U R A C C A N U P D A T E <*><*><*><*><*><*>*<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*> March 2, 1998 SPECIAL NEWS REPORT - COAST ELECTIONS <*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>*<*><*><*><*><*><*> <*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*> URACCAN>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> del Puente del Eden 1 cuadra arriba, 2 cuadras al sur Casa D-10 Barrio Ducuali Managua, Nicaragua Voice Phone: 248 4658 Fax: 248 4685 Email: uraccan@ibw.com.ni [Managua Office] autonomy@ibw.com.ni [Bluefields Campus] <*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*> "God created the world, paused, then smiled on the Caribbean. This tranquil place must be heaven. Our wonderful homeland..." Eric Roach, Caribbean Poet <*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*> ~~> E D I T O R ' S C O R N E R <*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*> This issue [March 2, 1998] of URACCAN UPDATE brings you the results of the count of 60% of the ballots in the Caribbean Coast autonomous elections held on Sunday. We have taken the evening headlines from the Nicaraguan cybernews service Ciberdiario de Nicaragua [Edici=F3n No. 374, Lunes 2 de Marzo de 1998, Managua, Nicaragua]. Ciberdiario de Nicaragua is published digitally by its Director, Guillermo Cort=E9s Dom=EDnguez. URACCAN UPDATE takes this opportunity to thank Ciberdiario de Nicaragua for the information it provides; and to recommend their service to our readers. Web Page http://www.ciberdiario.com.ni/ Email address: diario@ciberdiario.com.ni ]. Translation by Felipe Stuart C., Editor, URACCAN UPDATE. <*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*> ~~~~~~~>> Ciberdiario de Nicaragua ~~> Headlines: ** Mitad de los votantes no asisti=F3 a las urnas ~~> Half of voters don't go to the polls ** PLC CON VENTAJA EN COMICIOS DEL ATLANTICO ~~> PLC [Constitutional Liberal Party of President Arnoldo Aleman] AHEAD IN ATLANTIC VOTE * Voto se desplaza de partidos nacionales a fuerzas pol=EDticas aut=F3ctonas= ~~> * Vote displaces national parties in favor of auctochtonous forces * Gran desencanto de coste=F1os con el sistema electoral ~~> * Widespread Costeno unease with electoral system --------------------------------------------- ~~> Ciberdiario de Nicaragua - News article ** El Partido Liberal Constitucionalista (PLC) en el poder, se encamina a una segura victoria en los comicios de las regiones aut=F3nomas del= Atl=E1ntico Norte (RAAN) y del Atl=E1ntico Sur (RAAS), despu=E9s que el Consejo Supremo Electoral (CSE), diera a conocer el escrutinio de m=E1s del 60 por ciento de los votos. ~~> The Constitutionalist Liberal Party (PLC), now in power, is headed for a certain victory in the elections in the autonomous regions of the North Atlantic (RAAN) and the South Atlantic (RAAS), given the results of more than 60% of the votes issued by the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE).<~~ ** En la RAAN, el PLC obtiene 18 mil 532 votos, contra 11 mil 498 del FSLN, situ=E1ndose en la tercera posici=F3n el partido Yatama, como 3,303 votos.= En la RAAS, la diferencia es apenas de mil votos, a favor del PLC, que tiene 7,192, y el FSLN, 6,193. El reci=E9n creado Partido Indigenista Multi=E9tnic= o (PIM), tiene el tercer lugar con 3,226 votos. ~~> In the RAAN the PLC got 18,532 votes against 11,498 for the FSLN; coming in third is YATAMA with 3,303 vote. In the RAAS the difference is hardly 1000 votes for the PLC which has 7192 compared to the FSLN's 6193 votes. ** Funcionarios del Consejo Supremo Electoral (CSE), extraoficialmente consideraron que estos datos significan una tendencia irreversible. M=E1s bien, la ventaja del PLC podr=EDa aumentar, porque ya se realiz=F3 el= escrutinio de las =E1reas urbanas m=E1s importantes, que es donde tiene m=E1s= influencia el Frente Sandinista. ~~> Officials of the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE) indicate (off the record) that these figures amount to an irreversible tendency. Moreover, the PLC lead could increase because so far the count has only been realized in the most important urban areas where the Frente Sandinista has more influence. ** Lo m=E1s importante de estos comicios, no obstante, fue el elevado abstencionismo, de un 50 por ciento de los electores, que con ello mostraron su desencanto por los partidos pol=EDticos y el sistema electoral. ~~> The most important aspect of these elections, however, was the high rate of abstentionism -- some 50% of the electorate who thereby showed their discontent with political parties and with the electoral system ** Estos comicios tambi=E9n revelan lo que pudiera ser el inicio del surgimiento de fuerzas aut=F3ctonas, pues tanto Y=E1tama, en el Norte, como= el PIM, en el Sur, est=E1n obteniendo una votaci=F3n significativa. Por otro= lado, una decena de fuerzas pol=EDticas pr=E1cticamente fueron borradas del mapa electoral al no obtener un n=FAmero importante de votos. (GOCD) ~~> These elections also reveal what could be the beginning of an upsurge of autochotonous (regional/indigenous) forces; YATAMA in the north and the PI< [Partido Indigena Multietnico-Multiethnic Indigenous Party] in the south are getting a significant vote. In the same process ten or so political forces were practically wiped off the electoral map, not having received an important number of votes . (GODC) <~~ end ~~> Reproduced From -------------------------------------------------- Ciberdiario de Nicaragua Edici=F3n No. 374 Lunes 2 de Marzo de 1998 Managua, Nicaragua Directorio Director: Guillermo Cort=E9s Dom=EDnguez Web Page: Pedro Machado Chavarr=EDa http://www.ciberdiario.com.ni/ Email address: diario@ciberdiario.com.ni <*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*> E N D U P D A T E~~~~~~> <*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*> $*$*$*$*$ 1 LINE REFORMATTED BY POPPER AT igc.apc.org $*$*$*$*$