On the Coast, will frustration mediate democracy?

Abstract

In both autonomous regions of the Caribbean unemployment rose to over 70 percent, no possibility of transforming that cruel reality is in sight.  Neither are the deplorable housing and health conditions. The Coast seems to be at a dead end, and the same political forces close to Violeta Barrios de Chamorro's government have been forced to recognize and denounce it. “We find ourselves extremely busy, because the problems of food, health and work, instead of diminishing with the government (of UNO), have actually increased”, recognized the Coordinator of the South Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAS), Alvin Guthrie, in February of this year. The autonomous authorities have asked the Executive for an emergency fund of ten million dollars, to mitigate the impact of the socioeconomic crisis in both regions; however, the Presidency responded to the request with an outright refusal.  This has caused greater tensions between the central power and the autonomous governments.