Cablegate: Nicaragua: Amcit Property Claims Monthly Update: February 2008

VZCZCXYZ0007
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMU #0301/01 0721429
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 121429Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY MANAGUA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2239
INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS MANAGUA 000301

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CEN, EB/IFD/OIA, AND L/CID
STATE ALSO FOR WHA/EPSC
STATE PASS TO USTR
TREASURY FOR INL AND OWH

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EINV ECON USTR KIDE NU
SUBJECT: NICARAGUA: AMCIT PROPERTY CLAIMS MONTHLY UPDATE: FEBRUARY 2008

REFS: A) MANAGUA 173 B) 07 MANAGUA 2581

SUMMARY
-------

1. Since January 1995, the GON has resolved 2,521 Embassy-registered property claims belonging to 659 American citizens (Amcits). With the resolution of 1 Embassy-registered claim in February, the Property Office database now includes 666 registered property claims belonging to 293 Amcits. Including Amcit claims not registered with the Embassy, the GON has resolved a total of 4,541 American citizen claims since 1992. Most resolutions have involved compensation via government-issued indemnification bonds ("bonos de pago de indemnizacion" or BPIs). As of February 29, 2008, the GON has issued BPIs with a face value of $324,042,527 to Embassy-registered claimants. With the inclusion of 1 claim compensated in February, the GON has resolved 7 claims during this waiver year.

EMBASSY-REGISTERED CLAIMS RESOLVED IN FEBRUARY 2008
--------------------------------------------- ------

2. On February 14, 2008, Dr. Maria Gutierrez, legal representative for U.S. citizen Noel Gonzalez, provided a written statement to the Embassy Property Office attesting that on November 14, 2007, the GON compensated Gonzalez with indemnification bonds (BPIs) for a house in Managua. Mr. Gonzalez reached a settlement with the GON for BPIs with a face value of 801,100 cordobas, approximately $42,750. We have updated our database to reflect this settlement.

Type of No. of Type of
Claimant Claim Claims Resolution
-------- ------- ------ -------

Gonzalez, Noel house 1 bonds

STATUS OF AMCIT PROPERTY AS OF 02/29/08
---------------------------------------

3. The following is a snapshot of current U.S. citizen property
claims. The Embassy maintains separate databases for claims
registered before and after the July 31, 2005, deadline in the
Consolidated Appropriations Act.

EMBASSY-REGISTERED CLAIMS NUMBER
------------------------- ------

Total Amcits with all claims resolved 659
(145 were Amcits at time of confiscation)

Total Amcits with pending claims 293
(64 were Amcits at time of confiscation)

Total Amcits registered with the Embassy 1,137
prior to July 31, 2005
(269 were Amcits at time of confiscation)

Total Amcit claims pending resolution 666
(117 were claims of Amcits at time of confiscation)

Total Amcit claims resolved since 1992 2,521
(403 were claims of Amcits at time of confiscation)

EMBASSY-REGISTERED CLAIMS BY CALENDAR YEAR NUMBER ------------------------------------------ ------

Claims resolved in calendar year 2008 2
(0 were claims of Amcits at time of confiscation)

Claims resolved in calendar year 2007 10
(0 were claims of Amcits at time of confiscation)

Claims resolved calendar year 2006 81
(6 were claims of Amcits at time of confiscation)

Claims resolved calendar year 2005 126
(7 were claims of Amcits at time of confiscation)

Claims resolved calendar year 2004 218
(11 were claims of Amcits at time of confiscation)

Claims resolved calendar year 2003 243
(22 were claims of Amcits at time of confiscation)

Claims resolved calendar year 2002 125
(20 were claims of Amcits at time of confiscation)

Claims resolved calendar year 2001 175
(17 were claims of Amcits at time of confiscation)

Claims resolved calendar year 2000 70
(7 were claims of Amcits at time of confiscation)

EMBASSY-REGISTERED CLAIMS RESOLVED BY WAIVER YEAR NUMBER
--------------------------------------------- ---- ------

Registered claims resolved so far in 2007-08 7
(waiver year: August 1, 2007 - July 31, 2008)

Registered claims resolved 2006-07 waiver year 34

Registered claims resolved 2005-06 waiver year 86

Registered claims resolved 2004-05 waiver year 187

Registered claims resolved 2003-04 waiver year 214

Registered claims resolved 2002-03 waiver year 183

Registered claims resolved 2001-02 waiver year 160

Registered claims resolved 2000-01 waiver year 142

Registered claims resolved 1999-00 waiver year 77

Registered claims resolved 1998-99 waiver year 156

Registered claims resolved 1997-98 waiver year 204

Registered claims resolved 1996-97 waiver year 145

EMBASSY-REGISTERED CLAIMS UNDER GON CONTROL NUMBER
------------------------------------------- ------

Total Amcit properties under GON control 54
(subject to revision)

GON-held claims resolved 2007-08 waiver year 0

GON-held claims resolved 2006-07 waiver year 0

GON-held claims resolved 2005-06 waiver year 3

GON-held claims resolved 2004-05 waiver year 16

GON-held claims resolved 2003-04 waiver year 12

GON-held claims resolved 2002-03 waiver year 11

GON-held claims resolved 2001-02 waiver year 26

GON-held claims resolved 2000-01 waiver year 2

GON-held claims resolved 1999-00 waiver year 2

GON-held claims resolved 1998-99 waiver year 5

GON-held claims resolved 1997-98 waiver year 29

GON-held claims resolved (total) 176

CLAIMS DISMISSED BY GON DURING THE 2007-08 WAIVER YEAR NUMBER
------------------------------------------ ------

JANUARY 2008 34

NOVEMBER 2007 18

COURT DECISION IN FAVOR OF CLAIMANT (PROPERTIES RECOVERED) NUMBER
-------------------------- ------

445

COURT DECISION AGAINST CLAIMANT
(CLAIM WITHDRAWN BY AMCIT) NUMBER
------------------------------- ------

6

TOTAL CLAIMS RESOLVED BY LAND SWAPS NUMBER
----------------------------------- ------

6

TOTAL CLAIMS COMPENSATED IN BONDS
(face value of bonds $324.00 million) NUMBER
------------------------------------- -----

1,859

NON-REGISTERED RESOLUTIONS BY WAIVER YEAR NUMBER
----------------------------------------- ------

Non-registered resolutions 2007-08 waiver year 0

Non-registered resolutions 2006-07 waiver year 12

Non-registered resolutions 2005-06 waiver year 30

Non-registered resolutions 2004-05 waiver year 0

Non-registered resolutions 2003-04 waiver year 6

Non-registered resolutions 2002-03 waiver year 22

Non-registered resolutions 2001-02 waiver year 93

Non-registered resolutions 2000-01 waiver year 300

Non-registered resolutions 1999-00 waiver year 455

Non-registered resolutions 1998-99 waiver year 310

Non-registered resolutions 1997-98 waiver year 230

Non-registered resolutions 1996-97 waiver year 208

TOTAL REGISTERED & NON-REGISTERED RESOLUTIONS NUMBER
--------------------------------------------- --- ------

Total number of Amcit claims resolved since 1992 4,541

NON-WAIVER CLAIMS REGISTERED AFTER JULY 31, 2005 NUMBER
--------------------------------------------- --- ------

Total Amcit claimants registered with Embassy 12
(1 was an Amcit at time of confiscation)

Total Amcit claims pending resolution 18
(1 was a claim of an Amcit at time of confiscation)

TRIVELLI

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