Dole Not Sure of Ortega After Nicaragua Visit
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MIAMI — Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.) returned from a two-day trip to Central America with doubts that Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega is committed to carrying out the democratic reforms required by the regional peace plan.
“I’ve never known a Marxist to give up power,” Dole said at a news conference Tuesday. “He’ll have to share some power if he brings back civil liberties, lets the (opposition) paper open, brings the (Catholic) radio back on, reintegrates the contras.
“That’s not giving up power, but that’s democratic and I’m not sure he wants to be democratic.”
The Kansas senator, a Republican presidential candidate, said that if Ortega does not comply totally with the Central American peace plan, then renewed aid to the contras fighting Nicaragua’s Sandinista government is justified.
The regional peace agreement, signed by five Central American presidents in Guatemala on Aug. 7, sets a Nov. 7 deadline for a cease-fire between rebel groups and armies in the region, democratic reforms and the cessation of foreign aid to rebels. U.S. aid to the Nicaraguan rebels expires Sept. 30.
Dole headed a delegation of Republican senators to Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Traveling with Dole were Sens. Steve Symms (R-Ida.) John McCain (R-Ariz.), Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and David Karnes (R-Neb.).
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