Nicaragua lifts ban on paper

Press, 22 September 1987, Page 8

Nicaragua lifts ban on paper

NZPA-Reuter Managua President Daniel Ortega has rescinded the ban on Nicaragua’s only opposition newspaper and allowed it to resume publication immediately without censorship. The newspaper, “La Prensa,” was closed 15 months ago after being accused of being a mouthpiece of the Reagan Administration, which is financing a guerrilla war against Nicaragua’s ruling Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN). One of the owners of “La Prensa,” Violate Chamorro, reading a statement signed by Mr Ortega, the Costa Rican Foreign Minister, Rodrigo Madrigal Nieto, and herself, said the decision to reopen was taken as a result of a peace plan of the Presidents of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador and

Guatemala. The plan provides for democratic reforms in all Central American countries and for ceasefires in the region’s three guerrilla wars. Diplomats described the reopening of “La Prensa” as the most important step to date towards reestablishing freedom of expression and individual liberties in Nicaragua, where a state of emergency has been in force for the last five years. Ms Chamorro said the newspaper would not be censored, as it was before it was finally closed on June 26, 1986. She said Mr Ortega had promised to “help in all our needs.” Because of technical difficulties, “La Prensa” would not be able to appear immediately, she said, but she hoped it would come out by October 1.