For background on the Constitutional or Constitutionalist Liberal Party (Partido Liberal Constitucionalista, PLC), including its ideology and organization, please refer to NIC20252.E of 28 March 1995 and NIC23867.E of 16 May 1996.

In the run-up to the November 2001 general elections, both the PLC and the Sandinista party sought the support of smaller rival political groups in exchange for possible positions in government (CAR 28 Sept. 2001). Arnoldo Aleman became president of the Nicaraguan Legislature after the general elections (ibid. 1 Feb. 2002), presiding over an assembly where the PLC holds 53 seats, the Sandinista Party 38, and the Conservative Party one seat (ibid. 7 Dec. 2001). However, ten PLC members joined the Sandinistas to vote Aleman out of the Legislature and clear the way for his prosecution for embezzlement of state funds (ibid. 27 Sept. 2002).

Please find attached an article that explains the factions and divisions within the PLC (CAR 12 July 2002). The article reports on the party's "official" split which took place on 23 June 2002 when Vice-President Jorge Rizzo called a party convention at which half of the party leaders endorsed a board of directors loyal to President Enrique Bolaños, setting aside the board of directors loyal to former President Arnoldo Aleman (ibid.).

Also attached, please find a more recent article that continues to report on the internal problems affecting the PLC (CAR 17 Oct. 2003). The article refers to two opposing factions3/4one loyal to Arnoldo Aleman, now imprisoned for fraud, and the other loyal to President Bolaños3/4and to the influence that Aleman and his supporters continue to wield (ibid.). The attachment names various PLC leaders and their position regarding the key dividing issue of obtaining Aleman's release from prison, and mentions a special convention scheduled for 26 October 2003 (ibid.).

The convention resulted in a "steamroller" (aplanadora) victory for supporters of Arnoldo Aleman (La Prensa 27 Oct. 2003). PLC leader Eduardo Montealegre, reportedly prevented from speaking at the convention by the pro-Aleman president of the PLC electoral committee Jose Marenco Cardenal, was ousted from the party's National Executive Committee (Comité Ejecutivo Nacional, CEN) (ibid.). On 28 October 2003, La Prensa published an article referring to the arnoldista (pro-Aleman) faction of the PLC designating Francisco Aguirre Sacasa, formerly a state minister under the Aleman presidency, as the party's campaign chief for the 2004 municipal elections (ibid. 28 Oct. 2003). The article names Danilo Lara as the new communications secretary of the party, replacing ousted secretary Eliseo Nuñez (ibid.).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

La Prensa [Managua]. 28 October 2003. Consuelo Sandoval. "PLC se organiza para elecciones al margen de propuesta sandinista." http://www-ni.laprensa.com.ni/archivo/2003/octubre/28/politica/politica-20031028-06.html [Accessed 13 Nov. 2003]

_____. 27 October 2003. Luis Felipe Palacios. "Arnoldistas purgan a Montealegre." http://www-ni.laprensa.com.ni/archivo/2003/octubre/27/nacionales/nacionales-20031027-04.html [Accessed 13 Nov. 2003]

Central America Report (CAR) [Guatemala City]. 17 October 2003. Vol. XXX, No. 40. "Liberal Party Crisis Worsens, Alemán Controls From Prison." http://www.inforpressca.com/CAR/magazi/3040-1.htm [Accessed 13 Nov. 2003]

_____. 27 September 2002. Vol. XXIX, No. 37. "Alemán Forced to Step Down From Presidency of Legislature." http://www.inforpressca.com/CAR/magazi/2937-1.htm [Accessed 13 Nov. 2003]

_____. 12 July 2002. Vol. XXIX, No. 26. "Ruling Party Divides Amid Alemán-Bolaños Dispute." http://www.inforpressca.com/CAR/magazi/2926-2.htm [Accessed 13 Nov. 2003]

_____. 1 February 2002. Vol. XXIX, No. 4. "Alemán Elected President of Legislature." http://www.inforpressca.com/CAR/magazi/2904-3b.htm [Accessed 13 Nov. 2003]

_____. 7 December 2001. Vol. XXVIII, No. 47. "Results Spark Controversy." http://www.inforpressca. com/CAR/magazi/2847-6.htm [Accessed 13 Nov. 2003]

_____. 28 September 2001. Vol. XXVIII, No. 37. "Candidates Lack Concrete Proposals for Change." http://www.inforpressca.com/CAR/magazi/2837-1.htm [Accessed 13 Nov. 2003]

Central America Report (CAR) [Guatemala City]. 17 October 2003. Vol. XXX, No. 40. "Liberal Party Crisis Worsens, Alemán Controls From Prison." http://www.inforpressca.com/CAR/magazi/3040-1.htm [Accessed 13 Nov. 2003]

_____. 12 July 2002. Vol. XXIX. No. 26. "Ruling Party Divides Amid Alemán-Bolaños Dispute." http://www.inforpressca.com/CAR/magazi/2926-2.htm [Accessed 13 Nov. 2003]