The president of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), Dante Mossi, defended this Monday the financing portfolio of the regional organization with the Nicaraguan government, this despite the accusations of human rights violations by the United Nations Organization and denunciations of breach of democratic rules by United States and the European Union.
The official said that, as head of the body, whose Board is made up of the finance ministers of the countries of the isthmus, he is willing “to work with anyone who is elected leader of a country.”
His positions were rejected by analysts and observers at an event held this Thursday morning at the Central American Dialogue in Washington, where Mossi is on a working tour.
CABEI is for now the largest source of financing of Nicaragua, having open accounts for 1,586 million dollars in 33 projects with approvals in 2021 of 890 million, both with the public and private sectors.
As an economist, Mossi says that he has taken into account the papers before him that indicate that Nicaragua has a government elected under democratic rules, with disputed elections.
When asked by the voice of america Regarding when there could be a change of direction of the organization in its appreciation of Nicaragua, Mossi said that there are scales in which CABEI would act under the rules of other multilateral organizations.
“If the sanctions regime continues to increase (on Nicaragua) the bank would be increasingly limited in what it can or cannot finance, in an extreme case that there are high sanctions would lead us to work on strictly humanitarian issues, basically that is our plan “, said.
In his participation, he answered questions from the audience and said that the institution is not political but a “financial entity” and that its actions are governed by economic principles and support for projects to lift the population out of poverty.
Observe violation of statutes
For analyst Manuel Orozco, a Nicaraguan and expert in remittances and development for Central America, upon hearing the position of the head of CABEI, it seemed clear to him that the institution “does not want to recognize its role in all the comprehensive elements that have to do with the development of democracy”.
This expert, who is facing legal proceedings “for terrorism in Nicaragua” despite living in Washington for more than 30 years, said during the discussion that the statutes for the creation of the financial institution are clear in terms of respect for democracy and human rights.
Speaking to the VOA Orozco said that “CABEI has neglected to assume its legal commitments that are written within the charter as well as the Tegucigalpa Protocol Treaty”, which indicate that the institution must be a guarantor of democratic principles.
Above all because it is already the only institution that exists as a bridge from the State of Nicaragua to the rest of the international community, having also closed relations with the Catholic Church and the Vatican.
“The silence is really questionable, it left many to see that they do not want to take the risk of promoting political change in countries where moments like this are noted,” said the expert.
However, he qualified that the opening to dialogue in a space like this in Washington is a positive sign to continue working and bring together the concerns that exist from multiple sectors of governments and the international community.
Rejection from Nicaraguan civil society
Mossi’s statements were rejected by opponents and civil society organizations such as Urnas Abiertas, a Nicaraguan entity formed in exile by experts who monitor electoral processes.
Open Polls cited Mossi’s statements that indicated that the institution he represents finances projects in the range of humanitarian service and not for political reasons.
But Urnas Abiertas pointed out that based on the investigations and monitoring that they have carried out in electoral processes in Nicaragua, they have corroborated how public investment projects such as highways, hospitals, among others, are used to make propaganda and political proselytizing in favor of the ruling party.
“Citizens are the ones who end up paying for these projects, through taxes, but at each inauguration they thank” Commander Daniel Ortega and compañera Rosario Murillo,” denounced Urnas Abiertas.
On the other hand, they questioned Mossi’s statements, which indicated that “audits and transparency” are important to his organization. Urnas Abiertas declared in this regard that “international organizations such as CABEI are ignoring that the capacity of social auditing in Nicaragua is reduced.”
“CABEI does not seem to care that transparency standards are met within the countries or that the projects it finances lack sufficient public information,” he emphasized.
“He showed himself as a technician”
For his part, the former Nicaraguan ambassador to the OAS, Arturo McFields, said that Mossi showed himself to be “a technical and inhumane” to whom “human rights don’t give a damn.” “It’s a shameful thing,” he stressed.
From the side of the ruling party there was silence about the debate. The VOA made a request for comments to pro-government deputies, however they declined to comment on the matter.
On previous occasions, the ruling party has said that CABEI has played a fundamental role in Nicaragua for the development of infrastructures.
Iván Acosta, head of the Nicaraguan Ministry of Finance, said on one occasion that “there are sectors that have expressed and have carried out a negative campaign against CABEI, but he made it clear that there is no negative campaign against them, it is a negative campaign against the people , mostly Nicaraguan.
The CABEI president said during the event in Washington that he is personally committed to a change in Central America, and that through his work he will support those projects that benefit the poor.
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