Nicaragua – The Education Generation The author of this article, Becca Renk, is originally from the U.S. but has lived and worked in Nicaragua since 2001 with the Jubilee House Community and its project the Center for Development in Central America. She and her husband Paul have two daughters who have studied in Nicaraguan public schools for 15 years. She describes her firsthand observations here of Nicaragua’s educational system.
Nicaragua Webinar recordings and related materials are available
October 22 Nicaragua Webinar, “Church and State in Nicaragua: Probing the Relationship.”
Recording, speakers’ notes and slideshow: https://NicaSolidarity.net/Webinars/
September 24 Nicaragua Webinar, “The Nicaraguan Community Policing Model.”
English recording and slideshows: https://NicaSolidarity.net/Webinars/nicaragua-webinars-series-2/
Spanish recording and slideshows: https://NicaSolidarity.net/Webinars/webinar-sobre-nicaragua/
Take Action Against Sanctions on Nicaragua
ONGOING: Please contact your Senators and members of Congress to tell them to vote NO on S.1881, which would impose more sanctions on Nicaragua! To learn more, get the lobbying toolkit here: America Without Sanctions.
Advocacy Day Thursday, October 26: Activists are speaking out in the halls of the US Congress, advocating for #AmericasWithoutSanctions – those coercive measures that are harshly affecting Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua. Nicaragua activists are holding meetings with Senators and Representatives, especially focusing on members of committees that will consider S.1881 before it goes to a floor vote.
Advocacy Day will start with a Congressional briefing on the impacts of sanctions on countries in the Americas. Join the livestream, 9:00 – 10:15am Eastern time: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88146071100
Panel of Experts:
- Steve Ellner, Ph.D., Latin American Perspectives, Historian
- Professor Richard Kohn, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Maryland
- Ann Faust, M.D., an expert in maternal and child health who has worked in a variety of countries
Impacts of sanctions on real people’s lives:
- Scott Hagaman, Friends of Latin America, the case of Cuba
- Marilyn Carlisle, Casa Baltimore-Limay, the case of Nicaragua
- Leonardo Flores, Venezuela Solidarity Network, the case of Venezuela
Selected News Briefs
Ivan Acosta speaks about Nicaragua’s 2024 Budget, from John Perry
In an interview with Alberto Mora on Nicaragua’s Channel 4, housing minister Ivan Acosta set out the country’s budget for 2024, approved this past week by the National Assembly. Acosta said that Nicaragua could take advantage of the fast economic growth in Central America since the pandemic – 15.9% over the three years compared with the regional average of 12.1%.
In cash terms, the 2024 budget will be about 24% higher than that for 2023, and of this, there will be a big increase (43%) in public sector investment. Overall, the proportion of the budget directed to anti-poverty measures totals 61%, and the proportion going specifically to health and education sectors will be 37.5%. Less than 3% goes on defence.
Acosta said that the increased budget would enable the country to continue the advances in health, education, transport, energy, water supply, housing and municipal services that it has been making since 2007.
Projects with China that will Change Nicaragua
Nicaraguan development projects with Chinese companies will radically change the country in a few years. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs participated last week in the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing. Agreements were reached with Chinese companies. 1. Contract for the Reconstruction, Expansion and Improvement of the Punta Huete International Airport. 2. Memorandum of Understanding for the Studies, Designs and Construction of the Managua-Masaya-Granada Railroad and the formulation of the Managua-Corinto-Bluefields Railroad Master Plan. 3. Cooperation Agreement for the road projects “Expansion of the Guanacaste-Nandaime-Rivas highway and the Rivas-Sapoá highway.” 4. Framework Agreement for the Coastal Highway Project Phase II. 5. Memorandum of Understanding for the Mojolka and Tumarín Hydroelectric Projects. 6. The Chinese company YUTONG will continue supplying buses. La Primerisima, 23 October 2023
Tropical Storm Moves through Southern Caribbean
Tropical depression 21 is already in Nicaraguan territory. It entered Monday night through Pearl Lagoon, in the Southern Caribbean. Thunderstorms and moderate winds are beginning in the Caribbean areas. Nicaraguan coastal media reported no major incidents: only light rains and an acceleration of wind speed thus far. La Primerisima, 24 October 2023
UN Debate on Human Rights, from Sofia Clark
Last week, Nicaragua participated in the General Debate on Human Rights within the framework of the meetings of the Third Committee of the United Nations Commission on Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Affairs. Our ambassador to the UN, Jaime Hermida Castillo, highlighted the progress made in the restitution of rights to Indigenous Peoples and Afro-descendants with the completion of the titling process of these Peoples, as well as our Government’s social commitment to people with disabilities.
Twelve Priests go to Rome by Agreement with the Vatican
“The Government of Reconciliation and National Unity of the Republic of Nicaragua, after holding fruitful conversations with the Holy See, informs our people that an agreement was reached for the displacement to the Vatican of the 12 priests who, for different causes were prosecuted, and who have traveled to Rome, Italy, this afternoon.”
Managua, October 18, 2023, Government of Reconciliation and National Unity
La Primerisima, 18 October 2023
Other Resources
Casa de la Soberanía Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, The Week in Focus in English, News bulletin No.64 with highlights of the week, October 16 – 20. https://www.unan.edu.ni/index.php/csmeb/the-week-in-focus-n-64.odp
Other Events
September 23 – November 18: virtual course, Ben Linder Solidarity School, 9 week class (two hours a week) Topics include: Nicaragua and the Sandinista Revolution; History and current context of Latin America and US imperialism; ATC and peasant organizations / social movements; Food Sovereignty and Agroecology; Solidarity and Internationalism.
October 21-22: (Madrid) Encuentro Sandinista de Solidaridad con Nicaragua Organizations from different parts of the Spanish state in the Sandinista Meeting of Solidarity with Nicaragua.
January 27, 2024: Latin America conference in London 18th annual conference in solidarity with Latin American progressive movements.
Upcoming Delegations to Nicaragua
Casa Ben Linder delegations: January 6-14, January 20-February 1, and February 10-19;
- January 6-14 Power and Protagonism: Women in Nicaragua: Openings still available!
- January 20-February 1 Advances & Autonomy Brigade: Rights of Indigenous & Afrodescendant Peoples on Nicaragua’s Caribbean Coast
Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition: nicasolidarity.net
Email NicaraguaSolidarityCoalition@gmail.com
Our monthly zoom meetings: second Monday of the month (November 13), 2:30 PM ET.
Email us in advance to request Zoom access for the meeting, or to make other inquiries.
Organizations: Apply for coalition membership here This is an important way to increase
the influence of our coalition work, as our membership list grows.
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Sign up to receive the weekly Nica Notes: https://afgj.org/signup
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