Nicaragua: Which were the 14 parties of the UNO coalition and role of the National Conservative Party in the coalition; background information on Julio Lacayo Aróstegui (deputy for the NCP); is the Costa Rican government repatriating Nicaraguans?

From information obtained from the Latin American Weekly Report of 1 March 1990, p. 2, and the Embassy of Nicaragua in Ottawa (telephone communication with the IRBDC on 6 June 1990), the parties which formed the UNO coalition were the following:

-Partido Liberal Independiente

-Partido Liberal Constitucionalista

-Partido Acción Nacional

-Partido Democrático de Confianza Nacional

-Partido Neo Liberal

-Movimiento Democrático Nicaragüense

-Partido Socialista Nicaragüense

-Partido Comunista de Nicaragua (PCdeN)

-Alianza Popular Conservadora

-Partido Social Demócrata

-Partido Conservador de Nicaragua (PCN)

-Partido Social Conservatismo

-Partido Nacional Conservador (PNC)

According to the Nicaraguan Embassy, the Partido Popular Social Cristiano (PPSC) was a member of the UNO coalition. However, the head of that party, Mauricio Díaz D vila, reportedly withdrew from the coalition and joined the Partido Social Cristiano de Nicaragua led by Eric Ramirez. Some important figures of the PPSC remained in the UNO coalition, including the PPSC's secretary general.

Specific references to the role or importance in the UNO coalition of the PNC (Partido Nacional Conservador) or the PCN (Partido Conservador de Nicaragua; the Partido Comunista de Nicaragua's acronym is PCdeN) could not be found among the sources currently available to the IRBDC. However, please find attached a few documents which report on the recent political developments in Nicaragua. These include an article from The Economist ("Taking a risk for Nicaragua", 5 May 1990, pp. 49-50) which reports on a group closely collaborating with Violeta Chamorro. In that article, references are made to a Mr. Antonio Lacayo and some relatives of his participating in politics, although references or background information on Julio Lacayo Aróstegui could not be found among the sources currently available to the IRBDC.

Other attachments on recent political developments in Nicaragua include:

-from Mexico & Central America Report (London, Latin American Regional Reports): "UNO's Chamorro romps to victory", 29 March 1990, p. 2; "Chamorro's cabinet upsets UNO allies", 10 May 1990, pp. 2-3.

According to the UNHCR Protection Officer in Ottawa (as stated in a telephone communication with the IRBDC on 7 June 1990), Costa Rica has signed the UN Convention on refugees and respects the UNHCR principles, and therefore does not forcibly repatriate any refugees. The source added that Costa Rica houses a large number of Nicaraguan refugees, and indicated that voluntary repatriation of Nicaraguan refugees started before the recent presidential elections in Nicaragua and continues today through a UNHCR repatriation program with UNHCR assistance. The UNHCR office in Ottawa also provided on 7 June 1990 this information originating in Central America and dated March 1990 which is still considered valid:

"Following recent developments in Nicaragua, there is a growing interest from refugees in Costa Rica to repatriate voluntarily to Nicaragua. UNHCR believes, after an initial assessment in refugee camps, that repatriation will be a gradual and rather slow process."

Additional up-to-date information on the requested subjects could not be found among the sources currently available to the IRBDC.