NICARAGUAN FM SANTOS LETTER TO SECRETARY RICE:

UNCLAS MANAGUA 002233 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CEN AND CA/FO PANAMA FOR DHS REGIONAL REP--EDDIE DOLAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SMIG ODPC PREL PREF CVIS NU SUBJECT: NICARAGUAN FM SANTOS LETTER TO SECRETARY RICE: REQUEST STAY OF DEPORTATIONS AND EXTENSION OF TPS ¶1. (U) On Tuesday, September 25, we received, under cover of a Foreign Ministry (MINREX) diplomatic note, a letter to the Secretary from Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Samuel Santos. The letter thanks the U.S. for assistance rendered during Hurricane Felix and, citing the internal displacement and destruction caused by Felix, requests that the U.S. temporarily suspend all deportation proceedings for Nicaraguans as well as extend Temporary Protective Status (TPS) until such time as the Government of Nicaragua (GON) can adequately receive and reintegrate its citizens. The diplomatic note and signed original letter, all in Spanish, have been pouched to the Department (WHA/CEN). The text of the MINREX unofficial English translation of Santos' letter is in para 2 below. ¶2. (U) BEGIN TEXT OF UNOFFICIAL ENGLISH TRANSLATION Your Excellency: On behalf of my government and of myself, please accept our gratitude for all of the help your government has provided to the victims of Hurricane Felix. As you may know, this has been one of the worst natural disasters that has affected Nicaragua in the last decade. Our country is still grappling with the economic and social aftershocks. Our attention is now centered on trying to bring stability, with dignity, back to the areas destroyed and the local economy: 90% of the houses (more than 9000) have been ruined, more than 100,000 Nicaraguans are now without shelter, and the death toll, thus far, totals more than 146, with others still missing. Our government has allocated emergency resources to deal with the crisis upon us. As you know, tens of thousands of Nicaraguans live in the Unites States. Your government has now accelerated the removal of Nicaraguans and recently a planeload of our citizens just arrived in Managua. They landed as other airplanes were bringing resources and emergency aid for the victims of Felix. Given the emergency situation engulfing our nation at this point, I respectfully and officially request that your government halt removing Nicaraguans until we can stabilize the on-going crisis. In the near future, once the statistics for Felix become available, we may ask you for additional cooperation in trying to obtain the remedy called TPS (Temporary Protected Status) for the victims of the aforementioned disaster. We believe in the principle of mutual respect for the internal affairs of all nations. That is why we understand that you have to comply with the applicable immigration regulations that may or may not affect our citizens. But we believe you have the discretion to act at this point, given the situation at hand. I thank you in advance for your cooperation in this matter. And avail myself to reiterate my highest esteem and consideration. Samuel Santos Lopez H.E. Condoleezza Rice Secretary of State, United States of America SIPDIS United States Department of State Washington, DC END TEXT OF UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION TRIVELLI