Rubio: the Nicaraguan government's "assault on democracy"
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio continues to push the Obama administration to take a tougher line against the further weakening of democracy in Nicaragua.
They all present problems in regard to a preferred US policy that promotes border security, democracy, human rights, good governance, investment opportunities, drug partnerships, etc. They, like us, are imperfect.
We have leverage over each country, political and economic, but fear that using that leverage will simply make matters worse. Cutting off security assistance to Honduras; cutting of international loans to Nicaragua; neither policy is likely to move either country in the direction we would prefer.
The US right wants our government to take a harder stance against El Salvador and Nicaragua. The US left wants our government to take a harder stance against Honduras and Guatemala. It is difficult to envision the Obama administration devising a realistic policy that is going to force those Central American governments in our preferred direction in a way that also satisfies domestic constituents here at home.
The US is most likely going to continue to dangle carrots and sticks in front of each government but in a way where we do not escalate to the point where it works against our interests and the people of the regionally (at least intentionally). At best, conditions are going to improve marginally for the foreseeable future.
“We are concerned with the systemic actions taken by Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega to circumvent the Constitution and the legislature to rule in favor of his unlawful actions by naming his wife as his running mate,” Rubio said in a joint letter with Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to the State Department.El Salvador (death squads operating out of the security forces), Honduras (sabotaging the investigation into Berta Caceres' murder), Guatemala (the Morales family), and Nicaragua (Ortega family dynasty) present different challenges for the people of each country country and, in this case, for US policy.
They all present problems in regard to a preferred US policy that promotes border security, democracy, human rights, good governance, investment opportunities, drug partnerships, etc. They, like us, are imperfect.
We have leverage over each country, political and economic, but fear that using that leverage will simply make matters worse. Cutting off security assistance to Honduras; cutting of international loans to Nicaragua; neither policy is likely to move either country in the direction we would prefer.
The US right wants our government to take a harder stance against El Salvador and Nicaragua. The US left wants our government to take a harder stance against Honduras and Guatemala. It is difficult to envision the Obama administration devising a realistic policy that is going to force those Central American governments in our preferred direction in a way that also satisfies domestic constituents here at home.
The US is most likely going to continue to dangle carrots and sticks in front of each government but in a way where we do not escalate to the point where it works against our interests and the people of the regionally (at least intentionally). At best, conditions are going to improve marginally for the foreseeable future.
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