The major issue among the opposition has been the representation of the youth in the “National Coalition” – an attempt to unify all the groups opposed to the current government. In general, the National Coalition wanted the youth participation to be linked to already existing organizations in the National Coalition, which in essence would give additional votes (i.e. their party youth) to the political parties which form part of the National Coalition. The autonomous youth sector rejected that option, and instead wanted to ensure an important representation of youth not linked to any political parties. Their logic was that it was precisely this sector, which at the cost of many of their own lives and futures, forced the government to negotiate in May 2018. It was not the largely discredited political class, which they feel has too much influence in the National Coalition under the current arrangement. On August 3, 2020 they released this statement after the failure of the negotiations with the National Coalition about their participation.
Press Release
Student Youth Sector
The 14 autonomous youth organizations organized with self-determination in the Student and Youth Sector (SEJ).
Whereas:
We promoted a negotiation process for the broad, fair and consequential integration of Youth in the National Coalition (CN), for which purpose we attended a meeting of that space on July 4 without the right to vote, having agreed with the 7 actors of that roundtable that they would give a response this past July 28th, time during which we were asked to discuss our proposal with other young actors.
Having presented two proposals, an initial one, and another one constructed thanks to the exchanges with youth organizations, we continued in the constructive dialogue with the National Council of the Coalition on July 29 and 30, and in view of the fact that the issue of the integration of the youth was relegated in order to discuss important topics without the legitimate participation with the voice and vote of the Youth, we gave additional time to the representatives of that Council to comply with the commitment before the end of Friday July 31, 2020 at 5:00pm.
We make it publicly known that:
Having fulfilled the time period of the summons, and receiving the response of the National Council of the National Coalition, where they vehemently rejected our proposals, we suspend our participation in the negotiations of that space, we think that the decisions imposed by the block, political parties and allies have generated double voting for their political parties and limited the participation of the autonomous and independent youth, this imposed decision can not happen in a space that says it is democratic and inclusive.
We refuse to provide legitimacy to a Coalition where political parties, that historically have destroyed, reached pacts, and deceived the people, would have hegemony over the decisions, we will not allow the adult-centric culture along with the native and traditional political class to utilize the youth of April, we make it clear that we youth are not political lackeys that they can continue using to breathe life into their worn out and unrecognized political parties, we value the coherence of the National Unity and the Civic Alliance who have been the only organizations that have supported in an ongoing fashion our proposals.
We will continue working on the internal strengthening of our Student and Youth Sector, organizing our structures, having an impact internally and externally, working for initiatives in the streets and social networks to continue demanding the liberation of political prisoners, return of exiles, end to the repression, freedom of political organization and free, observed and transparent elections; contributing to the efforts from the different spaces where we are linked.
Our commitment is with Nicaragua, with the Youth, Freedom, Justice and Democracy.
All the corrupt ones: let them leave!