Nicaragua: The Independent Liberal Party (Partido Liberal Independiente, PLI), including its status, its leaders, its membership in coalitions, whether the party issues membership cards, a description of the party's logo; treatment of party members

Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa

1. Background

According to sources, the PLI was created in 1944 (PHW 2015, 1070; PLI n.d.b) after protests carried out by students of the Central University of Managua in response to the re-election of dictator General Anastasio Somoza García (ibid.). The Political Handbook of the World 2015 (PHW) states that the PLI was organized by a "non-somocista group" and that the "PLI participated in the Broad Opposition Front before the 1979 coup [1]" (PHW 2015, 1070). PHW further indicates that the party was

[s]ubsequently led by postcoup labor minister Virgilio Godoy Reyes, it was a member of the Patriotic Front … [and] it became the most vocal opposition formation of the 1984 campaign …. The PLI entered into an alliance with the PLC [Constitutionalist Liberal Party (Partido Liberal Constitucionalista, PLC)] and Let's Go with Eduardo, the movement formed by Eduardo Montealegre, in November 2008, but failed to win any seats. For the 2011 election, the PLI formed an alliance, Nicaraguan Unity for Hope (Unidad Nicaragüense por la Esperanza-UNE), with the MRS [Sandinista Renewal Movement (Movimiento de Renovación Sandinista, MRS)], the Citizens' Action Party (Partido Acción Ciudadana-PAC), and the Coastal Unity Movement (Movimiento de Unidad Costeña-PAC) around the presidential candidacy of Fabio GADEA Mantilla, who finished second to Ortega, with 31 percent of the vote. The PLI also finished second, behind the FSLN, with 26 seats. It won 13 municipal seats in November 2012. (ibid.)

PHW further states that in August 2013 leaders of the PLI, MRS, and PLC formed the United for the Republic (UNIR) coalition (ibid.). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

Sources indicate that the PLI is the leader of the National Coalition for Democracy [Coalición Nacional por la Democracia] (PLI 23 Dec. 2015; La Prensa 22 Oct. 2015; Nicaragua Hoy 5 Jan. 2016). The National Coalition for Democracy was formed by the following parties: PLI, Liberal Crusade for Unity (Cruzada Liberal por la Unidad), New Christian Alliance Party (Partido Nuevo Alianza Cristiana, PANAC), Nicaraguan Resistance (Resistencia Nicaragüense, RN), Liberal Constitutional Movement (Movimiento Liberal Constitucionalista), MRS, and Christian Democratic Union (Unión Demócrata Cristiana, UDC) (Coalición Nacional por la Democracia 2 Dec. 2015).

2. Structure

The PLI website identifies the following individuals as members of the National Executive Committee for the period between 2014 and 2017:

•Eduardo Montealegre Rivas as national president of PLI;

•Luis Callejas as First Vice-president;

•María Eugenia Sequeira as the Second Vice-president;

•Hugo Barquero as the Third Vice-president;

•Rodolfo Quintana as General Secretary;

•Guillermo Medrano as First General Secretary;

•Marbelly Griffith as Second General Secretary;

•Ketty Monterrey as Treasurer;

•Said Zavala as Vice-treasurer;

•Oscar Sobalvarro as Auditor; and

•Pepe Matus, Corina Leiva, Raúl Herrera, Augusto Valle, Wilber López, María Adilia Ugarte, and Marcia Sobalvarro as speakers (PLI n.d.a).

In correspondence with the Research Directorate, a representative of the PLI indicated that the party's headquarters are located in Managua and that there are PLI offices in 8 of 17 departments of the country (PLI 23 Dec. 2015). According to the same source, the PLI has representatives abroad "only" in Costa Rica (ibid.).

2.1 National Convention (Convención Nacional)

According to the PLI statutes, the National Convention is [translation] "the highest authority" of the PLI (PLI 19 Feb. 2013, Art. 15). The National Convention has its own governing board, consisting of the president, two vice-presidents, and two secretaries (ibid.; Art. 16). The headquarters of the National Convention is in Managua (ibid., Art. 17). The National Convention takes place every three years, though it can also hold special meetings (ibid. Art. 21, 22). Activities of the National Convention include, among others, creating and amending the statutes, electing members to the National Executive Committee, approving or revoking party candidates for public elections, approving government programs, and electing the national leader of the party (ibid. Art. 23).

2.2 Delegation Assembly (Asamblea Delegataria)

The PLI statutes indicate that the Delegation Assembly is the governing body of the party that exercises the functions of the National Convention during its recess (ibid. Art. 28). The Delegation Assembly is chaired by the National President and the Secretary General of the party and includes the National Executive Committee and its Advisory Board, the Chairman of the Departmental Board of Directors, and one national delegate from each department of the country (ibid., Art. 29).

2.3 National Executive Committee (Comité Ejecutivo Nacional)

According to the PLI statutes, the National Executive Committee is [translation] "the main executive body of the party" and is composed of the following: the national president, three vice-presidents, one secretary general, two vice-secretaries general, one treasurer, one vice-treasurer, one auditor, and seven speakers (ibid. Art. 31-32). The National Executive Committee implements resolutions of the National Convention, promotes the party nationwide, approves the annual budget of the party, enters into agreements or alliances with other political parties or civil society organizations, and approves the Plan of Action of the party (ibid. Art. 38).

2.4 Departmental Assembly (Asamblea Departamental)

The PLI statutes indicate that the Departmental Assembly is based in the capital of the department and meets every three years (ibid. Art. 55). It is chaired by the Departmental Board of Directors (ibid.). The Departmental Assembly elects members of the Departmental Board of Directors, issues guidelines according to the party's policies, receives reports from the Departmental Board of Directors and approves or rejects them, among other activities (ibid. Art. 57).

2.5 Departmental Board of Directors (Junta Directiva Departamental)

According to the PLI statutes, the Departmental Board of Directors is the executive body of the party in the Department, and includes one president, one vice-president, one secretary general, one deputy secretary general, one treasurer, one auditor and three speakers (ibid., Art. 60). The Departmental Board of Directors adopts measures according to the party's policies, elects members of the advisory board, resolves internal conflicts of the party that arise in the Department, among other activities (ibid. Art. 61).

2.6 Other Bodies of PLI

The PLI statutes also indicate the following bodies that are part of PLI:

•Municipal Assembly (Asamblea Municipal)

•Municipal or District Board of Directors (Junta Directiva Municipal or Distrital)

•Territorial Assembly (Asamblea Territorial); and

•Territorial Board of Directors (Junta Directiva Territorial) (ibid. Art. 13).

3. Membership

The statutes of the PLI indicate that, in order to become a member of the party, a person must be a Nicaraguan, aged 16 years or older, [translation] "profess the liberal ideology," and not belong to another party or organization that denies the principles of the PLI (ibid., Art. 8). In order to become a member of the PLI, an individual must submit an application to the municipal, district or departmental board of the party, who will decide whether to admit the applicant (ibid., Art. 9). Once accepted, the individual receives a [translation] "militant card" (ibid.).

Information on the number of PLI members could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

4. Logo

According to the party's website, the PLI's flag is red with a white star in the center and has the "PLI" acronym written on it in blue letters (PLI n.d.c). The same source states that the party's flower is the red gentian (ibid.). Images of the PLI symbols are attached to this Response.

5. Treatment of PLI Members by the Authorities

A letter dated 2 December 2015, sent by the National Coalition for Democracy to a representative of the European Union Delegation for Central America and Panama in Managua, denounces [translation] "political persecution" of members of the PLI and members of the coalition by the "party in power, the Sandinista National Liberation Front (El Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional, FSLN) (Coalicón Nacional por la Democracia 2 Dec. 2015).

According to sources, the following incidents concerning PLI members took place in 2015:

•The National Coalition for Democracy states that Omar Ali Lola Monterrey, a PLI councilman in the mayor's office in Managua, was imprisoned for 14 days without access to a defense lawyer on [translation] "prefabricated accusations" because he demanded "free and transparent elections" (ibid.). The same source indicates that Pedro Luis Ortiz Reyes, a PLI activist, was detained at the same time as Lola, for the same period of time (ibid.).

•According to Liberal International (LI), a "world federation of liberal and progressive political parties" (LI n.d.), on 8 July 2015, there was a demonstration by the opposition in Nicaragua, which "was violently suppressed by special forces of the police" (LI 13 Nov. 2015). Further information on the incident could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

•LI also reports that members of the opposition have gathered outside of the Supreme Electoral Council in Managua between May and November 2015 in protests called "'Miércoles de Protesta' - Protest Wednesday'" to "demand free elections in 2016" (ibid.). The source notes that "a violent attack" took place against these protesters on 12 November 2015 by "dozens of hooded men, armed with clubs, artisan mortars, glass bottles and stones" in the presence of police (ibid.), and that members of the opposition, including members of PLI and the National President of PLI, Eduardo Montealegre, were "beaten and injured" (ibid.). Further information on the incident could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

Further information on the treatment by authorities could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Note

[1] According to the BBC, during the 1979 coup, fighters of the "left-wing Sandinista National Liberation Front" overthrew the regime in Nicaragua and took Managua (BBC n.d.).

References

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). N.d. "1979: Sandinista Rebels Take Nicaraguan Capital." [Accessed 6 Jan. 2016]

Coalición Nacional por la Democracia. 2 December 2015. Letter to the Delegación de la Unión Europea para Centroamérica y Panamá Managua. [Accessed 7 Jan. 2016]

La Prenza. 22 October 2015. "MRS ya es parte de la Coalición Nacional por la Democracia." [Accessed 6 Jan. 2016]

Liberal International (LI). 13 November 2015. "LI President Minoves Denounces Attacks Against VP Montealegre in Nicaragua." [Accessed 6 Jan. 2016]

Nicaragua Hoy. 5 January 2016. "Llaman a Sumarse a los 'Miércoles de Protesta'." [Accessed 6 Jan. 2016]

Partido Liberal Independiente (PLI). 23 December 2015. Correspondence from a representative to the Research Directorate.

Partido Liberal Independiente (PLI). 19 February 2013. Estatutos de Partido Liberal Independiente. [Accessed 5 Jan. 2016]

Partido Liberal Independiente (PLI). N.d.a. "Comité Ejecutivo Nacional: Período 2014-2017." [Accessed 5 Jan. 2016]

Partido Liberal Independiente (PLI). N.d.b. "Historia." [Accessed 6 Jan. 2016]

Partido Liberal Independiente (PLI). N.d.c. "Símbolos." [Accessed 6 Jan. 2016]

Political Handbook of the World 2015 (PHW). 2015. "Nicaragua." Edited by Tom Lansford. Washington, DC: CQ Press. [Accessed 5 Jan. 2016]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: academics in Nicaragua.

Internet sites, including: Amnesty International; Bolsa de Noticias (Managua); conamornicaragua.org.ni; ecoi.net; El Nuevo Diario; El Pueblo Presidente; Human Rights Watch; Nica Gazette; Nicaragua - Asamblea Nacional, Consejo Supremo Electoral, Poder Judicial, Presidencia.gob.ni; La Voz de Nicaragua; Political Database of the Americas, Georgetown University; UN - Refworld; US - Department of State.

Attachment

Partido Liberal Independiente (PLI). N.d. "Símbolos." Accessed 6 Jan. 2015]