Somoza's opponents agree to plebiscite

Press, 2 December 1978, Page 7

Somoza's opponents agree to plebiscite

NZPA-Reuter Managua

Nicaragua’s political Opposition has announced that it has agreed to a plebiscite on the future of President ! Anastasio Somoza, as proposed by an international mediation team. Tfie announcement by the Broad Opposition Front (F.A.0.) was made only hours before a deadline for its reply. General Somoza, who has been in almost constant session with his Government and party for the last four days, has nut so far responded to the proposal, widely regarded as Nicaragua’s last chance to avoid civil war. The mediators, from the United States, Guatemala, and the Dominicr.n Republic, threatened four days ago to give up and go home if they got no positive response to their proposal by the deadline. Their recommendation is that within the next .two months there should be a

plebiscite guaranteed by the Organisation ci American States to decide whether General Somoza should resign and go into exile, as the Opposition demands, or serve out his Presidential term until 1981. The F.A.O.’s acceptance of the proposal constituted a split between Nicaragua’s political Opposition and the Left-wing Sandinist guerrillas, who have announfeed their total rejection of the plan. < The Sandinists, who spearheaded the popular insurrection in September which cost hundreds of lives, have promised a new offensive to topple General Somoza at any time. The F.A.O. set a series of ccnditions for their acceptance of the plebiscite plan. These included a demand that General Somoza should delegate the Presidency to a member of Congress, during the campaign, and that his brother, Jose, should be replaced as head of the National Guard.