(hereinafter “the RAAN”) 4 within the legal time limit set in the call for municipal elections; 5 these were not challenged, and the list was published in the written media, as ordered by the Electoral Law of Nicaragua. In the South Atlantic Autonomous Region (hereinafter “RAAS”), YATAMA decided to participate 6 in an alliance with two other regional political parties, the Partido Indígena Multiétnico (PIM) and the Partido de Pueblos Costeños (PPC). The PIM decided to withdraw from the agreement before the alliance was formally established, and the PPC, when registering candidates, did not get the number of signatures established by the Electoral Law of Nicaragua to participate in the elections. As the alliance did not materialize, YATAMA, with full powers to participate in the November 2000 elections, on July 20 sent the Supreme Electoral Council (hereinafter “the CSE”) an urgent communication requesting that it be authorized to participate in the RAAS individually, using only its name, emblem, and list of candidates. The CSE did not answer the request; accordingly, it was repeated on July 31, August 8, and August 9, 2000. 6. On August 15, 2000, the CSE handed down a resolution in which it resolved: First, not to approve YATAMA’s request to register as YATAMA candidates those presented by the YATAMA/PPC Alliance in the South Atlantic Autonomous Region, and second, not to register the candidates submitted by YATAMA in the North Atlantic Autonomous Region. The CSE based its resolution on the failure of the Partido de los Pueblos Costeños to obtain the number of signatures required of political parties for participating in elections, under Nicaragua’s Electoral Law, and that the candidates presented by YATAMA did not cover the percentage of municipalities and candidacies required by the Electoral Law. 7. On August 18, 2000, the petitioners filed a motion for review (recurso de revisión) before the Supreme Electoral Council against the above-mentioned resolution, yet it did not obtain a response within the period provided for in Nicaraguan legislation. On August 30, 2000, YATAMA brought an amparo action against the CSE before the Court of Appeals, North Atlantic District, Civil and Labor Chamber, for its above-noted resolution of August 15. On October 11, the appellate court decided to process the appeal, and suspended the effects of the resolution challenged. The Supreme Court, on October 25, 2000, declared that the amparo action pursued by YATAMA was unfounded; it based its decision on the final paragraph of Article 173 of the Constitution of Nicaragua, which notes: “No appeal shall be taken, regular or special, of the rulings of the Supreme Council on electoral matters.” YATAMA was notified of that decision on October 26, 2000. 4 YATAMA candidates to the RAAN: Municipality of Puerto Cabezas: Rodolfo Spear Smith, for mayor; Anicia Matamoros Bushey, for deputy-mayor; Ovencio Maikell Barwell, Elmer Emsly Blanco, Winston Joel Livy, Roberto Labonte Centeno, Minario Emsly Wilson, for the municipal council. Municipality of San Juan del Río Coco Waspan: Calistro Osorio Bans M., for deputy mayor; Diego Guzmán Vanegas Allington, Gilberto Williams Jirón, Lucio Alfred Lacayo Kitler, Armando Thomas, Bernaldo García Pantin, Remigio Narciso Zepeda, Antonio Reyes Waldan, Antonio Avila Gutiérrez, for the municipal council. Municipality of Bonanza: Mario Peralta Bands, for mayor; Jorge Chacón Wilson, candidate for deputy mayor; Ceferino Wilson Bell, Patricio López Dixon, Icasio Dixon Reyes, for municipal council. Municipality of Rosita: Cristina Poveda Montiel, for mayor; Edison Johnny Anderson, Andrés López Martínez, for deputy mayor. 5 The deadline for submission of candidates was July 15, 2000. 6 YATAMA’s candidates to the RAAS were: Municipality of Bluefields: Manuel Salvador Paguagua García, for mayor, Yahaira Yvonne Amador Gadea, for deputy mayor; Eustacio Flores Wilson, Ashmet Alexander Ally, Julio Cesar Delagado Pacheco, Israel Díaz Amador, Angela Gibson Morales, Reynaldo Lagos Amador, Eduardo Alexander Siu Estrada, Isabel Reyna Estrada Colindres, Lillian Elizabeth Francis Wilson, Carlos John Omeir, Nelly Sánchez Castillo, Flor Deliz Bravo Carr, William Wong López, Genny Mitchell Omeir, Sergio Warren León Corea, Olga Orelia Shepperd Hodgson, for municipal council. Municipality of El Tortuguero: Gorge Antonio Gutiérrez Robledo, for mayor, Pastora Carmen García Guillén, for deputy mayor, Jacinta Pérez González, Juana María Jirón Rodríguez, Alejandro Miranda Reyes, Sandra Esther Reyes López, Emelina Valle Solano, Andrea Lira Gaitán, Guillermina López García, and Hilda María Miranda Reyes, for municipal council. Municipality of Sandy Bay Sirpi Desembocadura: Roberto Chow Molina, for mayor; Edward Nixon Ellis Brooks, for deputy mayor; Kramwel Frank James, Donald Wilson Martínez Roland, Cristina Josefina Hills Thompson, Carolina Socorro Hurtado Rocha, Carlos Julian Prudo, Norman Marcelina Inglish, Belarmino Young Richard, and Hipólito García López, for municipal council. Municipality of Laguna de Perlas: Rodolfo Chang Bennett, for mayor; Alonso Florencio Willis Tucker, for deputy mayor; Liston Hooker Allen, Constantino Franklin Humpheys Hodgson, Jason Kenred Gutiérrez Peralta, Arlen Joan Peralta Davis, Wiliam Martín, Catalina Hamphys, Ilva Bernard, and Wilma Taylor, for municipal council. Municipality of Kukra Hill: Juan Casterio Reyes Craford, for mayor; José Mateo López Rigby, for deputy mayor; Dionicio Márquez Méndez, Ruth Vargas Smith, Leonor Hayde Maesk Thompson, Miguel Amador Huete, Alicia Reyes, Roberto Ramos Renis, Hilda Estela Méndez, and Samuel Walter Lemos Fedrick, for municipal council. Municipality of Com Island: Dayne Wiston Cash Cassanova, for mayor; Cristina Morris Anisal, for deputy mayor; Lorenzo Fidencio Britton Calderon, Keston Orville López Lewis, Lowell Alvin Rigby Downs, Marlene del Socorro Hebert Escorcia, Vaden Davis Downs White, Erick Alvaro Archobol Lavonte, and Olga María Leyman Francis, for municipal council. Municipality of La Cruz de Río Grande: Exibia Alarcón Herrera, for mayor; Gloria Maritza Colindres Romero, for deputy mayo;, Angela Barbarina Hurtado, Juan Francisco Díaz Matamoro, Marcelino Lanzas Amador, Juan Carlos Loaisiga, Digno Díaz González, Gloria Isabel Lira Díaz, Maritza Colado Plazaola, and Teodora Duarte Sequeira, for municipal council. 2