Arnoldo Aleman : On Healing a Nicaragua Divided by War, Corruption and Poverty

MANAGUA, NICARAGUA — When right-wing populist Arnoldo Aleman was inaugurated president of Nicaragua Jan. 10, he promised to restore his country to its former place as the bread basket of Central America. But that will require a major effort. Seven years after the democratic election of his predecessor, Violeta Chamorro, ended both a civil war and 11 years of rule by the Marxist Sandinista National Liberation Front, Nicaragua remains the second-poorest country in the Americas, with a jobless rate estimated at 60%.

Land disputes arising from the Sandinista confiscations of property remain unresolved. Further, the government has not kept all of its promises to give land to both former Sandinista soldiers and the rebels who fought them and became known as Contras. Isolated rebel bands continue to harass government troops in the hills. The resulting instability makes it difficult for Nicaragua to attract the investment needed to create jobs.

Nicaragua also remains a deeply divided country. After Aleman’s hard-fought electoral victory, the Sandinistas demanded a recount, holding up official results for weeks. When it became clear that Aleman’s Liberal Party was going to win the leadership of Congress earlier this month, the Sandinista delegation, led by former president Daniel Ortega, walked out of the session. In addition, Ortega--who led general strikes that crippled the Chamorro government during its first year, until the former president was forced to share power with the Sandinistas--has made thinly veiled threats of violence.

Aleman has begun his term with surprise inspections of various government departments. He has taken on corruption by example, publicizing a property declaration that shows him to be a millionaire, with extensive coffee holdings and other property, including a Miami apartment. He has instructed his Cabinet ministers to file similar declarations, so there would be an established record that they did not enrich themselves in office if questions are raised at a later date.

The burly lawyer and former mayor of Managua turned 51 on Thursday, celebrating with a full day of work. A widowed father of four, he combines modern, free-market ideas with an old-fashioned country politician style. Normally an expansive talker, a busy schedule has taught him to compress his replies, as he did in the following inauguration-eve conversation.

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Question: The new legislature has no clear majority party and in the recent session to choose congressional leadership, the second-largest party walked out. How do you plan to work with Congress to govern the country?

Answer: We are respectful of the independence of the branches of government. The legislative branch has just chosen its leadership. We are going to work with that branch to pass laws to alleviate or mitigate the extreme poverty which exists in our country. I do not believe that there will be any imprudent actions. There were enough votes--56 members out of 93 is a clear majority. I have no problem with that.

Q: But the Sandinistas have a history of taking to the streets when they do not get what they want.

A: The times have changed. Let me tell you, there is a saying that those who go against the current will die crushed by that current. The Sandinistas themselves must have the instinct, the political skill, to realize that if they do not participate, if they do not cooperate, and they drive this country further into the extreme poverty into which their destabilization has already taken it, they are committing political suicide.

I do not believe that the Sandinistas want to commit suicide. For that reason, I believe that they are going to come back, incorporate themselves into congress and be part of this change in Nicaragua.

Q: Will you extend a special invitation to them?

A: Definitely. We are going to call on the Sandinistas to make changes together.

Q: During the campaign, your party offered a clear platform. Which are the campaign promises that you believe you can deliver on in the short term?

A: Job creation--by reviving and giving substantial support to agriculture. Nicaragua’s future is in the land.

Q. What will be the first steps?

A: To support the small and medium farmer and to begin supporting the small and medium industrialist also.

Q. What kind of support?

A: Economic, technical and, at the same time, to give some liberation from taxes and to eliminate any room for government arbitrariness.

Q: Low-interest loans?

A: We are going to try to obtain them. We are going to make sure that loans we get go to the productive sector. In contrast to what happened under Mrs. Chamorro, when only a certain oligarchy received loans, we are going to support small and medium industry.

Q: Which promises will take more time?

A: It is going to still be difficult to heal the wounds that the war left. We have to be persistent about that and trust that the Nicaraguan people want reconciliation. And there is the land problem.

Q: And how do you expect to deal with that?

A: Strengthening the courts and providing a solution for former soldiers, both from the Sandinista Army and the counter-insurgency. Nicaragua has more territory than any other country in Central America. We should not have land disputes.

Q: What is your goal for your administration?

A: That, at the end of my administration, we will be on a par with the rest of Central America in unemployment. We do not say that we are going to eliminate poverty. That would be a bit of a lie. We are going to try to leave Nicaragua competitive with the rest of Central America.