The United States announced that it has secured the humanitarian release of 135 political detainees in Nicaragua, including members of religious organizations and students, who will be received by Guatemala, according to a White House statement released on September 5.
“The Biden-Harris administration secured the humanitarian release of 135 political prisoners unjustly detained in Nicaragua,” wrote Jake Sullivan, US presidential security adviser. The official thanked Guatemala for “generously agreeing to receive these Nicaraguan citizens.”
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The release was made “on humanitarian grounds,” National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement.
The United States “appreciates the leadership and generosity of the Guatemalan government in graciously accepting these Nicaraguan citizens,” it added.
Once in Guatemala, they will be able to “request legal avenues to rebuild their lives in the United States or in other countries through the Safe Mobility Office initiative,” he said.
Francisco Arteaga is among the group of 135 Nicaraguan political prisoners who have been released. Upon arriving in Guatemala on Thursday, he shouted with his fist raised: “Long live free Nicaragua!”
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From the window of a yellow bus outside Guatemala City airport, Arteaga smiles and says he is “doing very well” after his release.
“Thank God we are free,” adds the man dressed in a beige shirt.
This time there was no official list. What was confirmed was that among the Nicaraguans who were released from prison were the 13 evangelical members of Puerta de la Montaña, the lay Catholics, the professor Freddy Quezada, the alternate deputy Nancy Henríquez and university students.
Following the release of these political prisoners, dozens of organizations and political figures have spoken out. “From the Blue and White National Unity we celebrate the release of 135 political prisoners who were welcomed today in Guatemala, we appreciate the efforts of the governments of the United States and Guatemala for receiving the political prisoners and we note that this is a victory for the people of Nicaragua, for the families and prisoners as such, we continue to demand the cessation of repression and the freedom of the political prisoners who are still under the control of the regime,” said the group through its social networks.
OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro reacted to the release of the Nicaraguan political prisoners by applauding the Guatemalan government for its welcome to the group, while congratulating and thanking the United States for its efforts.
Related news: Moncada removed as minister advisor to Ortega; Jaentschke replaces him as foreign minister
The spokesperson for the Sandinista Front and vice-dictator of Nicaragua, Rosario Murillo, in her speech this afternoon, revealed that the Ortega member Denis Moncada Colindres will be removed from the position of foreign minister of Nicaragua and relocated as minister advisor to the Presidency for “Policies and International Affairs.”
The Moncada Colindres post, which according to Murillo is vacating for “health reasons,” was given as a consolation prize to Ortega’s Valdrack Jaentschke, who will be the new Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nicaragua, after his candidacy as Secretary General of the Central American Integration System (SICA) was rejected.
“Tomorrow (September 6) the official newspaper La Gaceta will publish presidential agreement number 160, which our president signed today, in which it establishes that comrade Denis Ronaldo Moncada Colindres be appointed as minister advisor to the president for international policies and affairs,” said Murillo.
He also recalled that the now ex-foreign minister Moncada held the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs, according to the presidential agreement that has now been void, since January 2017, that is, for more than seven years.
