QCOSTARICA – President Rodrigo Chaves, on behalf of Costa Rica, reported Thursday that “he did not oppose” the election of the Nicaraguan, Werner Vargas, for the General Secretariat of the System for Central American Integration (SICA), who was proposed by the regime of Daniel Ortega.
Casa Presidencial (Government House) confirmed that the appointment was made by consensus and that Costa Rica will be waiting for the proposal of the Work Plan and the objectives proposed by Vargas
With his ‘no opposition’, Chaves accepted the recommendation of Foreign Minister, Arnoldo André, who commented that the decision allows the work of this international entity to be reactivated.
The Foreign Minister said that Costa Rica’s support does not mean support for the human rights situation that occurs in Nicaragua.
The president ignored the request of the former presidents, namely Laura Chinchilla (2010-2014), who called Chaves’ support of the Ortega candidate to the head of the SICA a “surrender”
“It is a sad day, of surrender, where the region put the execution of $150 million in cooperation before the repression of the regime that governs Nicaragua,” said the former president.
‘Es un día de claudicación’, dice Laura Chinchilla por respaldo de Chaves a Ortega en SICA https://t.co/0JdIxaAN6u pic.twitter.com/dYCD3hQwUQ
— La Nación (@nacion) August 11, 2022
Former President Miguel Angel Rodriguez (1998-2002), with former President Chinchilla, met weeks ago with Foreign Minister André and, based on that conversation, the former president realized that there would be no change in position.
Former Carlos Alvarado (2018-2022), also reacted.
Con el voto de Costa Rica, el representante de la dictadura de Daniel Ortega, la que viola derechos humanos, persigue medios de comunicación y periodistas, y mantiene presos políticos en condiciones inhumanas, “liderará” al SICA.
— Carlos Alvarado Quesada (@CarlosAlvQ) August 11, 2022
“With Costa Rica’s vote, the representative of the Daniel Ortega dictatorship, which violates human rights, persecutes the media and journalists, and holds political prisoners in inhumane conditions, will ‘lead’ SICA,” said the former president on Twitter.
Ortega celebrates
In Nicaragua, President Daniel Ortega and his wife and vice-president, Rosario Murillo celebrated their victory, with Costa Rica’s vote, the region voting in favor of their candidate to occupy the General Secretariat of the SICA.
“From our blessed and always free Nicaragua, we recognize the Central American Integration System that you, all of us, as representatives of peoples and governments, make up from each country of this Central America that today has come together again as forces of glory, committed to continuing working together, consolidating peace and the well-being of families and communities,” says the declaration signed by Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.
Daniel Ortega y Rosario Murillo celebran su triunfo y el voto de Costa Rica: ‘Centroamérica se ha vuelto a unir’ https://t.co/QQI2qvBT2Y
— Carlos F Chamorro (@cefeche) August 12, 2022
This is “a special, historic day, and also a day for the beginning of all the efforts, we would say restart, towards the Central American union, these days are so propitious that they are days of celebration of our independence,” said Rosario Murillo during her daily rant on the Nicaragua government’s official website, Eldigital19.com.
What is SICA?
The Sistema de la Integración Centroamericana (SICA) – Central American Integration System – has been the economic and political organization of Central American states since February 1993.
The administrative centre is located in San Salvador, El Salvador. SICA is affiliated with the United Nations (UN).
SICA Member States are Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and the Dominican Republic as an associated member state.
SICA Member States’ population is estimated at more than 45 million people.
México, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, the United States of America, Ecuador, Uruguay and Colombia, are part of SICA as Regional Observers; Spain, the Republic of China (Taiwan), Germany, Italy, Japan, Australia, South Korea, France, The Holy See, the United Kingdom, the European Union, New Zealand, Morocco, Qatar and Turkey are the System’s extra regional observers.
