Following the recent arrest of youth leader Jason Noel Salazar Rugama, Former politicians and opponents of the Daniel Ortega regime demanded respect for their rights and their immediate release.
The former politician and member of the opposition Civic Alliance for Justice and Democracy Yubrank Suazo described the arrest of the vice president of the April 19 University Movement (MU19A) as arbitrary, and pointed out that “the persecution against young opponents in Nicaragua continues.”
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“Given the encroachment on the political and human rights of Nicaraguans, I denounce the arbitrary detention of Jasson Salazar before human rights organizations and the international community. Freedom!” he demanded.
For his part, former presidential candidate Felix Maradiaga He said that while the Ortega regime is in power “no one will be safe,” adding that “Nicaragua has become a great prison (…)” for opponents.
The Nicaraguan University Alliance (AUN) also joined the demand for Salazar’s release, demanding that the Ortega Police release him immediately and unrestricted respect for his human rights.
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Another of the opponents who condemned the arbitrary detention of the political activist was the former politician Lesther Germanwho affirmed that the kidnappings in the country do not stop.
“We demand the release of Jasson Salazar, a member of @MU19aNIC, who was also in the Civic Alliance. The dictatorship is responsible for intimidating and persecuting opponents. Freedom for Jason #SOSNicaragua“, he pointed.
According to the MU19A, the 26-year-old dissident was kidnapped at 8:13 on the morning of Tuesday, April 4, in Managua, noting that the Police broke into his house with an operation of 20 agents to search for him.
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“(…) They made an illegal search of the house, they took personal belongings and in a patrol he was transferred to District III of Managua, where we have confirmed that they have unfairly detained him,” he added.
The university organization denounced that “the month of April has been crucial for young Nicaraguans who want to build a country in justice, freedom and democracy. This illegal detention reflects the true feelings of a regime that fears and consequently persecutes the young people who are the present and the future of our nation.”
Salazar has been one of the most critical voices of the Daniel Ortega dictatorship, however, after the wave of arbitrary arrests in 2021 and 2022, he was on the sidelines of political activism, but is now in custody.
At the closing of this note, the situation of the young university student who could join the list of political prisoners that currently stands at 36 or exiles that already total 318 was unknown.
