NICARAGUA: Less Rum, More Radios

Walking through the tropical lowlands of Nicaragua is thirsty work, and during past elections Nicaraguans have been lured to the polls by the thought of the native rum, aguardiente, distributed by candidates. It was to the immense chagrin of voters, therefore, that Provisional President Carlos Brenes Jarquin, a doctor of medicine, decreed last week that during next month’s Presidential election there will be no free liquor.

Nicaraguans enjoyed more another act by President Brenes Jarquin last week. He broadcasted the first Presidential radioration in Nicaragua’s history. Because most of the natives are so poor they cannot afford radio sets, broadcasting has never been a Nicaraguan feature. Enthusiasm greeted the President’s promise “to reduce the cost of radios to a minimum that all might enjoy their benefits,”

The innovating President followed up this gesture by legally instituting a new festival known as Communications Day. His notion of celebrating it was to cancel all public communications by giving telephone, telegraph and postal workers a holiday.