Resounding triumph for Daniel Ortega and the FSLN in Nicaragua
Managua, November 7, mem/mjm (PL): Nicaragua's Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) had won 62.65 per cent of the valid votes in the national presidential and vice-presidential elections, with the count in from 85.8 percent of polling stations.
“With this percentage, victory for the FSLN's is irreversible: Assuming that all the uncounted votes were for the coalition running in second place, in no case could they manage to catch up with the FSLN,” said the head of the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE), Roberto Rivas.
In the presidential poll, the coalition headed by the Independent Liberal Party (PLI) gained 30.96 per cent of votes and the group led by the Constitutionalist Liberals achieved 6.02 per cent, he specified.
Meanwhile, the Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance got 0.26 per cent and the coalition around the Alliance for the Republic was left with barely 0.11 percentage points.
The success of the united alliance, Nicaragua Triumphs, led by the FSLN, was repeated in elections to the National Assembly and the Central American Parliament , the official pointed out.
By the CSE's judgement the November 6 elections constituted a praiseworthy day which was set a historic high rate of participation by citizens, and the endorsement by the immense majority of the people of one party and its leaders.
“The will of the Nicaraguans spoke through the mouth of the ballot box,” said Rivas, who congratulated Daniel Ortega on his re-election for another five-year term of office to 2016.
The dignitary took as his running mate retired general Omar Halleslevens, who enjoys high esteem for his service in the National Army.
Rivas explained that, with his intervention, the CSE was closing proceedings in order to issue the election results, and that the remaining statistics would be published on the institution's website.
He also praised the logistic support and supply of security material offered by the army and the National Police, as well as the CSE executive for the performance of its duties.
In his expert opinion, the polls were distinguished by their normality, although there were violent incidents provoked by the PLI-MRS (Sandinista Renewal Movement) alliance.
“We regret,” he said, “that we were unable to determine the results from 16 polling stations because the ballot papers were burnt by PLI-MRS activists.”
“The act of vandalism,” he charged, “constitutes a clear violation of the human rights of the Nicaraguans who participated at these facilities.”
“Neither do the headlines and reports of a newspaper [La Prensa] come as any surprise,” he pointed out, “nor the statements of a so-called electoral expert civil society organisation; in both cases the opinions end up totally distinct from the reality experienced by the country.”
“I speak” he remarked, “of an externally-financed organisation, with monthly salaries up to 6,000 dollars for its members, and of a press organ that instead of contributing, has always been an obstacle to national democracy.”
Translation by James Tweedie (tweedie.james@gmail.com)