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In the 1980s he was a left hope. Now Daniel Ortega is terrorizing the Central American country.
In Nicaragua, under the former left-wing revolutionary and hopeful Daniel Ortega, elementary human rights are being suppressed. His regime silences those who think differently with threats, imprisonment or expulsion.
Abigail Hernández is one who doesn’t remain silent but now lives abroad. The journalist says she was arrested in Nicaragua because of her critical views and articles.
Journalists are leaving the country
“The Sandinistas, President Ortega’s government, have set up a terrorist state,” she says. Fundamental human rights such as freedom of expression and freedom of assembly are being violently suppressed.
The Sandinistas have established a state of terror.
The regime relies solely on the military and paramilitary groups, says Hernández, who in exile continues to publish independent information about her home country via an Internet platform.
Hernández is one of hundreds of journalists who have had to leave Nicaragua in recent years. The government has closed all media houses that reported critically.
Either you go into exile, go to prison or you will be killed.
According to Hernández, there are three options for media workers who don’t cuddle: “Either you go into exile, you go to prison, or you get killed.” She herself decided to go into exile and continues to publish.
Criticism only behind closed doors
Unlike Hernández, Mónica – her name has been changed – continues to live in Nicaragua. Mónica reminds that Ortega bloodily crushed demonstrations across the country in 2018. Dozens of people died and many were injured. “Since then there has been an explosive silence in Nicaragua.”
Only in the closest family circle and among friends do you dare openly criticize; and at best anonymous to journalists.
Even the Roman Catholic Church is a victim of persecution, says Mónica: “About 14 priests and a dozen of their employees are in prison, for example sacristans.” Even a bishop is under house arrest and has to answer in court these days.
Bishop Rolando Álvarez warned in a sermon that human rights should be respected. The government-controlled judiciary is now accusing the high churchman of conspiracy, among other things, and he faces years of imprisonment.
Nicaragua lives off the diaspora abroad
Mónica, like Abigail Hernández, say: In addition to severe repression, there is the severe economic crisis. Nicaragua is no longer a constitutional state, which is why nobody wants to invest.
Legend:
The released Nicaraguans are received by compatriots in the USA.
Reuters/Kevin Lamarque
Surprisingly, Nicaragua’s authoritarian government deported 222 prisoners to the United States this week. According to human rights activists, they were detained for political reasons. Among those released are politicians, priests and student leaders, virtually all of whom are considered opponents of President Daniel Ortega. The US government welcomed the release. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the step would enable further dialogue between the United States and the Central American country. The US facilitated the safe transport of those released from Nicaragua to Washington.
Spain is now offering the 222 people citizenship. This is the country’s response to the news that the opposition could be declared stateless, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares told the Servimedia news agency on Friday. “We also offer this to all other prisoners who are currently in the same situation as the released ones,” added the minister. Naturalization is planned in the fast-track procedure. (dpa)
The only reason the country is not yet bankrupt is that many Nicaraguans who have emigrated send money home to their relatives. About half of the money circulating in Nicaragua comes from such transfers from abroad.
In recent years, around 20 percent of the population has turned their backs on Nicaragua. Mónica calls this emigration “barbaric”. Many go to the neighboring country of Costa Rica and lately especially to the USA.
Mónica, who perseveres, does not believe in the rapid change in Nicaragua. The oppression is too strong. Meanwhile, the journalist Hernández is trying to use her internet platform to support that change from abroad.