand cyberinfrastructure and vocational programs concurrently.

Hence, Nicaragua proposes the establishment of a special committee to oversee the development

of online skill-based programs. The committee will be chiefly concerned with the creation of

digital training modules to diversify the skill-based workforce in the hospitality and tourism

industry. The modules would be formulated in close collaboration with national governments to

standardize competencies in customer-facing and management roles. In the context of the

pandemic, online training programs will provide infection-prevention techniques to protect the

health of workers and tourists alike. By focusing on the shared goals of national governments --

economic sustainability and public health -- the proposal seeks to empower small business

owners and workers.

The Government of Nicaragua is determined to support the multidimensional wellbeing

of the Americas. COVID-19 presents an opportunity for the tourism industry in the hemisphere

to reset, build back better, and advance the financial standing of the region. We call for OAS

member states to utilize this inflection point and break the shackles of colonization through

economic independence.

D: Committee: Secretariat for Political Affairs (SPA)

Democracy has strengthened the unity and the prosperity of Latin America. After decades

of dictators ruling over the beautiful lands of Latin America, with the help of imperial powers,

they were ousted by brave activists, journalists, and revolutionaries that understood that the

sovereign people of America must rule themselves. Simón Bolívar, Augusto César Sandino, and

President Daniel Ortega have lived that reality and made it their mission to prevent imperial

powers to rule over the region again.

President Ortega’s influence to create popular laws that reflect the democratic culture of

Nicaragua are examples of his devotion to that mission. The intentions of the Sandinista National

Liberation Front (FSLN) are to protect the citizens of Nicaragua. As popular and strong as these

laws may be, they cannot be allowed to remain as the first or last line of defense against

tyrannical forces that threaten to weaken the political systems of the state.

Just as the Roman gladiators were important protectors of democracy in ancient Rome,

the popularity of sports and the culture in Nicaragua are great helpers in preserving democracy

(What was the purpose, 2020). The true protector of democracy is culture, and a great helper at

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accomplishing that goal is sports. The enthusiasm for sports in Nicaragua is expanding to

encompass other sports that previously did not have large audiences. Nicaragua's most popular

sport and national sport is baseball, but soccer is as popular as well. Other pastimes, now getting

considered to become professional sports, are fishing and surfing (Davis, 2011). The various

geographical landscapes available to the Nicaraguan people allow them to participate in the

unique sports in their area.

Sports have a great impact on culture and democracy. Participating in a sport with others

naturally creates community through the shared experience of being involved in athletics. It is

even more effective in the youth, since they experience this during their formative years creating

collaboration, empathy, and confidence (Yong & Hackett-Provenzano). Sports also have

democratic themes in disguise. The notion of respecting your opponent and playing by certain

rules to have a “fair” game are two of the classic examples. The themes of discipline and

responsibility are also present in sports that can be found in contemporary themes of democracy

(Andersen, 2017)

Nicaragua’s culture is characterized by the unity of the people. Similar to other member

states of the OAS, the Nicaraguan people are family oriented, proud in their heritage, proud in

their jobs, and most importantly, they are proud to be politically engaged. Each national election

since 2001 (IFES, 2016) has had over 60% voter turnout. According to a poll done by M&R

Consultores, 75.1% of the tested population would vote in the coming election (teleSUR/capc-

MS, 2021). This is one of the most evident manners in which the Nicaraguan people portray

their enthusiasm for political participation.

At this point, the political institutions of Nicaragua are under threat of attack from inside

as well as outside. The violent protests that lasted for months in 2018 brought about violent

attacks on the enforcers and protectors of the nation (Martínez, 2021). These acts of violence

broke the stream of peace that had lasted since the 1980’s and are evidence that there needs to be

solutions to quail further acts of violence. A great solution to this issue has been law #1055, Law

to Defend the Rights of the People’s Independence, Sovereignty, and Auto determination for

Peace, makes it illegal for criminals to finance terrorists, a coup d'état and other illicit activities

that threaten the state (Machado, 2021).

The President Ortega administration has been at the forefront of the promotion of

democracy in Nicaragua. With the violent protests that broke out in 2018 that later became an

attempted to become a coup, the legislature has worked hard to create common sense legislation

to protect the country from malicious foreign intervention. Law #1040 gives the Nicaraguan

people the peace of mind that foreign investors or instigators are not able to undermine the

independence, self-determination, and national sovereignty, and the economic and political

stability of the country by financing or providing resources to organizations or persons of

Nicaragua (National Assembly of the Republic of Nicaragua, 2020). This law is considerate of

the ordinary citizens of Nicaragua who have moved on from their home nation and are sending

financial help or resources to their families (National Assembly of the Republic of Nicaragua,

2020). Law #1040 does not penalize these laudable actions. It also exempts nongovernmental

organizations and foreign companies with business purposes inside the country. This law created

a regulatory body through which foreign entities are meant to register themselves and their

funding to prevent similar violence from the 2018 protests from happening again.

Another successful legislation approved by the National Assembly that has aided to the

good fortune that Nicaragua has endured is the scrapping of presidential term limits. Aiding to

the stability needed to create a foundation for the future of Nicaragua, the Sandinista National

Republic of Nicaragua

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Liberation Front (FSLN), helped pass the constitutional amendment to give President Ortega the

opportunity to be elected for a third term (BBC, 2014). This law now gives President Ortega the

opportunity to continue for a fourth term as president in the upcoming elections this November

7th.

With the election looming closer, Nicaragua is reminded of the best democratic behaviors

that the citizens have learned to carry out. As outlined by the proud and informative La Sandino

website (2021), these practices are present in the civic engagement and dedication of the

Nicaraguan people to promote voting and social justice among communities that are least

represented: the use of multiple languages to register voters, the continued expansion of voting

cites to include remote locations, the strengthening of communal voting, the representation of

multiple political parties, the capacity and credited standard of each political party, the laws

aimed at generating 50% woman participation in the public office, the formation of a safe voting

system to ensure “one person, one vote”, the comprehensive electoral system with the capacity to

include new registered voters and to purge ineligible voters, the verification process of each

registered voter to assure they are Nicaraguan citizens, and the use of preventative measures

against COVID-19 to ensure a safe campaign against the infectious disease (Machado, 2021).

Trade agreements within the region and other allies have provided the foundation through

which Nicaragua has endured 30 years of prosperity. A key agreement, the Bolivarian

Alternative for the Americas (ALBA), which is also coupled with the People’s Trade Agreement

(TCP) is a clear example of regional unity to advance the region’s interests. These agreements

are held in regard to halt the regional dominance of the United States (bilaterals.org, 2012). This

agreement recognizes that there is a need for this sort of unity among the member states to

promote sovereignty and a supportive apparatus for the people of the region to continue to

provide the physical and cultural needs of their citizens (International Trade Organization, 2021).

The OAS has gone through great strides to embroil themselves into the democracy of

sovereign states. Their efforts do not take in consideration the plurality of cultures that span

Latin America. This attitude is reflected in the OAS creation of the Inter-American Democratic

Charter (OAS, 2009). This parliamentary body has brought the internal affairs of sovereign states

into question by a league of states that claim to be concerned of democracy or human rights.

Another creation of the OAS that has made similar strides at advancing democracy is the

School of Governance. This education center is a testament to the best efforts made by the OAS

to create an institution that is not invasive of state sovereignty. Education is the greatest tool to

continue the advancement of civilization, and this institution is charged with continuing the

political teaching of activists, community leaders, and ordinary citizens how to best continue to

serve the political institutions of their state (OAS, 2009).

These sorts of efforts are made to promote a stable Latin America that is free to pursue its

best interests with the help of the OAS. This initiative has also expanded its reach to contain

multiple courses dealing with basic public management, strengthening democracy, training about

becoming an electorate to women and has published online courses to reach a larger audience

(OAS, 2009).

In recognition of this issue, the member state of Nicaragua proposes for the OAS to

create an educational course geared towards facilitating youth political engagement through

sports and culture. As mentioned above, laws cannot be the only line of defense against the

weakening of political systems and democracy. The popularity of sports and the spotlight of

culture should be valuable tools used to bolster sovereignty and internal affairs.

Republic of Nicaragua

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This proposal would further expand the resources that the already useful OAS School of

Governance provides to the member states of Nicaragua. The functions of this educational course

would be train citizens, chosen by their respective state, to be educated in “best practices”

methodology for youth political engagement through the use of sporting and cultural events. This

course would consider the diverse cultures and different sports that are present in the OAS to

properly educate participants. Creating a successful model of engaging the youth to have

enthusiasm in their participation is imperative to the advancement of the region.

The threat of foreign entities threating the sovereignty of Nicaragua has grown in recent

years. Not to mention the most recent insult the OAS issued on October 19, 2021 to the

sovereignty of Nicaragua (Canada, 2021). The internal affairs of Nicaragua, concerning the

looming national election, are not matters of concern to the OAS. With the barbarous protests

from 2018, which were provoked and funded by foreign interests, Nicaragua has looked for

resolutions to allow the younger generation other options to voice their political opinion.

Nicaragua’s efforts at maintaining democracy and advancing are evident in the actions of

the National Assembly and the influence of President Ortega. These democratic elements are

supported by the foundations provided by the unity of the region. With the afforded trade

agreements and similar vision, the region is staving off foreign interference in domestic affairs.

However, the OAS has remained an active international actor in implementing democracy and

democratic aid in the region. One of these developments has been the School of Governance,

which has adopted many courses to aid the growth of educated civic leaders in the member states

of the OAS. To compliment this effort, the delegation of Nicaragua is proposing a course that

could compliment the teachings of the School of Governance, but with an emphasis on targeting

the younger generation using sports and cultural events.

Since the United States 2016 election, the world has witnessed the increasing role of the

internet in elections and political systems. Around the world, the internet is under the domain of

the younger generation who are experiencing the world through it. To continue the success of the

activists, scholars, and revolutionaries of the 20th century, the member states must begin passing

down the teachings that made their sacrifice worth it.

Violent protests fueled by foreign interests must be prevented at all costs. The election

systems put in place must be respected to continue the work towards stabilizing the region after

COVID-19 and other issues before it (Machado, 2021). The education of the next generation

must be done by their peers who built the foundation they grew up on.

III. CONCLUDING STATEMENTS / DECLARACIONES FINALES

The delegation of Nicaragua is pleased to advance the mission of the OAS, which has

underscored the importance of cooperativity in the Americas since its inception. As an original

and current member of the OAS, Nicaragua has continuously emphasized its commitment to the

purpose of the OAS. In recent years, the Western hemisphere has championed the rights of

people and the sovereignty of nations. Nicaragua is honored to work towards elevating these

shared values, even in times of crisis.

Nicaragua has been a regional leader in promoting peace-making and collaboration within

the Americas. History has demonstrated Nicaragua's devotion to coordinating with neighboring

governments in the face of international emergencies. Similarly, the past has shown how

interventionist policies have functioned as a mechanism for imperialist and oppressive aims.

Republic of Nicaragua

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Nicaragua will continue to facilitate positive change in the region while remaining mindful of

each member state's right to self-determination. The future of the OAS relies on the recognition

of historical triumphs and shortcomings alike; In recognizing the mutually held principles of the

region, Nicaragua remains dedicated to nonviolent, productive change within the Americas.

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