NICARAGUA: GON RESOLVES THREE MORE U.S. PROPERTY CLAIMS:

UNCLAS MANAGUA 000941 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CEN, EB/IFD/OIA, AND L/CID STATE ALSO FOR WHA/EPSC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EINV NU SUBJECT: NICARAGUA: GON RESOLVES THREE MORE U.S. PROPERTY CLAIMS: HEIRS OF ELIA LACAYO REF: A) MANAGUA 917 B) MANAGUA 883 C) MANAGUA 882 SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Since our last report (Ref A),the Government of Nicaragua (GON) has resolved three property claims during the current waiver year -- for U.S. claimant Elia Lacayo, who was a U.S. citizen at the time of the confiscation of her property. As of July 23, 2008, the GON has resolved 42 U.S. citizen claims belonging to 23 U.S. citizens registered with the Embassy. There remain 299 U.S. citizens who await the resolution of 626 Embassy-registered claims. GON RESOLVES CLAIM FOR HEIRS OF ELIA LACAYO -------------- ¶2. (U) On July 23, Benjamin Lacayo, the son and legal heir of Elia Lacayo (deceased),provided the Embassy a copy of the final settlement document or "finiquito" signed on July 22, 2008, by him as the legal representative of his mother and sisters, who are also heirs to the property. The heirs of Mrs. Lacayo received indemnification bonds (BPIs) with a face value of $57,328.00 for three farms with a combined total of 917 acres in the department of Zelaya. The farms were confiscated by the GON in 1991; Mrs. Lacayo was a U.S. citizen at the time of the confiscation of her property. Type of No. of Type of Claimant Claim Claims Resolution -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- Elia Lacayo Land 3 bonds GON RESOLVES 42 CLAIMS DURING 2007-08 WAIVER YEAR -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) With the inclusion of Mrs. Lacayo's resolved cases, as of July 23, 2008, the GON has resolved 42 U.S. citizen claims during this current waiver year belonging to 23 U.S. citizens registered with the Embassy. Between August 1, 2007, and July 23, 2008, the GON compensated 40 claims belonging to 21 U.S. citizens via BPIs with a face value of $6,812,566. The courts ruled during this waiver year that property be returned to two U.S. claimants. In addition, during this waiver year four U.S. claimants withdrew 11 claims registered with the Embassy because they believed that they could not provide sufficient evidence to support their cases. There remain 299 U.S. citizens who await the resolution of 626 Embassy-registered claims. TRIVELLI