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Why did Central America shift UN votes on Russia-Ukraine war? | United Nations News


Central American countries have turned over their voting records on United Nations resolutions regarding Russia Invades Ukraine over the past months, underscoring their complicated relationships with global superpowers and each other, according to analysts.

Nicaragua is one of only five countries to vote against a United Nations resolution last week calling for the non-recognition and reversal of Russia’s “illegal annexation plot” of four regions in Ukraine. Russia, Belarus, Syria and North Korea also have vote against resolution.

The resolution on October 12 was approved by the UN General Assembly with 143 votes in favor. Honduras was among the 35 abstentions and El Salvador was one of eight countries not present in the vote.

Three Central American countries voted differently on resolution of March 2 demanded that Russia immediately withdraw all military forces from Ukraine. Honduras voted in favor of that resolution, and El Salvador and Nicaragua both abstained.

“What’s surprising is not now, but Nicaragua’s choice in March,” said Carlos Cascante, professor of international relations at the National University of Costa Rica.

Political moment

Are from Chairman Daniel Ortega Taking office in 2007, Nicaragua has developed close ties with Russia, although the relationship is mostly political. By far, the United States is Nicaragua’s top trading partner, followed by other Central American countries and Mexico.

Nicaragua has always been outspoken in its support of Russia, and its voting record at the United Nations often reflects that. Analysts aren’t sure why Nicaragua broke the mold and abstained in March.

One theory is that Nicaragua linked the March vote to China’s abstention before reverting to its alignment with Russia, Cascante said. Nicaragua Cut off diplomatic relations with Taiwan and re-establish relations with China in December.

Meanwhile, Nicaragua’s Authorization June About the deployment of troops from Russia and other countries has made international headlines, but it is essentially a periodic renewal of a longstanding policy.

Cascante told Al Jazeera: “Russia has had various forms of military presence in Nicaragua, especially military advisers and intelligence advisers.

However, the timing is also remarkable as news of the innovation has hit the global headlines in Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, Cascante noted. The US did not invite Nicaragua, Venezuela or Cuba.

“What is happening is the international context [of the Russia-Ukraine war] and the internal situation in Nicaragua has readjusted the way the renewal of the agreement is perceived,” said Carlos Murillo, a professor of international relations at the University of Costa Rica.

Ortega’s constant concern is U.S. intervention, so Nicaragua’s concern is to project support from a powerful ally to disgruntled effect, he said. “Historically, Nicaragua has been very skillful in managing its diplomatic actions, although that may not always be obvious,” Murillo told Al Jazeera.

‘Nose thumb in America’

Honduras and El Salvador have close trade ties with Nicaragua, as well as a long-standing border dispute. Both countries abstained this year on Organization of American States resolutions condemning Nicaragua over civil rights and political issues.

After abstaining at the UN General Assembly last week, Honduran officials from the government of President Xiomara Castro, who took office in January, claimed the abstention should be interpreted as a neutral stance on wars. However, earlier this year, Honduras sided clearly against Russia in UN votes.

“Central American countries, especially Honduras, understand that [these votes] Cascante said.

“Internal in Honduras… it’s beneficial [Castro] to maintain the point of saying, ‘I’m not a puppet of the United States like [former President] Juan Orlando Hernandez is,” he said.

Meanwhile, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has a strained relationship with the administration of US President Joe Biden and El Salvador’s vote at the UN on the Russia-Ukraine war may reflect that.

“There are some thumbs up in the United States that we have certainly seen from the Bukele administration,” said Christine Wade, a professor of Central American politics at the University of Washington in Maryland.

“There is no significant Russian investment in El Salvador but there is a lot of Chinese investment in El Salvador, so one question is whether this is signaling to China,” she told Al Jazeera. as well as for the United States.

El Salvador abstained in March but did not appear in the vote last week. States do not want to register any positions or do not attend or withdraw before a vote.

“Non-voting or absenteeism is interpreted as an expression of a country’s commitment on both sides,” Murillo said. “It was to avoid being interrogated.”

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