The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) On November 25, it granted precautionary measures in favor of Reinaldo Picado Mirandathe Nicaraguan opponent who is in prison in Costa Rica.
The organization also requests the government of Rodrigo Chaves not to extradite Picado to Nicaragua. If he did so, Picado would face a high risk of suffering torture and other serious violations of his human rights. The IACHR recalls that in Managua the citizen faces political charges and that in the country there is a growing increase in repression under the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.
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According to the IACHR statement, Picado is in a “situation of seriousness and urgency,” since his rights to life and personal integrity are at risk of “irreparable harm” if he is deported. Currently in Costa Rica, Picado requested refuge, and his case is being evaluated by the Administrative Immigration Court.
This fear of extradition occurs at a critical moment, marked by the tightening of political repression in Nicaragua, where Ortega’s opponents are systematically persecuted, detained and subjected to torture conditions. The IACHR noted that “there are indications consistent with the context of serious human rights violations in Nicaragua” that require an exhaustive assessment of the risk that Picado would face if deported.
Through its resolution, the IACHR highlights the importance of the principle of no refundwhich prohibits the deportation of people to countries where they could be subject to persecution, torture or other serious violations. In this sense, the Commission requested the State of Costa Rica to adopt “the necessary measures to guarantee the rights to life and personal integrity of Mr. Picado Miranda,” which includes the suspension of his extradition until the risk he faces in Nicaragua is adequately assessed.
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The IACHR also mentioned the case of Douglas Gamalielanother Nicaraguan who suffered serious human rights violations after being extradited to Nicaragua, which reinforces the need for a thorough and cautious evaluation of cases of political opposition.
Call to Costa Rica
Although the IACHR does not have direct jurisdiction to decide on the granting of refuge or international protection, it called on the Costa Rican authorities to ensure that extradition does not occur without a due assessment of the risks to the life and integrity of the applicants. in accordance with applicable international standards.
The IACHR’s decision highlights the seriousness of the situation in Nicaragua and the duty of the countries of the region to protect those who flee a context of systematic human rights violations. In this sense, Costa Rica, a country that has historically welcomed thousands of Nicaraguans, faces the challenge of balancing its international obligations with extradition requests coming from a regime deeply questioned for its authoritarian drift.
The Costa Rican immigration authorities have denied, in the first instance, Picado Miranda’s request for refuge since 2023, which the Reflection Group of Politically Released Prisoners (GREX) considers “extremely serious”, as it puts the Nicaraguan opponent in a high possibility of being extradited, as already happened with Douglas Gamaliel Álvarez Morales, who is accused of the same crimes and who is already in the hands of the dictatorship Ortega-Murillo.
An extradition order to Nicaragua is pending regarding Picado Miranda, issued by the Puntarenas Trial Court, a court that also ordered the extradition, already executed, of Douglas Gamaliel Álvarez Morales.
As cases of Nicaraguan migrants and opposition members fleeing repression increase, the IACHR’s precautionary measures underscore the need to act with caution and respect international principles that protect refugees and asylum seekers from state violence.
