The crime of the Brazilian medical student Rayneia Gabrielle Da Costa Lima Rochaa symbol of impunity in Nicaragua, whose demand for justice will become a challenge for the elected president of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silvawill be analyzed in depth by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).
According to documents that CONFIDENTIAL before the hearing, the decision was approved on October 3 and the parties were also notified after the signature of the president of the Commission, Julissa Mantilla Falcón, the first vice president, Stuardo Ralón Orellana, and the other members, Esmeralda E. Arosemena Bernal. de Troitiño and Joel Hernández.
“The first phase, which is admissibility, has passed. Now they go to the background analysis. This means that it will be seen if it meets the requirements to reach the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR Court), through a lawsuit against the State of Nicaragua, we consider that the elements exist for it to happen,” commented jurists close to the victim’s family.
To reject the admission of the case to the IACHR, the Nicaraguan regime argued that the crime occurred in the context of a context of violence in which they reestablished “peace and citizen security in the country.”
According to the testimonies of the victims, it was a campaign of state repression directed against the protesters who participated in the peaceful protests of 2018, which were described by the government leadership as a coup attempt.
The Nicaraguan authorities also argued the “jurisdictional acts” that were carried out. It is a reference to the expedited process against the defendant Pierson Adán Gutiérrez Solís, who admitted the murder, giving way to a quick sentence, but closing the doors to more details being known.
Gutiérrez was protected by the State with an amnesty in 2019. Raynéia Lima was a last-year medical student at the American University (UAM). She was murdered on July 23, 2018 when she was returning home from her shift at the Carlos Roberto Huembes hospital.
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The shots against him occurred in the Lomas de Monserrat neighborhood, in a security zone near the residence of Ortega’s treasurer, Francisco “Chico” López Centenowhen thousands protested against the dictatorship.
Revolting students were at the time on barricades. Peaceful protests were violently repressed by the state. The IACHR reported that 355 people died in the context of the demonstrations, in addition there were 2,000 injured.
Last April, the IACHR asked the regime for its version of the complaint made by the victim’s mother, nurse María José Da Costa, who continues to demand punishment for those responsible.
A “hot potato” for Lula
The former rector of the UAM, Ernesto Medina Sandino, questioned by telephone from exile the position of the outgoing Brazilian government of Jair Bolsonaro. For him, he maintained the government position was “ambiguous and inexplicable”, because the impression he had was that they never demanded justice from Nicaragua.
Medina recalled that the Brazilian embassy in Managua tried to evade communication with the house of studies. According to his account, the officials of that diplomatic headquarters were the only ones who saw the vehicle and reported that it had a single bullet, which went through the door and entered at the height of the victim’s chest.
“In the tribute that the university organized with great reluctance, on the part of the board of directors, but at the insistence of the boys, a nice act was held in the UAM gym and the Brazilian embassy was invited and participated, but they insisted that the press did not have access and we respect that. Afterwards, the communication practically ended,” Medina said.
Four years after the attack, the case becomes a challenge for the new government of Lula da Silva, an old symbol of the Latin American left with whom Ortega identifies. He will assume power next January after defeating Bolsonaro in close elections and what steps will be taken in the case of the murdered student are still pending.
“Lula should be obliged to assume a very clear position (in the case of Raynéia), since he cannot behave like a traditional politician who wants to look good with everyone. And he wants to satisfy a left that we know is very strong within the Brazilian PT, but that is a backward left, ”Medina opined.
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The mother questioned last May the “condemns” Pierson Gutiérrez, 42 years old, appeared before the judge on August 1, 2018. He admitted the facts and was sentenced to 15 years. However, Raynéia’s family lawyers did not have access to the files and they were forced to flee.
“I want to know who the real shooter was. I would like answers. Why don’t they let lawyers work? Everyone has had to leave the country in fear because they have been threatened,” the mother asked then.
Although Gutiérrez was officially released in 2019, the mother doubted that the defendant had been “in prison.” Other irregularities fuel suspicions. They accused him of manslaughter and not murder as appropriate. They also held him responsible for illegal possession of weapons, but it was weapons restricted for use by security forces, which could have aggravated his situation.
The boyfriend of the murdered young woman, Harnet Nathan Lara Moraga, who was traveling in his car when the attack took place and was a few meters away, was threatened. He is the son of the former alternate delegate of Nicaragua to the Organization of American States (OAS), Iván Lara Palacios. His family took him out of Nicaragua and has remained silent ever since.
