A group of Nicaraguan exiles and members of the diaspora in Canada held a protest this Sunday, April 17, in the capital of Ottawa, commemorating four years of the civic rebellion in Nicaragua.
“The migrant and exile community in Canada have come together to commemorate the fourth anniversary where it is still tinged with mourning and pain,” said one of the attendees at the rally.
Related news: Nicaraguans in Canada boycott activity of the Embassy of Nicaragua
During the activity, the Nicaraguan flag and banners where the victims of the repression unleashed by the Ortega and Murillo dictatorship were remembered.
Among the attendees was the former politician Louis Quiroz, who stated, after four years of repression, that the people of Nicaragua continue to resist. “These are four more years in which the people of Nicaragua are willing to break the chains of the dictatorship.”
“Let us remember that there are more than 175 political prisoners that we have in Nicaragua. Let us remember Lesther Alemán, Max Jerez and each one of those people who have been unjustly imprisoned by the Nicaraguan regime,” said Ortega’s former hostage.
Quiroz added that there are many Nicaraguans who “have a patriotic heart” to contribute to building “that Nicaragua with democracy, in peace, freedom and without a dictatorship (…) Today marks four years in which we said: those chains are broken and we are willing to change this system and this system is changed with people who are willing for Nicaragua to be free again.
Related news: Nicaraguans marched in Miami commemorating four years of civic rebellion
For his part, the neurosurgeon Jairo Gutierrez, who recently went into exile after being beaten by Ortega sympathizers, stated that “we see ourselves in the need to emigrate from our countries and leave everything behind at the whim of a few. It is not easy to make that decision, however here we are with our heads held high speaking in favor of thousands of Nicaraguans, Cubans and Venezuelans who have no voice in their own country.
«Today is a day with a bitter taste, because it is not easy to know that there are political prisoners, so many dead young people and that today we are remembering them. This fight is not just now and we hope that at some point we can eradicate this scourge. Let us continue to demand our rights, even though in our country we are not given that freedom. May the Lord bless us all,” he added.
The assembled opponents stated that they will continue to demand justice, until they achieve the freedom of Nicaragua. Long live free Nicaragua!” they exclaimed from exile.
In addition to Canada, thousands of Nicaraguans exiled in other countries demonstrated against Daniel Ortega’s regime, which since the beginning of this month has intensified the siege, persecution and arbitrary arrests against opponents.
