Amy Goodman’s US regime change propaganda about Nicaragua: 1) DN! repeated corporate media fake news that President Daniel Ortega declared Nicaragua will no longer hold elections. 2) DN! claimed that in the 2018 coup attempt the government killed hundreds of protesters. 3) In the 2021 Nicaragua presidential elections, virtually all opposing candidates were arrested, then exiled and stripped of their citizenship. 4) and that all independent media and NGOs have been shut down and exiled.
In reality, the Nicaraguan National Assembly, to stop US interference in their elections, passed laws stating political parties receiving foreign funding will lose legal status. Their 2020 “Foreign Agents” law is not as strict as the 1938 US Foreign Agents Act. Under the law, any organizations receiving foreign funding must report that funding and how it is used. The 2018 coup attempt, orchestrated and financed by the US, was promoted by many leaders of the Nicaraguan Catholic hierarchy and US-funded NGOs. Their armed gangs paralyzed the country for months with roadblocks, tortures, murders, and arsons of government property and Sandinista homes. Among the 270 dead were 22 police officers, Sandinista militants, workers, students, and merchants.
US documents reveal that the National Endowment for Democracy, USAID, and two Soros Foundations channeled $16.7 million to Nicaragua for the 2018 coup attempt, often through the Violeta Chamorro Foundation. No one was prosecuted for their political positions, but for crimes they committed during the 2018 coup attempt. Those convicted were imprisoned but later released in an amnesty provided they did not repeat their crimes. Some violated the amnesty and were again convicted and imprisoned; they were later offered a chance to leave the country on a US government plane. DN! conceals this information.
Nicaragua’s Achievements since 2007 under the Sandinista Government
48 new hospitals; free universal healthcare; free education pre-school through university; infant mortality fell from 26 per 1000 births to 9.4; GDP per capita has doubled; poverty rate fell from about 50% to below 14% (World Bank); it is now a world leader in gender equality; over 80% of energy comes from renewables; 99% of the population has electricity; almost 90% of food is grown domestically; indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples have autonomy and communal title to a third of Nicaragua’s land. Latest poll: 88.7% of the people feel the government is leading the country in the right direction.
For more information see Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition’s nicasolidarity.com
Democracy Now (DN!) is often a good source for news, in contrast to the corporate media. But has become a platform for US “regime change” propaganda against Russia, Syria, China and others. DN! spread fake news on Russiagate, White Helmets PsyOps in Syria, and Uyghur “genocide” in China. DN! has also helped sell progressives on US coup operations against Qaddafi’s Libya, Iran, Venezuela, and Evo Morales’ Bolivia. See:
1. Pro-war leftism exposed: Democracy Now runs interference for imperialism in Syria.
Some first rate journalists not allowed on Democracy Now: John Pilger, Stephen F. Cohen (both now deceased), Max Blumenthal, Aaron Mate, Glenn Greenwald, George Galloway.
Chicago ALBASolidarity.com