The de facto expulsion of the ambassador of the European Union (EU) In Nicaragua, Bettina Muscheidtafter a verbal note this Wednesday morning, is considered by the academic and former member of the Civic Alliance for Justice and Democracy (ACJD), Ernesto Medina, as “one more step towards isolation” of the Daniel Ortega regime that “you are crossing a red line” that has to exist in international relations.
The European diplomat was verbally notified of her expulsion from Nicaragua by a Foreign Ministry official who justified her non grata status alleging that it was due to “interference and disrespect for national sovereignty” on the part of the European Union.
On Wednesday afternoon, the diplomat met with Foreign Minister Denis Moncada at the Foreign Ministry, but neither the Nicaraguan Government nor the European Union revealed the content of the meeting.
Diplomatic sources confirmed to CONFIDENCIAL that Ambassador Muscheidt will travel to Brussels next Saturday, as she had planned for several weeks, but they did not reveal whether she will return to Nicaragua to resume her diplomatic mission.
The academic Ernesto Medina valued that, although the European Union is very careful in its foreign policy, this situation will force to take “more radical measures” towards Nicaragua. In addition, he considered that it is very possible that they rethink their regional cooperation policy in Central America, since “Ortega has been protected by that regional umbrella.”
The implementation of more sanctions by the EU and all democratic countries, are part of some of those measures that the academic envisions in the short term. “The countries that continue to maintain Nicaragua, through credits in multilateral organizations, they are getting tired and Ortega is going to get a very unpleasant surprise in the next few days,” Medina said during this interview on the program Tonightwhich is broadcast online due to television censorship imposed by the regime.
What does this expulsion of the European Union ambassador imply for Nicaragua?
It is one more step towards the isolation of (Daniel) Ortega from the civilized and democratic countries of the world. Ortega he’s looking like an outcast among the countries in the area, his great friends now are Iran, which is killing women and young people who protest the murder of a girl for the application of one of these Islamic laws…; (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, who now has his back to the wall; China, which is very cautious seeing what happens in Ukraine with the Russian invasion. So Ortega is making a huge mistake and isolating himself from the civilized world.
The Europeans are very careful in their foreign policy, but I think they are getting tired of Ortega and to be managing communication channels, to maintain cooperation so as not to further affect the already difficult reality of the people of Nicaragua, but I believe that a step like this is going to force the Europeans to take radical measures once and for all. For some time I have been observing that there is discomfort over Ortega’s statements since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Europeans have obviously not been happy with the regime’s statements practically supporting the invasion while Europe is suffering one of its worst crises . So, I think that Ortega does not realize the repercussions that this is having in the world and by taking this step (the expulsion of the ambassador) he is pushing the Europeans to take very drastic measures against his regime.
What kind of measures could we see?
Until now the Europeans have been very careful because a good part of their cooperation takes place in the regional framework. I think they will have to review your cooperation through the cooperation bodies, the Central American Parliament, Sica (Central American Integration System), CABEI (Central American Bank for Economic Integration) and others in which they have weight, but since they are acting within the framework of a regional policy of cooperation, since Ortega has been protected by that regional umbrella. The Europeans are going to have to start taking measures in the bilateral relationship, in which they have not given it much importance, but what is happening in Nicaragua is going to force them to review their regional cooperation policy and very particularly with Nicaragua. .
You speak of an isolation of the regime, what is the political objective behind this action?
They still want to manifest a strength that I think they don’t have. That fanciful speech in defense of sovereignty, of anti-imperialism, which at this point no one believes, is what justifies this type of decision and the belief that the world is not going to take more drastic measures with him, out of consideration for the fact that Nicaragua is a Latin American country and that Latin America has traditionally had a very special relationship with Europe and that the United States does not want its relations with the region to deteriorate further. That is why I think they are daring to take this measure, but I feel that a red line is already being crossed which, although never explicitly stated, has to exist in international relations. And in such a complex international context, such as the one that exists now as a result of the invasion of Ukraine and the consequences that this is having on the world political and economic order, I believe that the countries that continue to support Nicaragua, through credits in multilateral organizations are already getting tired and Ortega is going to get a very unpleasant surprise in the next few days.
What consequences does this action have for Nicaraguans?
Obviously the situation for Nicaraguans is going to deteriorate further, but what you have to think about is that With or without sanctions, the situation in Nicaragua has no future. It is a time when we Nicaraguans have to decide what we want, to live with a regime that is taking away all kinds of rights or to fight for a better future for our children, for future generations, and to recover the freedom that we love so much. cost Nicaragua. I believe that stronger sanctions from Europe, the United States, Canada, and democratic countries are obviously going to affect a situation that is already difficult for Nicaraguans, but at this point that is the price we will have to pay. us if we do not want another violent explosion that means a cost in blood, in human lives that nobody wants. Now the Nicaraguans we have to coordinate actions with the democratic countries that are worried about the totalitarian, fascist drift of Ortega and finally find a way out of this crisis.
How do you rate this policy of illegal exile of any citizen who does not share the current regime?
It is one more example of irrationality of Ortega because, on the one hand, it closes the door to two good men who have dedicated their lives to the scientific development of Nicaragua, to education, who have helped build the best university we have in Nicaragua. Father (Alberto) Idiáquez and Jorge Huete They have been the protagonists of taking the UCA (Central American University) to the place it currently occupies in the panorama of higher education in Central and Latin America. On the other hand, he gives asylum and Nicaraguan nationality to some scoundrels, thieves, such as Sánchez Cerén and his family and the other former Salvadoran president (Mauricio Funes) accused of theft, he is a thief for his country, however Ortega gives them the nationality . This can only be understood with a sick, retrograde mind, that has no interest in the progress or future of Nicaragua, that the only thing that interests him is to stay in power at any cost.
