| Taken Questions Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC July 24, 2001 Question Taken at July 24, 2001, Daily Press Briefing Nicaragua Elections
Question: Did a senior U.S. official travel to Nicaragua last month to try to influence the elections? Answer: Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Lino Gutierrez visited Nicaragua from May 31 – June 2, 2001 to deliver a speech at the invitation of the American Chamber of Commerce in Managua. In this speech, he focused on the Bush Administration’s policies toward Latin America. While in Managua, he also met with many of the friends and contacts he made during the time he was Ambassador to Nicaragua (1996-1999). In these meetings, he expressed support for the democratic process in Nicaragua. The United States is providing the Organization of American States, American NGOs, local NGO observer groups, and the Supreme Electoral Council with $5.6 million in financial assistance to ensure a free and fair electoral process in the upcoming presidential elections. The United States will seek to work with any government that takes office in Nicaragua as the result of a free, fair, and democratic elections that clearly expresses the will of the people. However, we will continue to have serious concerns about the Sandinistas, absent clear commitments from candidate Ortega that he is now prepared to embrace democratic policies. |
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