.Nicaraguan Congress will not debate re-election
MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) - The Nicaraguan Congress on Wednesday narrowly rejected an initiative to force a debate on whether to annul a hotly disputed court ruling allowing President Daniel Ortega to seek re-election.
The vote in the National Assembly's controlling commission went along party lines with congressional leader Rene Nunez - a member of Ortega's leftist Sandinista party - casting the deciding vote against the initiative put forward by the opposition Liberal Party.
A Supreme Court panel voted last week to overturn a ban on consecutive re-election and serving more than two terms. Ortega was president from 1984 to 1990, and the ruling would allow him to run again when his current term runs out in 2011.
Only members of Ortega's party took part in the decision by the heavily politicized high court, and its ruling sparked criticism both inside Nicaragua and abroad.
U.S. Ambassador Robert J. Callahan said the court ruling was made improperly and "threatened to undermine the foundations of Nicaragua's democracy."
"From our point of view, the Supreme Court acted improperly and with unusual speed, in secret, with the participation of justices from just one political movement and with no public debate or discussion," Callahan told a meeting of businessmen Wednesday.
Opposition leaders called it a power grab by Ortega. But the head of Nicaragua's electoral commission has called the ruling final and Ortega has said the electorate should be allowed to decide if he should stay in office.
Liberal Party judges were not present at last week's Supreme Court vote and say it must be approved by the full court to be valid. But they lack the votes to overturn it.
Latin American leaders such as Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, Ecuador's Rafael Correa and Colombia's Alvaro Uribe also have maneuvered to extend their terms in office, leading to criticism they are threatening the region's democratic institutions.
MyWay
The vote in the National Assembly's controlling commission went along party lines with congressional leader Rene Nunez - a member of Ortega's leftist Sandinista party - casting the deciding vote against the initiative put forward by the opposition Liberal Party.
A Supreme Court panel voted last week to overturn a ban on consecutive re-election and serving more than two terms. Ortega was president from 1984 to 1990, and the ruling would allow him to run again when his current term runs out in 2011.
Only members of Ortega's party took part in the decision by the heavily politicized high court, and its ruling sparked criticism both inside Nicaragua and abroad.
U.S. Ambassador Robert J. Callahan said the court ruling was made improperly and "threatened to undermine the foundations of Nicaragua's democracy."
"From our point of view, the Supreme Court acted improperly and with unusual speed, in secret, with the participation of justices from just one political movement and with no public debate or discussion," Callahan told a meeting of businessmen Wednesday.
Opposition leaders called it a power grab by Ortega. But the head of Nicaragua's electoral commission has called the ruling final and Ortega has said the electorate should be allowed to decide if he should stay in office.
Liberal Party judges were not present at last week's Supreme Court vote and say it must be approved by the full court to be valid. But they lack the votes to overturn it.
Latin American leaders such as Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, Ecuador's Rafael Correa and Colombia's Alvaro Uribe also have maneuvered to extend their terms in office, leading to criticism they are threatening the region's democratic institutions.
MyWay
posted by madtom at 2:35 PM
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