Government1 (Nicaragua)
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     Elections:
       President:
         last held on 25 February 1990 (next to be held February 1996); results -
         Violeta Barrios de CHAMORRO (UNO) 54.7%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN)
         40.8%, other 4.5%
       National Assembly:
         last held on 25 February 1990 (next to be held February 1996); results - UNO
         53.9%, FSLN 40.8%, PSC 1.6%, MUR 1.0%; seats - (92 total) UNO 51, FSLN 39,
         PSC 1, MUR 1
     Communists:
         15,000-20,000
     Other political or pressure groups:
         National Workers Front (FNT) is a Sandinista umbrella group of eight labor
         unions: Sandinista Workers' Central (CST), Farm Workers Association (ATC),
         Health Workers Federation (FETASALUD), National Union of Employees (UNE),
         National Association of Educators of Nicaragua (ANDEN), Union of Journalists
         of Nicaragua (UPN), Heroes and Martyrs Confederation of Professional
         Associations (CONAPRO), and the National Union of Farmers and Ranchers
         (UNAG); Permanent Congress of Workers (CPT) is an umbrella group of four
         non-Sandinista labor unions: Confederation of Labor Unification (CUS),
         Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers' Central (CTN-A), Independent General
         Confederation of Labor (CGT-I), and Labor Action and Unity Central (CAUS);
         Nicaraguan Workers' Central (CTN) is an independent labor union; Superior
         Council of Private Enterprise (COSEP) is a confederation of business groups
     Member of:
         BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA,
         IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LORCS,
         NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU,
         WHO, WIPO, WMO
     Diplomatic representation:
         Ambassador Ernesto PALAZIO; Chancery at 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW,
         Washington, DC 20009; telephone (202) 939-6570
       US:
         Ambassador Harry W. SHLAUDEMAN; Embassy at Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur.,
         Managua (mailing address is APO AA 34021); telephone [505] (2) 666010 or
         666013, 666015 through 18, 666026, 666027, 666032 through 34; FAX [505] (2)
         666046
     Flag:
         three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the
         national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features
         a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on the top and
         AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which
         features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN
         LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of
         Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the
         white band