NICARAGUAN ELECTIONS: REQUEST FOR OBSERVERS

UNCLAS MANAGUA 001568 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: APER PGOV KDEM NU SUBJECT: NICARAGUAN ELECTIONS: REQUEST FOR OBSERVERS ¶1. Embassy Managua is coordinating a USG electoral observation mission (EOM) for the Nicaraguan national elections on November 5, 2006. Post is planning to field observation teams in Managua and several other Nicaraguan departments and regions. We would like to invite up to 10 officers from the Department, USAID, NSC and other posts to join the EOM. ¶2. Officers considering volunteering for the EOM should take into account the following points: - All volunteers must speak and understand Spanish at the 3 level or above. - Volunteers must plan to arrive no later than Thursday, November 2 and depart no earlier than Tuesday, November 7. A training session will be held on Friday, November 3. - Funding for travel and per diem must be provided by host agency/office and should be sufficient to cover hotel and in-country transportation. (Note: Hotels will be booked well in advance of the elections. To ensure accommodations during this period, post will need to reserve rooms by mid-August. End Note.) - Volunteers must make a firm commitment by August 11 so that post has time to complete accreditation. - TDY volunteers will be paired with post personnel and a local guide. ¶3. Many Nicaraguans compare the upcoming elections with the groundbreaking 1990 elections that ended Nicaragua's civil war. These elections promise to be a historic confrontation between the entrenched forces of caudillismo and new politicians determined to strengthen democracy. ¶4. Volunteers should contact Deputy Political Counselor Timothy L. Smith at 505-266-6010 x4481/SmithTL1@state.gov or USAID Elections Officer Danika Walters at 505-267-0502 x245/dwalters@usaid.gov no later than August 11. BRENNAN