Sports journalist and political prisoner Miguel Mendoza He gave up the hunger strike that he announced in August due to the apparent promise of police authorities that he would soon be reunited with his eight-year-old daughter Alejandra, reported Cristopher Mendoza, the chronicler’s nephew.
Miguel Mendoza was able to receive a family visit on the afternoon of Saturday, November 19, after spending 84 days in absolute solitary confinement imposed by the regime on the political prisoners held at the Directorate of Judicial Assistance, known as “El Nuevo Chipote.”
Speaking to Article 66Also a journalist, Cristopher Mendoza, confirmed that Miguel managed to talk for two hours with his wife, Margin Pozo, to whom he told her that “he had to give up the strike because a very particular situation happened,” without specifying how long he was deprived of food.
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“An official from Chipote arrived who drew up a list of who were the political prisoners who had minor daughters and sons, one of them was him (Miguel) and that is why he gave up on continuing the strike because they promised them that they would be taught to the children, to be able to see the children,” said the family member.
“However, Miguel Mendoza considers that it is a hoax because until now they have not brought the girl to him. He is sad, hopeful to see Alejandra, he is eaten by this situation of not being able to see her family, “he added. Miguel Mendoza has not seen his girl since June 21, 2021 by order of the dictatorship, for which he had decided to protest by going on a hunger strike.
The sports writer also evaluated his state of health to make the decision, because he is diabetic and because the political prisoners consider that the regime “could even let them die inside El Chipote.”
August 27 was the last time that his relatives managed to see him until yesterday. On September 1, he was taken to the Managua Courts to be exhibited before the government media along with other union leaders imprisoned in El Chipote, after the families of the inmates denounced the physical deterioration of the prisoners due to ill-treatment.
“He is much skinnier than what we could see in that photograph (shown by the regime). They don’t know how much weight he will have lost, but he does look skinnier than that moment, “said the nephew.
He added that “the family requests that the International Red Cross be able to come in to verify his state of health. Until now there is no medical opinion or a serious and clear medical evaluation that allows us to know what the true state of health is.
Political prisoners know about the arrest of Roberto Larios
Miguel is sharing a cell with the sociologist Irving Lariosthe director of the newspaper La Prensa John Lawrence Holmann and with the peasant leader Pedro MenaAll political prisoners. “They try to talk and stay in a good state of mind,” in addition, “they are informed of some situations, they realized when Roberto Larios (former Sandinista spokesman for the Judiciary) entered. He knows that Roberto Larios is locked up there ».
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The arrest of Roberto Larios “It has generated a lot of reflection on how the regime is capable, even, of passing the bill even to its own cronies.” For Miguel “this regime goes against everything and they do not doubt how ruthless it can be.”
The four political prisoners have little space in the cell, they don’t go out into the courtyard, they receive a little light in the same prison. There he tries to make movements of arms and legs due to his state of health.
Degrading reviews of relatives of political prisoners
On the other hand, the prison authorities continue abusive searches against the relatives of political prisoners.
“Margin Pozo was practically stripped naked to enter, which is considered a violation of her (visit) right, groping at the discretion (modesty) of the people. (The relatives) consider that it was a harmful act that generates a lot of grief, “said Christopher.
The abuse was such that Miguel Mendoza apologized to Margin for the situations his wife must face in order to visit him.
The journalist and critic of the Ortega y Murillo regime was jailed in June 2021, in the middle of a hunt for union leaders. He was convicted of the crimes of conspiracy to undermine the national integrity and propagation of false news, through repressive laws directed against opponents. The Ortega y Murillo court sentenced him to nine years in prison.
