Nicaraguan general election, 1984

A general election was held in Nicaragua on November 4, 1984, to elect a president and parliament. Approximately 1.2 million Nicaraguans voted,[1] representing a 75% turnout, with 94% of eligible voters registered.[2] Impartial observers from international groupings such as the European Economic Community, religious groups sent to monitor the election, and observers from democratic nations such as Canada and the Republic of Ireland concluded that the elections were completely free and fair.[3][4]

The election date, November 4 was selected so that Nicaragua would have a legitimate, elected government in place before the anticipated reelection of Ronald Reagan in the United States on November 6. "The Sandinistas hoped that a competitive election with heavy turnout would deter a U.S. military intervention and reassure the FSLN’s defenders. So the Sandinistas’ decision to hold elections in 1984 was largely of foreign inspiration”.[5]

Between 1982 and 1984 the FSLN negotiated with the opposition on the proposed Political Parties Law and Electoral Law, and ultimately these were modified "in response to several of the opposition's most significant demands."[6] Similarly, multiple extensions of the deadline for candidate registration were granted whilst talks with the Coordinadora continued.[7]

Coordinadora Democrática participation

It has been argued that "probably a key factor in preventing the 1984 elections from establishing liberal democratic rule was the United States' policy toward Nicaragua."[8] The Reagan administration was divided over whether or not the rightwing coalition Coordinadora Democrática Nicaragüense should participate in the elections, which "only complicated the efforts of the Coordinadora to develop a coherent electoral strategy."[8] Ultimately the US administration public and private support for non-participation allowed those members of the Coordinadora who favoured a boycott to gain the upper hand.[8]

A coalition of right-wing parties including the Social Christians, Social Democrats, and the Constitutional Liberal Party, calling itself the ‘Democratic Coordinating Committee’ (Coordinadora), decided to abstain from the elections on the grounds that the opposition parties had been given insufficient ‘guarantees,’ and not enough time to prepare for the elections. The Coordinadora’s abstentionism was publicly supported by the US government, which hoped to challenge the legitimacy of the November elections by alleging that opposition sectors were not able to participate. But despite US intervention and the Coordinadora abstention seven political parties took part in the November elections. The three right-wing parties which put forward candidates were the PCDN, PLI, and PPSC. The three opposing left-wing parties were the PSN, PC de N and MAPML.” [9]

Aftermath

The Reagan administration denounced the 1984 vote as a ‘Soviet-style sham’ despite contrary opinions from external observers such as Baron Chitnis, the Latin American Studies Association,[10] and the international press; escalated its diplomatic and propaganda campaign against the Sandinista government; and increased military aid to the Contras. “This undercut the new regime’s legitimacy abroad and frustrated its hopes that the 1984 vote might smooth the way at home.” [11] May 1985 saw a trade embargo imposed, followed by $27m of "non-lethal" aid to the Contras, supplemented by $37m of secret "lethal" aid.[2] This led to the October 1985 reimposition of a State of Emergency in Nicaragua.[2]

The New York Times surveyed ordinary Nicaraguans on the 1984 and 1990 elections:

"The longer they [Sandinistas] were in power, the worse things became. It was all lies, what they promised us" (unemployed person); "I thought it was going to be just like 1984, when the vote was not secret and there was not all these observers around" (market vendor); "Don’t you believe those lies [about fraud], I voted my conscience and my principles, and so did everyone else I know" (young mother); "the Sandinistas have mocked and abused the people, and now we have given our vote to [the opposition] UNO" (ex-Sandinista officer).[12]

Presidential election results[13]

Candidate Party/Alliance Votes %
José Daniel Ortega Saaveda Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) 735,967 66.97%
Clemente Guido Chavez Democratic Conservative Party of Nicaragua (PCDN) 154,327 14.04%
Virgilio Godoy Reyes Independent Liberal Party (PLI) 105,560 09.60%
Mauricio Díaz Dávila Popular Social Christian Party (PPSC) 61,199 05.56%
Allan Zambrana Salmerón Communist Party of Nicaragua (PC de N) 16,034 01.45%
Domingo Sánchez Salgado Nicaraguan Socialist Party (PSN) 14,494 01.31%
Isidro Téllez Toruño Marxist-Leninist Popular Action Movement (MAP ML) 11,352 01.03%
Total valid votes 1,098,933 100%
Spoilt and invalid votes 71,209 06.09%
Total votes/Turnout 1,170,142 75.42%
Registered voters 1,551,597 –
Population 3,165,000 –

Legislative election [14]

Parties and alliances Votes % Seats
Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) 729,159 66.78% 61
Democratic Conservative Party of Nicaragua (PCDN) 152,883 14.00% 14
Independent Liberal Party (PLI) 105,497 09.66% 09
Popular Social Christian Party (PPSC) 61,525 05.63% 06
Communist Party of Nicaragua (PC de N) 16,165 01.48% 02
Nicaraguan Socialist Party (PSN) 15,306 01.40% 02
Marxist-Leninist Popular Action Movement (MAP ML) 11,343 01.03% 02
Total valid votes 1,091,878 100% 96
Spoilt and invalid votes 78,224 06.69% –
Total votes/Turnout 1,170,142 75.41% –
Registered voters 1,551,597 – –
Population 3,165,000 – –

References

  1. ↑ Williams, Philip J. “Elections and democratization in Nicaragua: the 1990 elections in perspective.” Journal of Interamerican Studies 32, 4:13-34 (winter 1990). p15
  2. 1 2 3 Williams (1990:19)
  3. ↑ "1984: Sandinistas claim election victory" BBC News, November 5, 1984
  4. ↑ "NICARAGUAN VOTE: 'FREE, FAIR, HOTLY CONTESTED'" The New York Times
  5. ↑ Cornelius, Wayne A. “The Nicaraguan elections of 1984: a reassessment of their domestic and international significance.” Drake, Paul W. and Eduardo Silva. 1986. Elections and democratization in Latin America, 1980-85. La Jolla: Center for Iberian and Latin American Studies, Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies, Institute of the Americas, University of California, San Diego. Pp. 62.
  6. ↑ Williams (1990:17-18)
  7. ↑ Williams (1990:18)
  8. 1 2 3 Williams, Philip J. “Elections and democratization in Nicaragua: the 1990 elections in perspective.” Journal of Interamerican Studies 32, 4:13-34 (winter 1990). p16
  9. ↑ Smith, Hazel. Nicaragua: self-determination and survival. London : Pluto Press. 1993. Pp. 149.
  10. ↑ "THE ELECTORAL PROCESS IN NICARAGUA: DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL INFLUENCES"
  11. ↑ Booth, John A. “Electoral observation and democratic transition in Nicaragua.” Electoral observation and democratic transitions in Latin America. 1998. La Jolla: Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies, University of California, San Diego. Pp. 189.
  12. ↑ New York Times, March 5, 1990.
  13. ↑ Elections in the Americas : a data handbook / ed. by Dieter Nohlen, Vol. 1. [Oxford] [u.a.] : Oxford Univ. Press, 2005. Pp.502.
  14. ↑ Elections in the Americas : a data handbook / ed. by Dieter Nohlen, Vol. 1. [Oxford] [u.a.] : Oxford Univ. Press, 2005. Pp.495.

Bibliography

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 9/19/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.