opinion

Me, the right-winger
by Silvio Sirias

As the date for the election approached, the article was reprinted in Nicaragua Living, an online discussion site. The posting that included “A Time to Step Aside” was titled: “Reality Check” --- strongly indicating the belief that I was out of touch with events in Nicaragua (See http://www.nicaliving.com/node/7032).

The discussions about the article were few, but passionate --- an indication, I believe, of the polarization that characterizes the politics of that nation. Among the comments, one reader calls my piece a “Right-Wing hit piece.” He also goes on to say that my “use of hyperbole could make Karl Rove blush.”

I’ve reread “A Time to Step Aside” as I prepared to write this and, with the exception of my bold assertion that “Daniel Ortega doesn’t stand a chance of getting elected,” I fail to see anything that can be construed as an exaggeration. What I wrote is based on the truth as I experienced it while living in Nicaragua.

But what disturbs me about being labeled a right-wing apologist is that the epithet suggests that I align myself --- without reflection --- to political events based on a rigidly held ideology. This is certainly not the case. What guides my political stances are not party allegiances but my desire that the leadership of a nation work in a diligent, efficient, humane, and transparent fashion to meet the most salient needs of the people.

My politics are as simple as that.

In the case of Nicaragua, neither the presidencies of Daniel Ortega or Arnoldo Alemán addressed the most pressing problem the majority of Nicaraguans face: poverty. Instead, both men concentrated on political maneuvers designed to allow them to perpetuate their stranglehold over their respective parties --- all for the purpose of one day returning to power. (On the other hand, Presidents Violeta Chamorro and Enrique Bolaños --- Chamorro had to contend with Daniel Ortega’s bitterness over losing for the first time in an election, and Bolaños, throughout his entire time in office, faced the underhanded and antagonistic schemes of both Ortega and Alemán --- the best they could, without seeking to become power-brokers, under excruciatingly difficult circumstances).

With regard to Nicaragua, then, I believe the country deserves much better than to be trapped in the authoritarian clutches of Daniel Ortega and Arnoldo Alemán.

Thus, I am not a conservative when it comes to Nicaragua (or anywhere else, for that matter) --- if one defines a conservative as someone who wishes to preserve the status quo. I believe that that nation needs profound changes --- quite a few and urgently --- if the material deprivation of the majority is to be alleviated.

If one reads “A Time to Step Aside” dispassionately, I do not call for the election of a conservative government; rather, I’d like to see Daniel Ortega allow his party, the Sandinista party, to become more democratic. (At present, if one closely follows the news of Nicaragua, Ortega’s iron grip on the Sandinistas is causing considerable friction within the ranks.) There’s a new generation of Sandinistas --- bright, well-prepared professionals who understand today’s world far better than Ortega and his cronies --- ready to step forward to assume positions of leadership. They are better equipped to lead Nicaragua in the international scene and avoid the blunders Ortega has been committing ever since he chose to become a mindless puppet of his new mentor, Hugo Chavez, who, as everyone knows, is facing grave challenges of his own both at home and abroad because of his confrontational style of leadership.

As I’ve said all along --- and I repeat it again on the first anniversary of Daniel Ortega’s return to power --- Nicaragua deserves better.