Nicaragua Elections Seen as Being Reasonably Fair by U.N. Observer

Elliot Richardson, special representative of the U.N. secretary-general in Nicaragua, said Friday that this week’s elections in the Central American nation will be reasonably fair.

Richardson, a former defense secretary and U.S. attorney general, said the Sandinista government has been responsive to complaints about unfair practices and that the election “playing field,” although not perfectly level, appears reasonably close.

Richardson’s assessment stood in sharp contrast with the U.S. State Department, which has issued frequent allegations that the Sandinistas are systematically rigging the elections and that the lack of an official U.S. government observer delegation will cast doubts on whether the Feb. 25 elections can be judged to be free and fair.

Richardson said the presence of a United Nations delegation, another one from the Organization of American States, and a third organized by former President Jimmy Carter, as well as some unofficial groups from Congress, means that the voting “will be the most intensively observed in the history of an independent, sovereign nation.”

He estimated that 40% to 50% of the 4,400 polling places will have outside election observers present on voting day.