The lower house of the US Congress has approved the law known as the Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act or Nica Act, which proposes placing conditions on loans granted by international institutions to the government of Daniel Ortega.
The Nica Act, promoted by two US congressmen to limit investment and international financing in Nicaragua, was again seen by the lower house, which unanimously approved it. Now the bill will pass to the Senate, but in order to become effective, it must pass through three more proceedings.
Equality of citizens under the law, a defining feature of a democracy, it is a formality in Costa Rica, generating in practice wealth and privileges for some, and poverty and hopelessness for others.
OPINION - Jorge Cobas González - Director of CentralAmericaData
Some Costa Rican citizens - not a few - have "acquired rights" because they belong to one of the corporations to which the laws assigns multiple privileges, and others - an overwhelming majority - work to pay for the privileges granted to the former group.
The choice of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States is another clear example of how the deterioration of liberal democracies enlightens the way for the emergence of authoritarian leaders.
EDITORIAL
(Both the article by Kevin Casas on Nacion.com as well as this editorial prologue on CentralAmericaData.com were written one day before the presidential election in the United States, when the prognosis was that Hillary Clinton had a more than 80% chance of win the election.)
Less investment, depletion of international reserves and contraction of public spending, in the opinion of Funides, are some of the effects that might be felt if the US Senate approves the bill.
The Nicaraguan Foundation for Economic and Social Development (Funides) has analyzed the potential impact of a possible US approval of the bill known as the "Nica Act", which aims to place conditions on the granting of loans by international institutions to the Ortega administration.
The US Congress passed a law which puts conditions on Daniel Ortega's government for obtaining loans from international institutions.
The purpose of the law known as the Nica Act, is for loans negotiated between Nicaragua and international financial organizations to be rejected by the United States, unless the Ortega government takes"... measures for the restoration of democracy and the holding of free, fair and transparent elections."
Profiteering is defined as the conduct of individuals, social groups, professionals or entrepreneurs who achieve income above the value of the goods or services that are eventually produced.
EDITORIAL
An opinion article in Nacion.com accurately reviews the degradation of Costa Rica's political and economic work, and says"clientelism, corporatism, nepotism, cronyism, influence peddling, conflict of interest, crony capitalism"are the current characteristics of Costa Rican society.
Too slowly, Costa Rican society is becoming aware that "lobbyists are destroying the country" that once was exemplary in Latin America.
EDITORIAL
An article by Jose Joaquin Fernandez in his blog on Elfinanciero.com, is not just one more warning of the dangerous downhill speed that both Costa Rica's economy and other values are reaching. It is a detailed analysis of the causes which, riding on the back of some of the weaknesses of democracy, end up dividing society into the privileged and vulnerable, increasing the gap in income distribution without caring if the economy prospers or not.
Using its corporate power and taking advantage of the power vacuum that is afflicting the State, a public university in Costa Rica is paying first world salaries, exacerbating the inequality that exists between Costa Ricans and severely distorting the labor market.
Ineptocracy: A government system where the least capable to govern are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the diminishing number of producers.
EDITORIAL
As the notion of "acquired rights" extends its current deformation which means "even if the world is falling apart the government must pay my salary at the end of each month", the transformation of democracies in ineptocracies is accelerating, especially in reference to democracies in Latin America, and in particularin those like Chile, Costa Rica and Uruguay, where some time ago a combination of enlightened leaders and the majority of industrious citizens created prosperous societies not only in economic terms but also in terms of civility and harmony in coexistence.
The ability of the executive and legislative powers to effectively lead their country's economy is seriously diminished by the excessive actions of the judicial branch, especially the Constitutional Courts.
EDITORIAL
It is happening in Central America but it is a growing problem throughout Latin America.
The private companies should have to consider the risk posed to Costa Rica's business climate by the excesses of state union leaders.
EDITORIAL
Costa Rica's democratic traditions pale before the attempt made by a trade unionist to silence the media by threatening the safety of journalists.
An article in Crhoy.com quote statements made by the union member Fabio Chaves regarding the news in Costa Rican media revealing information about unacceptable privileges enjoyed by many officials, acquired against article 57 of the Constitution itself: "Wages will always be equal for equal work under identical conditions of efficiency."
No changes in the economic or political direction are foreseen in a country where President Ortega maintains high public approval rates in a context of economic growth, although there is erosion of democratic institutions.
On Tuesday June 9 a panel discussion was held in the premises of the Inter American Dialogue in Washington DC, whose main topic was the analysis of the economic and political situation in Nicaragua.
A Working Group has suggests fundamental changes in the conformation of the branches of government and their interrelationship.
In June of 2012, President Chinchilla announced the formation of a group of "experts on democratic governance," who took on the mission of "making concrete proposals for improving the institutional and democratic life in Costa Rica."
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