The Nicaraguan opposition, through the Platform for Unity for Democracy (PUDE), rejects the possibility that the representative of the Nicaraguan dictatorship, Valdrack Jaentschke, will occupy the position of general secretary of the Central American Integration System (SICA).
In the statement published on social media, the opposition condemns the fact that the president of Honduras, Xiomara Castro, promotes, in support of the Sandinista regime, the candidate presented by Nicaragua. In addition, the document states that Valdrack Jaentschke, being an ally of Ortega, does not possess democratic values, nor does he respect the human rights of Nicaraguans.
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The possible election of a candidate close to the Ortega Murillo family for the general secretary of SICA is a serious threat to democracy and human rights in Central America. PUDE warns of this danger and the implications it represents. “A clear example is that Jaentschke is a political operator of the regime and a former intelligence official,” says Enrique Martínez, spokesperson for the organization.
Jaentschke participated in the repression against Nicaraguan civil society and political groups not only at the domestic level but also at the transnational level, PUDE states in its statement. In addition, the opposition is concerned about the election of the regime’s representative who responds to the interests of Daniel Ortega and could put the integrity of the regional organization at risk.
For PUDE, Daniel Ortega’s interest is to include the Russians as observers within SICA, which puts at risk the premises of the Tegucigalpa Protocol that seek to consolidate democracy in the region, an aspect that the Government of Nicaragua has already lost, since its government is accused by international organizations of violating the freedoms and human rights of Nicaraguans.
The opposition calls on Central American leaders to oppose and reject the political manipulation of the Sandinista regime that seeks Jaentschke’s election. The statement concludes by demanding transparency and respect for human rights in all decisions taken by SICA.
In November 2023, the government, through the Foreign Ministry, urged SICA leaders to elect Valdrack Jaentschke as Secretary General, assuming the presidency as soon as possible for the 2022-2026 period that corresponds to Nicaragua. Jaentschke was a Sandinista security official in the 1980s and from 2007 to date has held more than 15 diplomatic positions.
