The Nicaraguan Ministry of the Interior, through two certifications published this Monday in La Gaceta, reported the naturalization of citizens Bader Fyez Rashid Helal, originally from the Syrian Arab Republic, and Ahmed Omar Alhadi Hemmali, originally from Libya, while maintaining a policy of expulsion and denationalization of any Nicaraguan whom it considers “a threat” for criticizing its dictatorship.
Bader Fyez Rashid Helal, of Jordanian nationality, according to record 2024-02142 of the certification released by the Ministry of the Interior, is 41 years old, lives in Managua and “has complied with the requirements and formalities established in the Political Constitution of Nicaragua to acquire Nicaraguan nationality, taking into account that he has been a permanent resident in this country continuously and uninterruptedly for four years.”
Bader Fyez, although the La Gaceta publication does not specify it, is the son of Palestinian activist Leila Khaled, who recently supported the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, on July 19, during the act commemorating the 45th anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution.
Leila Khaled had two children with Fyez Rashid, Bader and Bashar, although the latter was not listed as a new Nicaraguan citizen.
The Palestinian activist is known for being part of the Arab Nationalist Movement and later the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Some of the actions for which she is internationally recognized are linked to the seizure of airplanes, situations for which she was imprisoned in Syria and Great Britain.
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In the case of Ahmed Omar Alhadi Hemmali, a Libyan by nationality, he is 59 years old, lives in Managua and also fulfilled, the Ministry of the Interior highlighted without giving details of the years he has lived in the country or if he has ties with any ally of Ortega, his obligation to “permanently reside in this country continuously and uninterruptedly,” for which reason he was granted Nicaraguan nationality.
Denationalized for political reasons
In recent years, the Ortega regime has been complacent with its allies, even using the granting of Nicaraguan nationality as a shield for fugitives from justice and fanatics it has abroad, including: Mauricio Funes and Salvador Sánchez Cerén, former presidents fugitives from justice in El Salvador, and Benjamín Norton, a faithful lover and defender of the dictatorship in Nicaragua.
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On the other hand, Ortega’s regime has claimed the right to strip Nicaraguan-born citizens of their nationality, steal their property and exile them abroad to their fate. In 2023, the regime shamelessly revealed its new way of repressing the people of Nicaragua after exiling a group of 222 former political prisoners, who were also left stateless. It then released a letter in which it de facto left another 94 Nicaraguans without nationality.
The regime, although it has not released a letter in which it makes clear who else had their nationality revoked, also expelled more than 18 priests and has unleashed a wave of entry restrictions to Nicaragua against priests, intellectuals and journalists, among the latter the restrictions received by journalists were recorded. Marcos Medinawho worked as press director for Radio Corporación; Armando Amaya, who worked for Channel 12; and Osman Gabriel Flores, former television presenter at Channel 14.
