A Faustian bargain : U.S. intervention in the Nicaraguan elections and American foreign policy in the post-Cold War era

As an analysis of the controversial US role in the 1990 Nicaraguan elections, this book exposes the duplicitous and possibly illegal intervention of the US in the electoral process of a sovereign nation. Drawing on secret documents and interviews, the author brings to light the clandestine activities of US officials and examines the implications of the "electoral intervention project" for US foreign policy and for social change in the Third World in the post-Cold War era. A Penetrating Analysis Of The Controversial U.s. Role In The 1990 Nicaraguan Elections - The Most Closely Monitored In History - This Book Exposes The Intervention In The Electoral Process Of A Sovereign Nation By The Central Intelligence Agency, The Department Of State, The National Endowment For Democracy, And Private U.s.-based Organizations. Robinson Begins By Tracing The Evolution Of U.s. Foreign Policy In Recent Decades And Reviewing U.s.-nicaraguan Relations Since The Carter Administration. He Then Describes Specific Aspects Of The Electoral Intervention Project, Bringing To Light The Clandestine Activities Of U.s. Officials. Finally, He Examines The Implications Of Such An Undertaking For U.s. Foreign Policy And For Social Change In The Third World In The Post-cold War Era, Arguing That It Is A Dangerous Harbinger Of A New Interventionism Conducted Under The Pretext Of Promoting Democracy. Drawing On An Extensive Array Of Confidential Documents And On Interviews With Representatives From U.s. And Foreign Government Agencies, Private Organizations, And Anti-sandinista Groups In Nicaragua, The Author Offers A Chilling Account Of A Foreign Policy Venture That Was At The Very Least Duplicitous And Quite Possibly Illegal As Well. Introduction: The International Significance Of Nicaragua -- 1. New Intervention -- War As Politics And Politics As War -- Nicaragua: The War Of Attrition -- From The Cia To The Ned -- Project Democracy -- Modus Operandi Of The New Political Intervention -- Electoral Processes And Electoral Assistance -- Philippines, Chile, Panama: Preludes To Nicaragua -- 2. Nicaragua From Carter To Reagan To Bush -- Myth Of A Democratic Opposition -- 1984 Elections -- Iran-contra Scandal: From Military To Political Focus -- Nicaragua's Peace Gambit -- Esquipulas -- From Esquipulas To Nandaime -- From Electoral Boycott To Electoral Intervention -- 3. Creating A Political Opposition -- Step I: Unifying The Groundwork -- Step Ii: Unifying The Opposition -- From The Group Of Fourteen To The Uno -- Step Iii: Negotiating The Rules -- Step Iv: Selecting An Opposition Candidate -- A Cory Aquino For Nicaragua -- Step V: Funding The Opposition -- 4. Consolidating A Civic Opposition Front -- Take I: Organizing Labor -- Take Ii: Women, Youths, And The Via Civica -- Completing The Civic Front -- Via Civica -- Take Iii: Creating Communications Media For The Opposition -- Independent Radios Project, -- Television, Too -- War Of The Polls, -- 5. International Network -- Venezuelan Connection -- Costa Rican Connection -- Partisanship In Costa Rica But Bipartisanship In Nicaragua -- Capel: Providing Cover For U.s. Intervention -- European Connection -- Diplomats Network In Managua -- Manipulating The Role Of International Observation -- Center For Democracy -- From Contra Promoters To Electoral Observers -- 6. Cia, Public Relations, Secret Relations, And Multiple Money Pots -- Cia Infrastructural Program And Regional Programming -- Contras-cum-civic Leaders -- Managing The Opposition Campaign In The United States -- Money Laundering Or Money Pocketing? -- Designing The Uno's Electoral Campaign -- Secret Shipments -- For Whom Was The Playing Field Not Level? -- 7. Contras And The Economy: The Making Of A Faustian Bargain -- Lease On Life For The Contras -- Economic Blackmail -- Electoral Coup D'etat -- 8. Future: Low-intensity Democracies? -- Free And Fair Elections? -- Democracy In Nicaragua, U.s. Intervention, And The Electoral Outcome -- U.s. Intervention, Authentic Democratization, And Low-intensity Democracy. Postscript: Postelectoral U.s. Intervention -- Afterword By Alejandro Bendana: Elections, Intervention, And Revolution -- A Sandinista Perspective -- Afterword By Robert A. Pastor: Old Habits, New Opportunities In Nicaragua -- Final Note: Robinson Responds -- Democracy Or Intervention? William I. Robinson ; With Afterwords By Alejandro Bendaña And Robert A. Pastor. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 189-238) And Index.