TODAY NICARAGUA – Despite international pressure and rejection, Nicaragua President Daniel Ortega continues to imprison Nicaraguans who criticize and question the way he is running the country.
He now relies on his laws and his oppressive arms, the Public Ministry and the Police, to arrest any opponent or critic, and apply preventive detention of 90 days, while he keeps them incommunicado
From May 28 to June 21 of this year, that is, in 25 days, the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo has put 20 Nicaraguans behind bars or under house arrest, between them: five presidential pre-candidates, opposition leaders, Sandinista dissidents, a sports journalist, a banker, and two former employees of the Violeta Barrios de Chamorro Foundation (FVBCH).
Despite the pressure and international rejection of Ortega’s most recent authoritarian actions, he has increased the repression against Nicaraguans who criticize and question the way he is running the country.
These are the 20 Nicaraguans arrested in this new day of repression of the Ortega dictatorship:
The pre-presidential candidates
1. Cristiana Chamorro Barrios
The Independent Presidential pre-candidate is the daughter of the Violet Barrios Expidente (1990-1997) and the martyr of public liberties, Pedro Joaquín Chamorro Cardinal. She is under domiciliary arrest since Wednesday, June 2.
Chamorro was accused “by the crimes of abusive management and ideological falsehood, both in real competition with money laundering, assets,” according to the Prosecutor’s Office.
2. Arturo Cruz
The Limmer of Nicaragua in the United States (2007-2009), and presidential pre-attended by the Citizen Alliance was arrested on June 5 by the police, at the Managua International Airport, Augusto C. Sandino, when he returned to the country after a trip To united states.
Cruz was accused of attacking Nicaraguan society and the rights of the people, based on the so-called “law of defense of the rights of the people to independence, sovereignty and self-determination for peace.”
3. Felix Maradiaga
The pre-conference to the presidency of the country, by the National Blue and White Unit (UNAB) became the third opposition aspirant detained by the police, on June 8. Through a statement, the police indicated that he is being investigated by “inciting foreign interference in internal affairs and asking for military interventions” and for “organizing with funding from foreign powers to execute acts of terrorism and destabilization.”
Maradiaga was arrested after she left an appointment in the Public Ministry and according to the lawyer’s version, who was with him, was hit by police officers.
4. Juan Sebastián Chamorro
The Economist and Presidential Presidentidate for the Citizen Alliance was arrested during a search and seizure at his home, on June 8.
Chamorro is also accused of “performing acts that undermine independence, sovereignty, and self-determination, incite foreign interference on internal affairs, to ask for military interventions, organize with financing from foreign powers to execute acts of terrorism and destabilization, propose and manage economic, commercial and financial operating blockages against the country and its institutions, demand, exalt and applaud the imposition of sanctions against the State of Nicaragua and its citizens, and injure the supreme interests of the nation,” based on it Law 1055.
5. Miguel Mora
Journalist and presidential pre-address by the Democratic Restoration Party (PRD), a political organization to which the Supreme Council canceled the legal status, was arrested last Sunday, June 20, after a violent raid on his house.
This is the second occasion that the journalist and owner of the 100% channel is imprisoned by the Ortega Murillo dictatorship. On this occasion he is being accused of “inciting foreign interference in the country’s internal affairs”, the same crime applied to Cruz, Maradiaga and Chamorro.
Opposing leaders
- Lawyer, former vice chancellor (1990-1997) and member of the opposition platform José Pallais Arana, arrested on June 9 by the León Police and is also being investigated based on Law 1055.
- Violeta Granera, sociologist, activist, former candidate for the Presidency in 2016 and currently a member of UNAB, was placed under house arrest on June 9.
- José Adán Aguerri, former president of the Superior Council of Private Enterprise (Cosep) and member of the Civic Alliance for Justice and Democracy was arrested on June 8, the same day as Granera.
- Tamara Dávila, psychologist, feminist activist, member of the Democratic Renovation Union (Unamos), formerly the Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS), and of the opposition civil organization UNAB, she was arrested on June 13 by the Police.
10. Ana Margarita Vijil, former president of the MRS (now Unamos) and human rights defender was arrested on June 13.
- Suyen Barahona, graduate in international relations, feminist and environmental leader, current president of Unamos and member of UNAB. This woman was arrested at her home on June 13.
- Maria Fernanda Flores. Police arrested this Monday, June 21, the former deputy for the Constitutional Liberal Party (PLC) and former first lady, María Fernanda Flores Lanzas. A police statement announced the arrest of Flores Lanzas, who remains at her home, under police custody.
- Victor Hugo Tinoco, sociologist, former vice-chancellor of the Sandinista Revolution and first ambassador to the UN. He is currently a member of Unamos. He was arrested on June 13.
- Hugo Torres Jiménez. A retired general, he was the founder of the Nicaraguan Army. He was also vice president of MRS and is currently vice president of Unamos. This was arrested on June 13.
- Dora Maria Téllez. Originally from Matagalpa, she joined the Sandinista Front when she was studying medicine at UNAN-León. She was the military leader of the Western Front, during the insurrection in 1979. She was also vice president of the Council of State, Minister of Health during the 80s and a legislator.
Others include:
- Marcos Fletes, accountant for the defunct Violeta Barrios de Chamorro Foundation (FVBCH)
- Walter Gómez
- Luis Rivas Anduray, executive president of Banpro, the largest bank in Nicaragua
Miguel Mendoza Urbina is a sports chronicler and critic of the Ortega Murillo regime - Pedro Vazquez, driver of Cristiana Chamorro
- Norma Vega, wife of Pedro Vázquez.
Article originally appeared on Today Nicaragua and is republished here with permission.
