Opponents of the Nicaraguan regime described the recent resolution, approved by the European Parliament (EP), as a “positive advance”, which calls for expanding the sanctions against Nicaraguan judges and prosecutors and also including the dictator Daniel Ortega.
The former political and exasperating presidential Felix Maradiaga said Article 66 that this resolution represents a step “in the right direction towards a more forceful position on the part of the European authorities”.
Related news: European Parliament proposes to sanction Daniel Ortega, dictator of Nicaragua
He also indicated that he hopes that this request by Parliament will also be heard by European governments. “We urge the European authorities to continue pressing, adopting concrete measures to put an end to human rights violations in Nicaragua and to demand the accountability of those who have been responsible for crimes against humanity.”
«We remain firm in this fight for freedom, justice; respect for human rights in Nicaragua and for this reason we appreciate this resolution of the European Parliament, which is a huge step (…) but we insist that it is not enough, we need more pressure,” said the also president of the Foundation for the Freedom of Nicaragua.
For his part, Héctor Mairena, a member of the Political Council of the Blue and White National Unity (Unab), described this seventh resolution on Nicaragua as forceful, since he affirms that the EP makes clear “the need” for the actions of Daniel Ortega do not remain in impunity.
“The European Parliament’s call for the member countries of the European Union to activate universal jurisdiction and also urge the International Criminal Court to take Ortega’s case is absolutely important,” he stressed.
Related news: Opponents call on the European Parliament to maintain and expand sanctions on Nicaragua
He also stressed that it is not the first time that the European Parliament has called on the European Council to continue with the sanctions, “applying them to Ortega and his closest circle.”
Mairena considered that if the European Parliament’s call materializes, they will be added to the sanctions that several countries have already applied “and that will undoubtedly affect Ortega officials.”
“The dictator is running out of time”
For the former ambassador of the Organization of American States (OAS), Arturo McFields, the dictator Daniel Ortega “is running out of time and his options to continue with authoritarianism because the pressure is greater, as human rights violations continue ».
He also affirmed that the actions of the European Parliament are coordinated to stop the repressive wave that Nicaragua is experiencing (…) and the message it sends is “direct and clear, sanction the highest authority in Nicaragua; telling the dictator that there has to be a change, stopping the confiscations and religious persecution in Nicaragua.”
However, McFields stressed that despite the pressure, “it is striking that the Nicaraguan Army has not been sanctioned and the Nicaraguan dictatorship has not been removed from CAFTA and the trade agreement with Europe, so there are still several things that they have not touched for the regime to correct its repressive actions.
In the resolution approved this Friday, June 15, it is urged to activate the democratic clause of the EU-Central America Association Agreement and encourages the EU and the Member States to include specific guarantees of respect for human rights with regard to the assigned European funds, also when they are channeled through multilateral institutions such as the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI).
The document also urges Member States to initiate, based on the evidence collected by the UN Expert Group on Human Rightsformal investigations into crimes against humanity, exercising universal jurisdiction.
