Hon. Thaddeus G. McCotter: The Death of Nicaraguan Democracy– U.S. Economic and Security Interests Are Not Always Simpatico

Conservative News DailyJanuary 25, 2023

In the summer of 2005, as the U.S. Representative for Michigan’s 11^th I opposed the Congressional District Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), with Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. My position was based on the harm it would do to Michigan and America’s sugar beet growers; and because of its detrimental impact on American relations in the region. This didn’t go down well with Bush and the House leadership.

In a meeting with the then-House GOP majority’s leadership, I again heard two key rationales for supporting the pact. One, CAFTA is a “win” for the U.S. economy, because it would break down the other nations’ protectionist trade barriers; thus, our economy would gain more than our prospective trade partners. The other rationale was to show the American government’s support for the democratically elected leaders in those nations. I disagreed with the legislation and was still opposed to it.

Together with a few other members who opposed CAFTA, I received a summons from the White House to meet President George W. Bush with his team. When similar arguments were made for supporting CAFTA I repeated my opposition, arguing that it would harm sugarbeet growers. I was aware of the history of many others in the room and reiterated my opposition for national security reasons. The logic was inescapable: if, indeed, CAFTA would be a win for the overall American economy by removing the other nations’ protectionist trade policies, the other nations’ citizens will feel cheated, especially the beneficiaries of the repealed protectionist trade policies; and the ensuing political unrest, which would brand those nations’ friendly administrations as U.S. lackeys, would constitute an existential threat to the continuation of democracy building in the region. Particularly, I was concerned that CAFTA would bring back Daniel Ortega and his Sandinistas in Nicaragua. I was dismissed from my concerns. Ultimately, CAFTA passed.

After being defeated in 1990’s national elections, in which Violeta Barrios De Chamorro won, Daniel Ortega has been elected president of Nicaragua again. Rosario Murillo, his spouse, is the vice president of Nicaragua. Their Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional (FSLN) party – i.e., the Sandinistas – are back in despotic control of the country. Catholic Bishop Rolando Álvarez of Matagalpa is on trial for the “crime” of supporting democracy and opposing the government aligned paramilitary’s murders. Nicaraguans are once again being oppressed by the Sandinista regime.

CAFTA is not the only culprit. But it did serve as one more weighty economic straw upon the already straining camel’s back that was Nicaraguan democracy. 2018 public opposition to pension legislation The latest round of Sandinista Tyranny saw an exponential rise in killings by police officers and paramilitary groups pro-government, as well as arbitrary detentions, attacks against journalists, and members of Catholic Church. According to BTIThe collaboration of think tanks and universities analysts to assess – “the transformation processes towards democracy and inclusive market economy worldwide”:

In April 2018, the country was in its first major crisis after the civil war of 1980s. Protests against reforming the national social safety system grew into a wider protest against Ortega’s government, with the demand for early elections. All political protesters have been persecuted, and all forms of disagreement have been suppressed. Ortega’s regime turned to a violent authoritarian regime that has maintained permanent pressure on the opposition.

“Heavily armed pro-government groups remain at large, accompanied by police forces, committing joint attacks against the civilian population,” Erika Guevara Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International, said the following:

“The message sent by the highest-ranking Nicaraguan authorities is that they are willing to do anything to silence the voices of those who demonstrate against this violent repression. This situation is extremely serious and deserves strong condemnation from the international community.”

“The direct attack on figures who publicly denounce the attacks of agents of the government of President Ortega is without a doubt a form of retaliation and an attempt to silence those dissident voices,” Erika Guevara Rosas
“The serious human rights violations committed or permitted by the authorities are turning the country into a pressure cooker about to explode. Nicaragua’s tragic history must not be repeated.”

International protests did not affect the Ortega regime. Viewing these public protests – i.e., democracy – as an existential threat to its rule, the dictatorship’s persecutions escalated. Believing the Catholic Church to be a prime instigator of public disgruntlement with the Sandinistas, on August 19, 2022, police arrested Bishop Álvarez, an opponent of the Ortega regime, and placed him under house arrest. The international condemnation of Nicaragua’s autocracy and calls for the release of the dissident bishop following his imprisonment has led to many calls for his release. The American government was also affected.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom’s (USCIRF) Commissioner Frank Wolf said: “Bishop Álvarez is allegedly charged with conspiracy, spreading false news, and damaging the Nicaraguan government and society. In reality, he’s motivated by faith to call out the [Ortega government’s] human rights record, making him its latest target.”

Commissioner Wolf’s outrage was evidenced in the USCIRF’s 2022 annual report and recommendations regarding the Sandinista regime:

The Nicaraguan government continued harassing the Catholic Church during the first half (2022). Catholic clergy have come under direct persecution… USCIRF recommended that the State Department maintain Nicaragua on its Special Watch List in the designations expected later this year.

The Biden administration should consider targeting Nicaraguan officials and government agencies responsible for violence and other punitive measures against religious leaders and houses of worship.

The USCIRF recommendations were implemented by the State Department. By year’s end, On November 15, 2022, the State Department again “placed Nicaragua on its Special Watch List for severe violations of religious freedom.” Moreover, U.S. sanctions Specific:

Visa restrictions apply to more than 500 Nicaraguans and their families. No member of the Nicaraguan government nor anyone who facilitates the Ortega-Murillo regime’s abuses should believe they can travel freely to the United States.
With our allies and partners, the United States believes that Nicaragua needs to return to democracy. We will use all diplomatic and economic resources to push for accountability for Ortega-Murillo’s regime. We will also reiterate our call for the unconditional and immediate release of political prisoners and demand the restoration of civic space in Nicaragua.

Evidently, the Ortega regime did not have any immediate plans to take a vacation in America. In January 2023, the Ortega regime announced that it would continue to persecute Bishop Alvarez by putting Alvarez on trial. According to the Catholic News Agency:

According to a statement by the [Ortega regime’s] judiciary, “in the Managua Criminal District Courts, the initial hearing of the criminal proceeding was held, in which Rolando José Álvarez Lagos appeared as accused of the crimes of conspiracy to undermine national security and sovereignty and the propagation of fake news through information and communication technologies to the detriment of the Nicaraguan State and society.

The judicial authority reviewed the precautionary measures ordered in the preliminary hearing, maintaining house arrest, likewise, admitted the exchange of evidentiary information and referred the case to trial,” The bulletin stated.

The Ortega regime has yet to confirm if it will attempt to summon the ghost from Hell. Andrey Vyshinsky to serve as Bishop Alvarez’s prosecutor. Likely, the dictatorship won’t feel the need, based upon the judicial persecution of Father Oscar Benavidez DávilaA Sandinista Kangaroo Court sentenced him to eight years imprisonment for the same bogus accusations. “conspiracy to undermine national security and sovereignty” “spreading fake news.”

The dissident Bishop, on his part has given his defense to the highest power: “Aware that prayer is the Christian’s strength, the invitation is to continue to implore Christ to intercede and watch over this small flock of His.” We should accept his request and offer prayers for Bishop Alvarez as well as the Nicaraguan people. As his fate is, so is the fate of the Nicaraguan people.

We should also pray to His divine intercession for American policy makers to learn from past mistakes while we are at it. While I was not in agreement on both counts, enough U.S. officials believed CAFTA would benefit the country economically. The deal was also considered to be intrinsically in our national defense interests because it would promote democracy and more prosperity among our trading partner countries. It was the “end of history” Ideology at its best.

“Democratic capitalism had triumphed!” For CAFTA and other trade agreements, policymakers’ did not ask the question “what could go wrong?” They were curious. “how soon until everything goes right?” There is however a kernel wisdom within the “end of history” ideology: policymakers’ hubris, cupidity, and historical ignorance may not bring about the end of history; but it can bring about the death of a democracy.

Again, CAFTA’s passage was not the sole reason for the abhorrent demise of Nicaraguan democracy at the hands of Ortega, Murillo, and their dictatorial Sandinista regime. CAFTA definitely played a role in the economic conditions which were political fuel for the pension protests. And, it is why the death of democracy in Nicaragua serves as an object lesson that America’s economic interests and national security interests are not always simpatico.

A Human Events Contributor, the Hon. Thaddeus McCotter (M.C. Ret. represented Michigan’s 11th Congressional district from 2003-2012, and served as Chair of the Republican House Policy Committee. He is not a lobbyist but a frequent speaker and moderator at public policy seminars. “John Batchelor Radio Show,” Among other media appearances.