U.S. Department of State 
96/10/11 Statement: Nicaragua: U.S. Delegation to Observe the Elections  
Office of the Spokesman  
 
 
 
Press Statement by Nicholas Burns/ Spokesman  
October 11, 1996  
  
 
 
            Nicaragua: U.S. Delegation to Observe the Elections  
  
  
 
Agency for International Development Administrator J. Brian Atwood will  
be heading the U.S. delegation to observe the upcoming presidential  
elections in Nicaragua on October 20.  
  
USAID Assistant Administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean Mark  
Schneider and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American  
Affairs John R. Hamilton will also be members of the delegation.  
  
The U.S. Government has provided nine million dollars to support the  
electoral process in Nicaragua, including the work of five U.S.-based  
international election observer groups from the National Democratic  
Institute, the International Republican Institute, the Carter Center,  
the Center for Democracy and the International Foundation for Electoral  
Systems (IFES).  
  
Through CAPEL, the electoral unit of the Interamerican Institute for  
Human Rights (IIDH), USAID is supporting the Nicaraguan Supreme  
Electoral Council, which is charged with carrying out the election.  
  
We are supporting, along with other donors, the OAS Observer Mission for  
these elections.  
  
This assistance continues our long-standing efforts in support of  
democracy in Nicaragua.  U.S. policy is intended to support free, fair,  
transparent and inclusive elections, while remaining strictly neutral  
with respect to the outcome.  
  
The U.S. has not and will not take sides in Nicaragua's elections.  We  
are prepared to recognize and work with any candidate who the Nicaraguan  
people choose as their president in democratic elections.