In Nicaragua, following the arrest of four presidential pre-candidates and the detention of business leader Jose Adan Aguerri, the productive sector demands the release of political prisoners and advocates for the government to commit itself to grant all democratic guarantees.
Following the arrest of Cristiana Chamorro, Arturo Cruz, Felix Maradiaga Blandon and Juan Sebastian Chamorro, there are now four presidential pre-candidates who have been imprisoned by Nicaraguan authorities.
After the arrest of presidential pre-candidates Cristiana Chamorro and Arturo Cruz in Nicaragua, the business sector questions the "democratic viability of a free, fair, competitive and transparent electoral process".
After an arrest warrant was issued against Cristiana Chamorro Barrios, independent presidential pre-candidate in Nicaragua, the business sector believes that it is "evidence of the government's unwillingness to carry out free, fair, transparent, competitive and supervised elections."
Following an accusation against Cristiana Maria Chamorro Barrios, filed by the Public Prosecutor's Office at the Office of Reception and Distribution of Cases and Writs of the Managua Courts, the authorities decided to issue a search and arrest warrant.
In Costa Rica the Constitutional Court has limited the sale of debt bonds to the media and individuals.
According to Judge Fernando Castillo, this statement will bring transparency to a means through which political parties are funded and allow control in the act of making donations and providing services during the electoral process.
A law has been ratified which reduces from $86 million to $50 million the amount that the State intends to use to finance campaign spending.
Nacion.com reports: "The plan reduces from 0.19% to 0.11% of the gross domestic product (GDP) recorded two years before the election, the amount that the state will allocate to finance expenses incurred by the parties from Wednesday until February 2. "
Radio stations in Costa Rica are opposing a bill that would force them to give free advertising space to political parties.
The proposal, made by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE by its initials in Spanish), would mean that radio and television stations would have to provide free 30 minute slots a day for political parties in Costa Rica for them to broadcast propaganda.
It's Tuesday morning, just five days before the all important PRD primary election in Panama. You can almost feel the temperature rising...
The most important race to be decided is between the former Housing Minister Balbina Herrera and the Mayor of Panama City Juan Carlos Navarro. Both are running for the Presidency of the Republic and the winner of the PRD primary election on Sunday will represent the party in the general national elections in May 2009. Interestingly enough, the political fever is keeping the opposition guys vibrating as well.