NICARAGUA: POST REQUESTS VISA ELIGIBILITY BE RESTORED FOR

UNCLAS MANAGUA 002490 SIPDIS STATE FOR EEB/IFD/OIA, WHA/CEN AND L STATE PASS USTR SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EINV ECON USTR KIDE NU SUBJECT: NICARAGUA: POST REQUESTS VISA ELIGIBILITY BE RESTORED FOR MARISOL MARIA CASTILLO BELLIDO REF: A. 00 MANAGUA 1743; B. 99 MANAGUA 3378 ¶1. (U) This is an action request - please see paragraph five. ¶2. (SBU) Summary: Marisol Maria Castillo Bellido has requested that her nonimmigrant visa eligibility be restored as soon as possible to visit her mother who will shortly undergo brain surgery in Miami. Post has information that she resolved her property claims dispute with American citizen Ulises Carrillo on January 23, 2003. Based on this evidence, Post requests that the Department determine whether Section 2225 of the 1998 Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act still applies to Mrs. Castillo Bellido. End Summary. ¶3. (SBU) On November 22, Marisol Maria Castillo Bellido, a high-ranking official of the National Electoral Commission who has ties to the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN),contacted Embassy staff to request that her nonimmigrant visa (NIV) eligibility be restored as soon as possible to visit her mother who will shortly undergo brain surgery in Miami. On April 12, 2002, Castillo Bellido and her husband, FSLN heavyweight Lenin Cerna, were deemed ineligible for an NIV under Section 2225 of the 1998 Foreign Relations Reform and Reconstruction Act. Castillo Bellido and Cerna used their positions within the FSLN to personally benefit from property that was confiscated from U.S. citizen Ulises Carrillo in ¶1979. ¶4. (SBU) On December 6, 2002, Mr. Carrillo settled his property claim dispute with Castillo Bellido by accepting indemnification bonds issued by the Government of Nicaragua (GON) worth an estimated $120,766.00. On January 23, 2003, the Embassy received a copy of the settlement document from the GON. ¶5. (SBU) Action Request: Based on the information above, Post finds sufficient evidence that the property claim dispute between Marisol Maria Castillo Bellido and Ulises Carrillo has been resolved. Thus, the Department may wish to consider removing her visa ineligibility under Section 2225. If the Department concurs, we request that it promptly take the necessary steps to restore Ms. Castillo Bellido's eligibility to travel to the United States and to remove her name from the visa lookout system under this category. TRIVELLI