OAS to Nicaragua

OAS Secretary General Insulza will be in Nicaragua today to discuss the continuing political crisis.

The Bolaños administration has requested the OAS intervention as it battles opponents in both the leftist Sandinista Front and conservative Liberal Constitutionalist party over the control of courts and executive branch offices.

Shortly before leaving for Managua, Insulza told reporters he would ''not pass judgement'' on what was happening there but would work to promote more dialogue between the two sides.

''They elected me secretary general. They have not elected me the county sheriff,'' he said.

Bolaños requested the OAS assistance under the Inter-American Democratic Charter, a document that pledges member countries to protect each other's democracies but has largely failed to avert institutional crises.

I understand why Insulza is reluctant to get involved in the middle of this political dispute. However, hopefully he sees the opportunity here to strengthen the Inter-American Democratic Charter. This will be a precedent setting mission, and while he should obviously focus on Nicaragua first, he should realize that his actions here could affect the Secretary-General's powers for his entire term.