The Nicaraguan government spokeswoman, Rosario Murillo, expressed her annoyance with the United States and the European Union (EU) for the closure of Russian media, referring to Sputnik and RT. That decision, according to her, “prevents the access of other perspectives” and under that premise she justified her actions against independent media outlets, which she has decided to close for not aligning with the official discourse or in a form of retaliation against the Catholic Church.
The deputy president took refuge in her sovereignty speech to justify the “arbitrary closure” of seven Catholic radio stations managed by the Diocese of Matagalpa.
«In the territory of the European Union and the United States they have closed and prevented, using their sovereignty, they have closed media outlets and have prevented access to other perspectives. They have their criteria, their two-way thoughts that on one side is hypocrisy and on the other side is the truth that truth we do not know because hypocrisy is what tells us that on the one hand they speak and on the other they do what they are criticizing» , Murillo expressed in his midday speech in official media.
Related news: European Union: «Arbitrary closure of media violates freedom of expression and religion»
This August 4, the European states condemned the closure of Catholic stations by the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo through the Nicaraguan Institute of Telecommunications and Post Office (Telcor). In addition, the European Union denounced the use of excessive police force to occupy the premises, intimidate and disperse the protesters with tear gas and gunshots.
The violent actions left at least three people injured and three others detained who were later released. They assure that they will continue to support the people of Nicaragua in their “legitimate aspiration to democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law.”
“The Nicaraguan authorities must end all repression and restore full respect for all human rights. Likewise, the EU reiterates its urgent call to the Nicaraguan government to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners and annul all legal proceedings against them, including their convictions,” the European Union statement emphasized.
Related news: Murillo accuses Catholic leaders of “manipulating sacred symbols”
Murillo expressed his annoyance at “everything that has been taking place in the war against Russia, because they have the war against Russia, against China and like those spaces of communication when they are chiman they close them, when they seem annoying they close them, when they do not agree with their perspectives or their ways of seeing the world close them.
As for the closure of the Catholic media orchestrated by the Ortega-Murillo regime, they have been based on the alleged lack of operating permits for the religious media that operated in the north of the country. The closed radio stations are Radio Hermanos, Radio Santa Lucía, from Ciudad Darío; Catholic Radio, from Sébaco; Radio San José, from Matiguás; and Radio Monte Carmelo, from Río Blanco; all belonging to the department of Matagalpa.
