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With Electoral Accompaniment throughout Country, OAS Present in Final Stage of Nicaraguan Process

  November 2, 2011

In response to an invitation from the electoral authorities of Nicaragua, the Organization of American States (OAS) has deployed since October 5th a Mission of Electoral Accompaniment (MEA) for the General Elections of November 6. During its stay in the country, the members and technicians of the MAE/OAS have traveled throughout the country’s 15 Departments and two Autonomous Regions with the goal of assessing compliance with the electoral calendar.

After the installation of the MAE/OAS, the Chief of Mission, Dr. Dante Caputo, visited the country twice and held meetings with the authorities of the national government, with the presidential candidates and the representatives of the Supreme Electoral Council, as well as with other stakeholders in the process. Beginning today, the Chief of Mission, along with the Director of Electoral Cooperation and Observation of the OAS, Pablo Gutiérrez, will set up in the Nicaraguan capital until the end of the voting. Also, the team headed by former Foreign Minister Caputo will be joined by Bill Richardson, former Governor of New Mexico, United States, and Luis Castiglioni, former Vice President of Paraguay, as special advisors.

The OAS Mission of Electoral Accompaniment will continue to follow the evolution of the electoral process, in strict fulfillment with the standard observation methodology, and once finished, will present a report before the Organization’s Permanent Council.

Finally, the Mission urges Nicaraguan citizens to continue to participate in this electoral process in its different stages, in an environment of calm and respect, with the objective of strengthening democracy.

For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org.

Reference: E-933/11