Tell the US Senate Not to Pass the RENACER Act

Alliance for Global Justice

US Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is sponsoring a bill that would apply more sanctions against Nicaragua on top of those in the 2018 Nica Act. Menendez is joined by Senate co-sponsors Marco Rubio (R-FL), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Chris Murphy (D-CT), The bill includes various aspects; but the most harmful to the population, especially in time of pandemic, is that it would make it even harder for Nicaragua to get development assistance.

Most Congress members have bought the striking media lies about Nicaragua in recent years. We know the US, through institutions like the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), has provided hundreds of millions of dollars just in the last five years for the Nicaraguan opposition, especially for their media.  Much of this is used to further opposition lies to the US media and law-makers.

Please vote against the bill being promoted by Senators Menendez, Rubio, Kaine, Durbin, Cardin, and Murphy to apply more sanctions against Nicaragua entitled Reinforcing Nicaragua’s Adherence to Conditions for Electoral Reform (RENACER).

These Sanctions are meant to harm Nicaragua in the run-up to November elections. [Note: “Renancer” is the Spanish word for “Rebirth” — EAW]

The US through USAID, NED and other government conduits has provided over 200 million dollars to the Nicaraguan opposition in recent years, much of it to attempt a coup in 2018.

In August 2020 a USAID document called Responsive Action in Nicaragua (RAIN) was leaked from the US Embassy in Managua.  It is a playbook for a multi-faceted destabilization campaign and is going on now.

I do not want my country to carry out coups or to destabilize other nations; unilateral sanctions are illegal and harm the most vulnerable in society.

Unlike its neighbors, very few people are leaving Nicaragua, so it poses no migration problem for the US. It has the lowest homicide rate in Central America, no gangs or cartels. Multilateral funders (World Bank, IMF, Interamerican Development Bank, and the CABEI) have, without exception, praised the transparent management and the results of their loan portfolios.

Yet it is Nicaragua that the US describes as an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to US national security. This doesn’t make sense.

Please also take a look below at some of the amazing advances in Nicaragua, ignored by the media. The US could learn from its universal health and education systems, starting with its success in managing the Covid pandemic.

Nicaragua’s Accomplishments

•  5th in the world in gender equity (UN Women)

•  1st in the world: women in Ministerial positions (UN Women)

•  The IDB ranked Nicaragua fourth in all of Latin America in health investment.

•  Poverty, maternal and infant mortality have been cut by more than half since 2007

•   It is 90% food sovereign

•  The World Food Program says Nicaragua prioritizes food security, and it praised the school meal program that reaches at least 1.2 million children.

– A 2020 World Bank report says that a child in Nicaragua has a 98% chance of living to age 5, one of the highest in Latin America.

•  99% electricity coverage. 76% of energy from renewables.

•  1st in best roads regionally.

•  Nicaragua is the safest country in the region (UNDP).

•  On Aug. 14, 2020 the International Development Bank (IDB) presented a report which found that the Nicaragua government is one of the most respectful of the rule of law and the most transparent in administration and management of public entities.

•  Nicaragua has very high transparency in public debt with full data on each Institution’s website about execution of loans (July, 2020, World Bank).

•  Nicaragua is praised for its excellent project execution. (CABEI, Aug. 2020)

•  The quality, planning, and effectiveness of Nicaragua’s project management is excellent, and the Finance Ministry is extremely organized and transparent, allowing CABEI to plan projects easily and without concerns.” (CABEI, Oct. 7, 2020)