Nicaragua’s New Constitution

Elliott Abrams’ article is a clear example of the kind of thinking in regard to Nicaragua that is based on distortions, ignorance of history and anti-communist hysteria. He claims that thousands of Nicaraguans protested their new constitution under threat of repression, yet The Times reported demonstrations of no more than 200 or 300 people, with no mention of arrests or repression as a result.

While he states that many guarantees of individual rights promised in the Constitution are presently suspended, nowhere does he bother to mention that Nicaragua is at war. If the United States were under attack by a mercenary army and living under the threat of a direct invasion by a country immensely more powerful than itself, does anyone really think that all of our present liberties would still be operable in that situation?

Furthermore, during the dictatorship of Anastasio Somoza, when any attempt to speak out or organize was met with violent repression, where were the voices of those North Americans now so concerned about the civil liberties of the Nicaraguan people?

ESTHER AVIVA

Running Springs