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GUEST: Tom Loudon, co-Director of the Quixote Center live from Managua, Jennifer Atlee, also with the Quixote Center, live from Washington DC

During a recent three day visit to Central America, US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld refused to field questions about Nicaragua’s elections and in particular, the Nicaraguan presidential candidate and former president Daniel Ortega. Rumsfeld is in the region for an international meeting of defense ministers of the Western hemisphere. He told reporters, “I don’t get involved in politics in the United States, so you can be certain I don’t get involved in politics in Nicaragua.” In spite of this, Rumsfeld met with the current Nicaraguan president Enrique Bolanos during his stay. Nicaraguans will head to the polls on November 5th to elect a new President. Daniel Ortega of the Sandinista Front for National Liberation, or FSLN, is currently the leading candidate. Despite Rumsfeld’s denial, a delegation of activists and academics is traveling to Nicaragua to investigate US intervention in the upcoming elections. A previous delegation in June condemned the US role among civil society organizations and political parties in Nicaragua. In particular, US Ambassador Paul Trivelli has called Daniel Ortega a “tiger who hasn’t changed his stripes,” and has alluded to a “reevaluation,” of the US’ relationship to Nicaragua should Ortega win the election.

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