Press Releases

The United States Supports Democratic Elections in Nicaragua

September 12, 2006

On November 5, 2006 Nicaraguans will elect a new President, Vice President, National Assembly and Central American Parliament representatives.  The Government of the United States of America, through the Agency for International Development (USAID) is providing approximately USD $12 million for technical support programs for the elections.  These programs include voter registration, technical assistance to the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE), local and international election observation and civic education.

“These funds represent the strong commitment of my government with the desire of the Nicaraguan people to hold free, transparent and inclusive elections” said Paul Trivelli, United States Ambassador.  They also respond to the House of Representatives Resolution No. 252 regarding support for the Nicaraguan democracy.  The resolution states that, “assistance be provided through nongovernmental organizations on a non-partisan basis.” “I want to be clear,” added the Ambassador, “We have not given approval to any specific candidate.  We have not financed, nor will we finance any political campaign.”

Using these governmental funds, diverse programs are being implemented by internationally recognized, prestigious nongovernmental institutions, with extensive experience in electoral affairs, such as the National Democratic Institute (NDI), the International Republican Institute (IRI), and the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES).  Furthermore, the Organization of American States (OAS) was given a direct grant to support the electoral observation process before, during and after the elections in November.

The USAID electoral support program includes funds for civic education and campaigns to raise the conscious of voters to “Get Out the Vote” by encouraging voters to register and vote on election day.  The program also financed seven Citizen Registration Assistance Centers in Managua, Leon, Masaya, Estelí, Granada, Chinandega, Matagalpa and Rio Blanco to provide citizens with information, forms and transportation needed to apply for an identification card from the Supreme Electoral Council.  The identification card or ‘cedula’ is required for voting in the upcoming national elections.

The funds of the United States Government also provide technical and material assistance to the Supreme Electoral Council for a special bus equipped with computers to distribute cedulas, training of Electoral Council staff, education campaigns and promoting awareness of the CSE for citizens, the creation of a website, a voter assistance hotline, and support for the CSE to provide assistance to handicapped voters.

Funds provided to the NGOs, OAS, and CSE will benefit all political parties trough technical assistance and support for the elections.  This assistance and support includes: training to municipal and departmental electoral workers, training for political party poll watchers and electoral observers, training in quick count and, specific training for verifying the audit of the national voter registration lists of the five political parties.

The USD $12 million are budgeted as follows:

• $2.9 million- Support for CSE for technical assistance, inventory, advertisement and delivery of identification cards, training to municipal and departmental electoral workers and members of the voting polls, equipment purchase, motorcycles (to deliver ‘cedulas’) and materials and investment in a public campaign to promote verification of the national voter registry, and Get Out the Vote.
• $3.1 million – Support to the electoral observation process for the regional election of the Atlantic Coast (March 2006) and to the national elections in November 2006.

• $3.4 million - Support to activities that Get Out the Vote and the civic education campaign in public secondary schools and universities.  Assistance to impoverished citizens to request and obtain an identification card ‘cedula’ and birth certificate (required for obtaining a ‘cedula’).
• $600,000 – Support to train political party poll watchers and produce training manuals.
• $2 million – Support for international electoral observer missions.