In Nicaragua’s contentious presidential campaign, the opposition Sandinista and Constitutional Liberal (PLC in spanish) political paries accused the US-supported campaign of Eduardo Montealegre of printing counterfeit electoral ballots.

The Nicaraguan daily, La Prensa, quoted Sandinista congressman Jose Figueroa, "At a stoplight they handed me a ballot like the one that is going to be used on Election Day. Box number 9 was checked off. They’re using it as an tool of propaganda and that’s what is giving reason for suspicion.

La Prensa also reported that the President of Nicaragua’s Supreme Electoral Council (CSE), Roberto Rivas, had denounced days before that "a political party" had solicited from his office the exact specifications of the upcoming ballot. He recognized the existence of counterfeit ballots.

William Navarro, a legislator from the PLC, fingered El Salvador President Tony Saca and his ARENA party as the culprits.

"The ballots that they are giving out even in the streets, which clearly say that you should vote for Eduardo Montealegre, are part of the support given by ARENA and Mr. Saca to the Conservative Party (ALN-PC)."

"Specialists and technical assistants from ARENA and people inside the Electoral Agency in El Salvador linked to the ARENA party asked the CSE for the dimensions of the ballots, the colors, the [exact] ink levels, to make them," continued Navarro.

The existence of the falsified ballots led to speculation that Election Day fraud could be in the works.

Allegations against ARENA fall on the heels of accusations by US-based groups that the Bush Administration is illegally interfering in the Nicaraguan election process on behalf of the Montealegre campaign. The alliance between Presidents Tony Saca and George Bush has long been touted by both men. Many of the arguments employed by Trivelli were utilized in full form in the last Salvadoran election.

According to the British solidarity group, NSCAG, "[US Ambassador to Nicaragua] Paul Trivelli threatened Nicaraguan voters stating that US trade, aid, investment and remittances from Nicaraguans living in the US could be affected should they elect a ‘non democratic force’."

In response to Trivelli's statements, Quest for Peace, the Nicaragua Network and 800 US-based co-signers wrote a letter to Trivelli. The letter reveals the US has spent $13 million on the upcoming Nicaraguan election and that Trivelli has "repeatedly and publicly urged Nicaraguan citizens to cast their vote" for the US-preferred candidate, Montealegre.

The letter continues, "We, the undersigned, U.S. citizens and organizations, reject and censure your behavior. Such behavior would be unacceptable and unlawful if foreign diplomats attempted to influence elections in the United States. The United States cannot claim to support free and fair elections while it attempts to control and manipulate the voting in Nicaragua.

Back in Washington, DC neo-cons and old-school cons alike, held parties to support the Montealegre campaign. In the Virginia suburbs, Reagan-era Ambassador to the UN, Jeane Kirkpatrick, joined with candidate Montealegre's wife, Elisa, for a fundraiser at an upscale private residence.

The invitation pleads, "Your help is needed to stop Daniel Ortega and Hugo Chavez from winning in Central America."

Invitations directed supporters to write checks to the Alianza Liberal Nicaraguense (ALN), Montealegre's party. For $2500, donors could earn the "Defender of Free Markets" moniker. It was unclear as of this writing whether Nicaraguan election law allowed foreign contributions to active political parties.

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