President of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega Saavedra, has enabled various mechanisms to lessen the impact on the country of the most recent rises in oil and protect the economy of Nicaraguan families, especially the most impoverished by the neoliberal policies, said the Advisory of the Presidency for National Policy, Paul Oquist.
Among these measures, Oquist said the grant approved this week to avoid the rate increase energy and efforts to maintain stable food prices, as part of the Food Strategy led by the Sandinista Government.
Speaking to The Digital 19 presidential adviser said since January 2007 when the Nicaraguan leader became president of Nicaragua, the President ordered measures to protect the country from the effects of increases and possible crisis.
One of the first steps was to include Nicaragua in oil deals ALBA and Petrocaribe agreements by which the country pays 50 percent of the oil bill to ninety days, while the other 50 percent, credit , at 25 years with two years of grace and the two percent annual interest.
"This reduces somewhat the impact (of rising oil prices) on Nicaragua," said Oquist.
"If not why should we pay 100 percent of the oil bill right now, which would affect all social programs, the entire effort of economic growth, employment growth and poverty reduction, "he said.
noted that other countries are now suffering the negative effects of such increases for not being in Petrocaribe or Bolivarian Alternative for the Peoples of Our Americas (ALBA).
"ALBA produces resources for social and economic policies, including subsidies, through which the commander Ortega permanently, not just this time, not that against all odds, against any threat, there is a permanent defense budget of Nicaraguan families and especially of the poorest families, "he said presidential adviser.
The energy subsidies
stressed that the latest move is the subsidy released this week to avoid an electric rate hike in March, because the bunker that is used to generate plants electricity, closed the month of February with a 12.5 percent from the first of January this year.
also recalled that the average with which to calculate the rate of electricity has risen in February to the order of six percent and if prices continue (Increasing) that could be as high as nine percent.
"Then the grant approved by the Commander Ortega is defending the consumer Nicaraguan Nicaraguan families, a rise of between six and nine percent of the electricity tariff that will occur due to defend the budget allowance family, "he said Oquist.
"That stands above all the poorest families, because those who consume less than 150 kilowatts in their own household or small business, also receive a subsidy that is strong, more than 300 cordobas a month to defend their family budgets, "he said.
noted that there is also a subsidy for water consumers, who spend less than 30 cubic meters per month, since the liquid is pumped by electricity.
transport and food
"Then he defends the electric bill and water bill too. And every day each time a family takes the bus to go and return to work and pay 2.50 (Cordobas) rate of the route, there really is a subsidy of 1.75 córdobas increasingly "using that service, he said. Oquist
emphasized that the increases in oil prices, this subsidy is very significant because he is defending a very important item in household budgets, as is the cost of transport.
added that President Daniel Ortega has also always been available on food prices.
"When shooting a food as happened with the beans, a couple of years, or late last year, increasing the collection of ENABAS (...) you start to look imports to maintain and balance the price, or under review , revised export to care that there is always supply in the domestic market, so the price does not shoot, "he said.
recalled that in the neighborhood grocery stores are also distribution points ENABAS keeps the price of beans, oil, rice below that offered in the markets, as part of the fair trade policy and to defend the budgets of the poorest families in Nicaragua.
All that allows balance and food prices coupled with subsidies to transport, energy and water, constitute a defense of family budgets, he reiterated.
"These increases (the price) of oil itself will affect us but there are defenses that the Government has been activated to protect families," he said presidential adviser. Impact
slowed
considered that all these measures the impact of the increases will have an effect in Nicaragua, but lower than in other countries.
"If not for these subsidies would be very critical situation because there would be increases in bus fares in the electricity, water, food. Without a fair trade to compensate (such increases) without subsidies to keep (rates) and not allow increases affect families, "added the situation would be different
The presidential adviser stressed that whenever the commander Daniel Ortega has care, has struggled to defend the purchasing power of the Nicaraguan family.
"That's parte de la Estrategia de Seguridad Alimentaria, porque si no fuera por eso las familias no tendrían para comprar alimentos y lograr niveles de nutrición que han venido reduciendo la pobreza extrema en estos años”, refirió.
El asesor presidencial subrayó que el precio del petróleo se ha mantenido inestable en los mercados internacionales, con fuertes alzas, aún antes de la actual crisis en Medio Oriente, lo que vino a agravar la situación y a añadir más incertidumbre.
Atribuyó esa tendencia alcista del petróleo a varias situaciones. Una de ellas es que Estados Unidos ha estado devaluando el dólar y cuando se devalúa esa moneda, todos los precios que están fixed in dollars, as oil and food, up to compensate for the loss of dollar value.
But since January this year, said the crisis in the Middle East and North Africa.
"All the Middle East and North Africa, as important for the production and export of oil is very uncertain and that makes the markets react in that way," said Oquist.
"Even now there are even nervous that this crisis could be extended to include Saudi Arabia, which is the largest producer and exporter of oil, which introduces much uncertainty in the markets," concluded.
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