On October 13^th, 2022,  the Alliance for Global Justice and solidarity groups,  working with the Nicaragua Network,  launched a campaign to raise emergency funds  to support the Nicaraguan government’s efforts to rebuild damaged infrastructure and support the millions of people who have been severely affected by Hurricane Julia,  which made landfall in the early morning hours of October 9^th, on Nicaragua’s Southern Caribbean Autonomous region in the areas of Bluefields,  Pearl Lagoon and Tasba Pauni.

At present, teams of specialists are working around the clock to restore basic services of communications, electricity and water.  Food packages and roofing are arriving to families in El Rama, Bluefields and Corn Island and other municipalities of Nicaragua’s Southern Caribbean Autonomous region.  

The latest assessment (Oct 13^th) estimates that 4 million people in 123 municipalities were affected by the hurricane.   Over 20,000 people were evacuated from where the hurricane entered and at least 16,000 homes were destroyed or partially damaged nationwide due to the winds and following severe flooding caused by torrential rainfall. Damage to infrastructure is estimated to be between US $160 and 200 million.   

This is the third time that fundraising for the NSF has been activated. 

The first, for $2,400 to purchase personal protective equipment for a Masaya public hospital at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. The appeal was made in the memory of a long-time solidarity activist, Tom Baker, who died May 30th 2020 in Masaya and was cared for by the hospital during his final months.

A second appeal was for Hurricane ETA and IOTA relief and reconstruction efforts on the north Caribbean Coast. AFGJ/Nicaragua Network sent $27,500 to SINAPRED, the country´s award-winning disaster prevention and mitigation agency.

The Nicaragua Solidarity Fund, established in 2020 via the AFGJ, is an opportunity for US citizens to support the needs of the Nicaraguan people at a time when the United States continues to violate international law by placing sanctions against Nicaragua. These sanctions, in several occasions over the past several years, have prevented Nicaragua from accessing  concessional loans, grants or debt relief from multilateral sources such as the World Bank, the Interamerican Development Bank and the International Monetary Fund.   

It should be noted that the United States still has the moral and legal responsibility to comply with the ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) of 1986.  The Republic of Nicaragua vs. the United States of America was a casewhere the ICJ held that the U.S. had violated international law bywaging war against the Nicaraguan government utilizing the Contras to mine the harbors as well as kill Nicaraguans and destroy schools, health centers, electric towers and lines (and more). The ICJ ruled in favor of Nicaragua and against the United States awarding reparationso Nicaragua. The United States refused to participate in theproceedings after the Court rejected its argument that the ICJ lacked jurisdiction to hear the case. The U.S. also blocked enforcement of the judgment by the United Nations Security Council and thereby prevented Nicaragua from obtaining any compensation. The US pressuredthe post FSLN government of Violeta Chamorro to withdraw the complaint
from the court in 1992.

In 1986 the damages to Nicaragua were calculated at approximately $US17 billion dollars.  Thirty-six years of cumulated interests makes the amount due the country more like $US160 billion. Although the Nicaragua Solidarity Fund does not replace the debt owed by the US, it is an opportunity for US citizens to recognize their government's responsibility and to assist Nicaragua in responding to the needs of its people.