One month after the exile of 222 political prisoners from Nicaragua, those now declared stateless by the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo signed a statement in which they reject the stripping of their nationality and thank the solidarity of countries that have offered to receive them.
The former hostages of the Ortega dictatorship thanked the United States and other countries that have offered nationality to opponents, organizations and the diaspora that demanded their freedom.
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They recalled that during their captivity they were victims of physical and psychological torture, “as well as denigrating, humiliating and degrading treatment for us and our relatives.”
They also affirmed that they were unaware of the arbitrary stripping of their nationality “and we declare that our Nicaraguan nationality, granted by God at the moment of birth in our beautiful Homeland of Lakes and Volcanoes (…).
«It can never be taken away by an illegitimate, criminal and corrupt regime, which has kidnapped all of our people by force of arms. On the contrary, we will continue to be proud pinoleros, fully confident, as God is alive, that soon we will return to a free homeland to live! Because to be Free, Christ gave us Freedom! (Galatians 5:1)” they added.
In turn, they asked the Government of the United States and other countries that have offered nationality to do so so that their relatives who are still in Nicaragua can meet with them, affirming that the Ortega regime “continues with its actions of intimidation, threats and siege”, also preventing them from processing valid passports to be able to legally leave Nicaragua, “exposing them to greater and unnecessary dangers and constant re-victimization”.
They ask the US for political asylum
On the other hand, they “respectfully” requested the executive and legislative branches of the United States to consider approving legal mechanisms so that the 222 former political prisoners, as well as the other 94 Nicaraguans who were illegitimately stripped of their nationality, can receive the status of refugees or political asylum seekers expeditiously.
They point out that with this benefit they will be able to receive the necessary assistance from the corresponding federal agencies and achieve a prompt social and labor insertion in the North American country and will have access to physical and emotional health services “to overcome the traumas and sequelae caused by the physical and psychological torture suffered by the agents of the dictatorship”.
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They denounce the persecution against the Catholic Church
Regarding the hostile situation that the Catholic Church in Nicaragua is going through, the signatories of the statement denounced the intensification of religious persecution, “as well as other Christian denominations (…) by the regime.”
They denounced that the Ortega dictatorship continues to imprison and exile priests, pastors, religious men and women, and lay people “who have
raised his prophetic voice announcing the gospel of Christ and denouncing the injustices committed day by day by those who hold power in our country; repeatedly violating the right to freedom of worship, conscience, expression and many other rights that have been violated to our people.
“We demand the immediate and unconditional release of the 37 political prisoners (…), especially the Bishop of Matagalpa, Monsignor Rolando José Álvarez Lagos, Monsignor Leonardo Urbina Rodríguez and the priest Manuel Salvador García”, they demanded.
Referring to civil and military public officials and employees who have collaborated with the Nicaraguan government to join “the cause of freedom, democracy and future for our country.”
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“Those of you who have not participated in crimes against humanity or acts of corruption oriented from power, like your families, are hostages of the regime and suffer the social and economic consequences of authoritarian drift, threats and persecution of the Ortega Murillo family dictatorship; including the prohibition to obtain passports and freely leave the country,” they said.
Finally, they urged the international community to continue exerting pressure to achieve their release “and the recovery of democracy, progressively taken from the Nicaraguan people, during the more than 40 years of Sandinista misrule.”
