The opponent and member of the Nicaraguan University Alliance (AUN) Juan Carlos Marquez27 years old and originally from Nandaime, decided to go into exile after he was arrested on Saturday, May 13, accused and forced to appear before the Police to sign, without setting a time limit.
The Prosecutor’s Office would have accused Márquez, before the judge of the Ninth Criminal Trial District Court of Managua, Karen Chavarria, for the crimes of undermining national integrity and cybercrimes, for which on Sunday the 14th, after being partially released, he decided to leave Nicaragua.
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That same night, at least 18 Nicaraguans who were also kidnapped were prosecuted for the same crime, in what would be the second raid carried out by the Ortega Police this month of May.
In interview with Article 66 The also graduate in Social Communication said that he made the decision of forced exile because he considered that these processes, carried out by the Ortega dictatorship, “are arbitrary, since they persecute citizens who in 2018 demanded for our rights and the freedom of Nicaragua.”
“The dictatorship has been merciless against the Nicaraguan people who, of course, reject authoritarianism and the succession plan of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, forcing many of us to go into forced exile,” said the political activist.
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He also stressed that “thank God I am out of Nicaragua”, considering that the new measure of the Ortega regime is arbitrary, for “having kidnapped us and imposed a preliminary hearing, without even notification, just as the last week with dozens of citizens.
Another of the circumstances that forced Juan Carlos Márquez to go into exile was the threat from the Ortega dictatorship that “at any moment they could change their minds” and modify the precautionary measure and submit us to real prison.
police robbery victim
Now, being outside of Nicaragua, without revealing the country where he is, the AUN member denounced that at the time of his arrest two cell phones, a camera and two computers were stolen.
“At the moment they arrested me, they did not beat me or blame me, nor did they tell me the reason for the arrest, much less where they were taking me, until I saw that we had arrived at the Managua Judicial Complex, where they took my fingerprints and made me sign the requisition, but then my belongings were not returned to me,” he said.
He also stated that as a form of manipulation, the Ortega judiciary “tried to say that they are grateful that they are released and are not imprisoned and that they would see in their work schedule for when they set the next hearing.”
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The young activist considered that many Nicaraguan opponents will be forced into exile because “it is clear that the dictatorship will continue with this drift, regardless of the level of involvement, since the aim is to disappear any voice or sign of change, leaving only the people they consider related to their family dynasty plans ».
Now in exile, Márquez reported that police agents arrived at his house on the morning of Monday, May 15, to take him by force to sign, but his relatives stated that he was no longer at home, so the siege has ended.
