The European Parliament held this Thursday, March 2nd, the meeting of the Delegation for Relations with Central American Countrieswhere representatives of some countries of the Central American region exposed the situation of vulnerability they are going through.
Although Nicaragua did not have an official participation, the former politician and former presidential candidate was there virtually. Felix Maradiaga, as well as the former conscientious and former Sandinista guerrilla Dora Maria Tellez where they pointed out the abuses committed against them by the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.
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In his speech, the also member of the Blue and White National Unity (Unab) described his release on February 9 as a “bittersweet taste”, where he was automatically banished from Nicaragua along with 221 other political prisoners.
“(…) With the bittersweet taste of freedom through illegal exile and knowing that there are still more people in prison, including Monsignor Rolando Álvarez who is still kidnapped in Nicaragua,” said the now stateless man on orders from the Ortega regime.
He pointed out that after being released from the “El Nuevo Chipote” prison, after being held captive for 611 days and 14 hours, he was able to see “in a personal way and with horror the perverse imprint of authoritarianism and how it leaves its mark on all corners of the world.” with a clearly coordinated structure.”
“So from the harsh experience in that prison of Judicial Assistance (…) I have also been able to verify that the Ortega regime did not hesitate to express its hatred of any person or sector of the Nicaraguan community, wherever it is that tries to stop the advances of the dictatorship,” he remarked.
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Another of the situations that the political scientist mentioned was the solitary confinement that she suffered for 77 days, which was maintained throughout the entire time for women political prisoners, “showing—the Ortega regime—an additional perversity.”
“During all the time we were deprived of sunlight; We were deprived of all kinds of reading, including insistence that we be allowed access to the Bible for those of us who are believers or other reading material was also prohibited, in addition to a series of searches in the cells (…) in a very humiliating way », he recounted.
He stressed that the interrogations he suffered by the Police had to do with the speeches he made as an opponent with international organizations such as Parliament and the European Union.
“I was questioned a lot about my participation before the United Nations Security Council and some testimonies that I had given in international forums,” he said.
Maradiaga to the European Parliament: “We need your attention”
Addressing the European Parliament, Maradiaga said that “Nicaragua continues to need your attention; The Nicaraguan people are kidnapped and there is no sign of the Daniel Ortega regime agreeing to find a civic and peaceful solution as we have been insisting since 2018.”
«It is clear that if democratic societies want to preserve the rights and freedoms that have cost us so much, we cannot remain indifferent; this goes beyond ideology and economic interests (…) », he said.
Maradiaga was kidnapped on June 8, 2021 after leaving an interview with the Public Ministry; The Nicaraguan justice system sentenced him to 13 years in prison for the alleged crime of undermining national integrity. Upon his release, he has affirmed that he will continue to demand justice and freedom from Nicaragua.
