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

VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMU #0882/01 1922129
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 102129Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY MANAGUA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2869
INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS MANAGUA 000882

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: JUNE 2008

SUMMARY
-------

1. In June 2008, the Government of Nicaragua (GON) reported the
resolution of 17 Embassy registered property claims, including one
under the control of the Ministry of Education. With the inclusion
of these 17 claims resolved in June, the GON has so far resolved 38
claims during the 2007-2008 waiver year. The Property Office
database now includes 630 unresolved registered property claims
belonging to 301 Amcits. To date, most resolutions have involved
compensation via government-issued indemnification bonds ("bonos de
pago de indemnizacion" or BPIs). As of June 30, 2008, the GON has
issued BPIs with a face value of $327,321,987 to Embassy-registered
claimants. Since taking office in January 2007, the Ortega
administration has resolved a total of 43 claims, 38 during this
waiver year. The GON also resolved one U.S. citizen non-waiver
claim.

EMBASSY-REGISTERED CLAIMS RESOLVED IN JUNE 2008
--------------------------------------------- ---

2. On July 02, 2008, Attorney General Hernan Estrada provided the
Embassy a copy of the final settlement document or "finiquito"
signed on May 08, 2008, by U.S. citizen Dora Arguello. Mrs.
Arguello received BPIs worth 129,100 cordobas, approximately
$6,657.93. We have updated our database to reflect this
settlement.

Type of No. of Type of
Claimant Claim Claims Resolution
-------- ------- ------ ----------
Dora Arguello House 1 bonds

3. On July 09, 2008, U.S. citizen Dora Arguello provided the Embassy a copy of the finiquito signed on June 20, 2008, by her family members who are also U.S. citizens. The Arguello family received BPIs worth 856,500 cordobas, approximately $44,171. We have updated our database to reflect this settlement.

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

Arguello Family Houses 2 bonds

4. On July 09, 2008, Attorney Roberto Arias, legal representative for U.S. citizen Ruben Garcia, provided the Embassy a copy of the finiquito which he signed on behalf of Mr. Garcia on June 09, 2008. Mr. Garcia's claim is noteworthy because the Ministry of Education took control of his property in the 1980s. Mr. Garcia received BPIs worth 33,400 cordobas, approximately $1,722.50. We have updated our database to reflect this settlement.

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

Ruben Garcia House 1 bonds

5. On July 02, 2008, Attorney General Estrada provided the Embassy a
copy of the finiquito signed on May 20, 2008, by U.S. citizen Maria
Hasbani. Mrs. Hasbani received BPIs worth 19,263,700 cordobas,
approximately $993,465.83. We have updated our database to reflect
this settlement.

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

Maria Hasbani Land 1 bonds

6. On July 02, 2008, Attorney General Estrada, provided the Embassy a copy of the finiquito signed on May 6, 2008, by U.S. citizen Leticia Jimenez. Mrs. Jimenez received BPIs worth 1,468,500 cordobas, approximately $75,783.35. We have updated our database to reflect this settlement.

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

Leticia Jimenez Land 4 bonds

7. On July 02, 2008, Attorney General Estrada provided the Embassy
Property Office a copy of the finiquito signed on March 27, 2008, by
Roberto Salvatierra, legal representative of U.S. citizen Felipe
Montanez. Mr. Montanez received BPIs worth 326,300 cordobas,
approximately $16,827.91. We have updated our database to reflect
this settlement.

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

Felipe Montanez Land 1 bonds

8. On July 02, 2008, Attorney General Estrada provided the Embassy a
copy of the finiquito signed on June 24, 2008, by Miguel Cuadra,
legal representative of U.S. citizen Eva Navarro. Mrs. Navarro
received BPIs worth 2,035,100 cordobas, approximately $104,953.99.
We have updated our database to reflect this settlement.

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

Eva Navarro Land 1 bonds

9. On July 02, 2008, Attorney General Estrada provided the Embassy a
copy of the finiquito signed on July 06, 2004, by Roberto Riguero,
legal representative of U.S. citizen Maria Riguero. Mrs. Riguero
received BPIs worth 1,724,100 cordobas, approximately $88,915.13.
We have updated our database to reflect this settlement.

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

Maria Riguero Land 4 bonds

10. On July 02, 2008, Attorney General Estrada provided the Embassy
a copy of the finiquito signed on May 26, 2008, by Katherine Willey,
widow and legal representative of U.S. citizen Allan S. Willey.
Mrs. Willey received GON issued checks totaling 2,084,282 cordobas,
approximately $107,490. This case is noteworthy because Mr.
Willey's electric company in Matagalpa was expropriated in 1979. We
have updated our database to reflect this settlement.

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

Willey Family Shares 1 cash

WAIVER CLAIMS RESOLVED IN EARLY JULY
------------------------------------

11. On July 09, 2008, Attorney Roberto Arias provided the Embassy a copy of the finiquito which he signed on behalf of U.S. citizen Hena Vargas, on July 07, 2008. Mrs. Vargas received BPIs worth 6,579,900 cordobas, approximately $339,338.02. In June 2004, Mrs. Vargas received a partial finiquito for transportation equipment confiscated from a transportation company in which she was a shareholder. The GON completed the remaining compensation for her claim on July 7. We have updated our database to reflect this settlement.

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

Hena Vargas Other 1 bonds

NON-WAIVER CLAIMS RESOLVED IN JUNE 2008
---------------------------------------

12. On July 02, 2008, Attorney General Hernan Estrada provided the
Embassy a copy of the final settlement document or finiquito signed
on June 13, 2008, by Lucrecia Arauz, legal representative of U.S.
citizen Marilyn Zambrana. Ms. Zambrana received BPIs worth
1,831,500 cordobas, approximately $94,453.95. We have updated our
database to reflect this settlement.

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

Marilyn Zambrana Lot 1 bonds

STATUS OF AMCIT PROPERTY AS OF 06/30/08
---------------------------------------

13. 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 pending claims 301

Total Amcit claims pending resolution 630

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

Claims resolved in calendar year 2008 33

Claims resolved in calendar year 2007 10

Claims resolved calendar year 2006 81

Claims resolved calendar year 2005 126

Claims resolved calendar year 2004 218

Claims resolved calendar year 2003 243

Claims resolved calendar year 2002 125

Claims resolved calendar year 2001 175

Claims resolved calendar year 2000 70

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

Registered claims resolved so far in 2007-08 38
(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 53
(subject to revision)

GON-held claims resolved 2007-08 waiver year 1

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
------------------------------------------ ------

MARCH 2008 73

FEBRUARY 2008 21

JANUARY 2008 34

NOVEMBER 2007 18

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

9

CLAIMS WITHDRAWN BY AMCIT
(PROPERTY UNDER AMCIT CONTROL) NUMBER
------------------------------ ------

1

CLAIMS WITHDRAWN BY AMCIT
(LACK OF SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS) NUMBER
------------------------------ ------

1

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

6

TOTAL CLAIMS COMPENSATED IN BONDS
(face value of bonds $327.70 million) NUMBER
------------------------------------- -----

1,888

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

Non-registered resolutions 2007-08 waiver year 6

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

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

Total Amcit claimants registered with Embassy 15

Total Amcit claims pending resolution 21

NON-WAIVER CLAIMS RESOLVED BY CALENDAR YEAR NUMBER
------------------------------------------ ------

Claims resolved in calendar year 2008 1

TRIVELLI

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