Nicaraguan general election, 1984

Nicaraguan general election, 1984

A general election was held in Nicaragua on 4 November 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] The elections were generally held to be free and fair. A Latin American Studies Association (LASA) delegation observed the elections and concluded that the elections were remarkably fair, and that "Generally speaking, in this campaign the FSLN [the Sandinista National Liberation Front ] did little more to take advantage of its incumbency than incumbent parties everywhere (including the United States) routinely do, and considerably less than ruling parties in other Latin American countries traditionally do (The Electoral Process in Nicaragua, LASA, Nov. 19, 1984).[3] Nevertheless, political scientists who study democratization do not consider this election to have resulted in any meaningful political liberalization in the country. Only the general election of 1990 marked Nicaragua’s transition to democracy. [4]

The election date, 4 November 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 6 November. "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]

Contents

Coordinadora Democrática participation

"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 the rightwing coalition Coordinadora Democrática Nicaragüense participate in the elections or not, 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, the misleadingly named right-wing 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 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.” [10] 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]

Presidential election results[11]

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 [12]

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. ^ a b c Williams (1990:19)
  3. ^ Noam Chomsky, Central America: The Next Phase, Z-Magazine, March 1988. footnote 39
  4. ^ Monty G. Marshall and Keith Jaggers, Polity IV Project: Political Regime Characteristics and Transitions, 1800-2010, http://www.systemicpeace.org/polity/Nicaragua2008.pdf
  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. ^ a b c 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. ^ 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.
  11. ^ Elections in the Americas : a data handbook / ed. by Dieter Nohlen, Vol. 1. [Oxford] [u.a.] : Oxford Univ. Press, 2005. Pp.502.
  12. ^ Elections in the Americas : a data handbook / ed. by Dieter Nohlen, Vol. 1. [Oxford] [u.a.] : Oxford Univ. Press, 2005. Pp.495.


Bibliography

  • Alcántara Sáez, Manuel. Sistemas políticos de América Latina. Madrid: Tecnos. Two volumes. Volume two is “México. Los países del Caribe y de América Central.” 1989.
  • Alcántara Sáez, Manuel. Sistemas políticos de América Latina. Madrid: Tecnos. Two volumes. Volume two is “México, América Central y el Caribe.” Largely rewritten and updated second edition. 1999.
  • Anderson, Leslie. “Elections and public opinion in the development of Nicaraguan democracy.” Seligson, Mitchell A. and John A. Booth. 1995. Elections and democracy in Central America, revisited. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press.
  • 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.
  • Chomsky, Noam and Edward S. Herman (1988), Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media, New York: Pantheon Books - [Chapter 3 focusses on the US media coverage of the 1984 Nicaraguan elections]
  • Close, David. “The Nicaraguan elections of 1984.” Electoral studies 4, 2:152-158 (August 1985).
  • Close, David. Nicaragua : the Chamorro years. Boulder: Lynne Reinner. 1999.
  • 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.
  • Dunkerley, James. 1988. Power in the isthmus: a political history of Central America. London: Verso.
  • Elections in the Americas A Data Handbook Volume 1. North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Edited by Dieter Nohlen. 2005.
  • Fiallos Oyanguren, Mariano. “Nicaragua: sistema de elección de los diputados ante la Asamblea Nacional.” Sistemas de elecciones parlamentarias y su relación con la gobernabilidad democrática. 2000. San José: Instituto Interamericano de Derechos Humanos.
  • Figueroa Ibarra, Carlos. “Centroamérica: entre la crisis y la esperanza (1978-1990).” Historia general de Centroamérica. 1994. San José: FLACSO. Volume six,
  • Goodman, Louis W., ed. Political parties and democracy in Central America. Boulder: Westview Press. 1992.
  • Hale, Charles R. “Institutional struggle, conflict and reconciliation: Miskitu Indians and the Nicaraguan state (1979-1985).” Ethnic groups and the nation state: the case of the Atlantic coast in Nicaragua. 1987. Stockholm: University of Stockholm, CIDCA.
  • Horton, Lynn. Peasants in arms: war and peace in the mountains of Nicaragua, 1979-1994. Athens: Ohio University, Center for International Studies. 1998.
  • Isbester, Katherine. Still fighting: the Nicaraguan women’s movement, 1977-2000. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press. 2001.
  • Luciak, Ilja A. After the revolution: gender and democracy in El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. (Also published as Después de la revolución. San Salvador: UCA Editores). 2001.
  • Merrill, Tim L., ed. Nicaragua : a country study. Washington: Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. 1994.
  • Ortega Hegg, Manuel. “Participación y democracia en Nicaragua.” Pasos hacia una nueva convivencia: democracia y participación en Centroamérica. 2001. San Salvador: FUNDAUNGO.
  • Payne, Douglas W. The 1996 Nicaragua elections: post-election report. Washington: Center for Strategic and International Studies. 1996.
  • Political handbook of the world 1984. New York, 1985.
  • Ryan, David. US-Sandinista diplomatic relations: voice of intolerance . London: MacMillan Press Ltd. 1995.
  • Smith, Hazel. Nicaragua: self-determination and survival. London : Pluto Press. 1993.
  • Weaver, Eric and William Barnes. “Opposition parties and coalitions.” Revolution and counterrevolution in Nicaragua. 1991. Boulder: Westview Press.
  • Williams, Philip J. “Elections and democratization in Nicaragua: the 1990 elections in perspective.” Journal of Interamerican Studies 32, 4:13-34 (winter 1990).
  • Williams, Philip J. “Dual transitions from authoritarian rule: popular and electoral democracy in Nicaragua.” Comparative politics 26, 2:169-185 (January 1994).



Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Nicaraguan general election, 2006 — Nicaragua This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Nicaragua Constitution President …   Wikipedia

  • Nicaraguan general election, 2011 — Nicaraguan presidential election, 2011 2006 ← November 6, 2011 (2011 11 06) …   Wikipedia

  • Nicaraguan general election, 1996 — A general election was held in Nicaragua to elect a president and parliament on 20 October 1996. Contents 1 Presidential election results[1] 2 Legislative election [2] 3 References …   Wikipedia

  • Nicaraguan general election, 1947 — General elections were held in Nicaragua to elect a president and parliament on 2 February 1947. The agreement between the Conservatives and the Independent Liberals, signed on 17 August, pledged both parties to overthrow the dictatorship,… …   Wikipedia

  • Nicaraguan general election, 1950 — General elections were held in Nicaragua to elect a president and parliament on 21 May 1950. In April, Anastasio Somoza García and Emiliano Chamorro Vargas sat down and signed the Pacto de los Generales, thus laying the basis for a new political… …   Wikipedia

  • Nicaraguan general election, 1957 — General elections were held in Nicaragua to elect a president and parliament on 3 February 1957. “Luis Somoza Debayle formalized his grip on the presidency through fraudulent elections in February 1957 which were boycotted by all the opposition… …   Wikipedia

  • Nicaraguan general election, 1990 — A general elections were held in Nicaragua to elect a president and parliament on 25 February 1990. William I. Robinson wrote that massive foreign interference completely distorted an endogenous political process and undermined the ability of the …   Wikipedia

  • Nicaraguan general election, 1924 — A general elections were held in Nicaragua to elect a President, half of the Deputies and 1/3 the of the Senators on 5 October 1924. When the President Diego Manuel Chamorro died in office on 12 October 1923 Vice President Bartolomé Martínez, a… …   Wikipedia

  • Nicaraguan general election, 1974 — A general elections were held in Nicaragua to elect a president and parliament on 1 September 1974. “The 1974 election was characterized by abstentionism. There were no incidents on election day; in fact very few people went to the polls, this in …   Wikipedia

  • Nicaraguan general election, 1967 — A general elections were held in Nicaragua to elect a president and parliament on 5 February 1967. “Fernando Agüero led the Conservative presidential slate again in the 1967 presidential contest and was the sole nominee of the National Opposition …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”