Two days before the steamroller of Ortega deputies in the National Assembly canceled the legal personality of Operation Smilethe entity was promoting a fundraising campaign to guarantee care for more than two thousand patients, which had to be suspended.
“This March 18 we invite you to help us continue giving smiles by joining our #NationalCollection and you will be contributing to the free comprehensive treatment received by more than 2,000 patients with cleft lip and/or cleft palate, who are treated at our Grace McGregor B Center” , details a post on the organization’s Facebook page. The government propaganda media supported the social work of the foundation for years
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«From now on you can make your donations at the collection points of the company’s branches DHLExpress. Your contribution will help us continue to discover many smiles », she adds.
For this campaign, which was canceled on March 17 after “the beheading” by the Ortega dictatorship, the members promoted the collection in the official media.
Viva Nicaragua Canal 13 was one of the state propaganda outlets that supported the altruistic initiative. On March 16, members of the non-profit organization reached the television channel and reported on the activity.
«In our media tour today we visit the Magazine “Viva la Vida” to give details and invite the Nicaraguan population to participate in the #ColectaNacionalPorSonrisas. We thank Viva Nicaragua Channel 13 for the support in providing us with the space to publicize the activity that will benefit our patients with cleft lip and cleft palate,” it was emphasized in another publication on the foundation’s Facebook.
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It is not the first time that Channel 13 supported Operation Smile. There are records from 2021 where the work of the NGO is supported. «#LoQueSeViveMedical Brigade of the Victoria Motta Hospital in Jinotega, in coordination with specialists from Operación Sonrisa, began a surgical day in Boys and Girls with the condition of cleft lips and cleft palate, a total of 17 patients from different parts of the country were fully operated free”, refers to information from last year.
During the media tour, the foundation also visited Channel 2 television to motivate the population of Nicaragua to contribute to the campaign. «Today (March 15) Tatiana Morales, executive director of Operación Sonrisa Nicaragua, visited the morning magazine “Primera Hora”, to give details about our soon #ColectaNacionalPorSonrisas».
“We thank Channel 2 for the space they gave us to spread this important news for the benefit of patients with cleft lip and cleft palate in Nicaragua. #OSN #PorMásSonrisas #operacionsonrisanicaragua”, stressed the organization through a Facebook account.
It should be noted that in other years that television media also reported on these social projects, which now only remains as an archive.
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Operation Smiles also visited the independent channel YOU TVHowever, the action of the dictatorship did not allow the project to continue working in order to support thousands of Nicaraguans.
Article 66 he tried to communicate with the administration of Operation Smile, however; They expressed that they were not giving interviews yet, which they will report on later.
After the “pass of accounts” to other 25 NGOs, the Ortega regime has been widely criticized for attacking social projects that benefited people with limited resources in Nicaragua.
