About twenty Nicaraguan opposition organizations in exile declared the “Ortega-Murillo dictatorship” as an “illegitimate regime” in view of the inauguration of their new mandate, next Monday, January 10. At the same time, they rejected a “false dialogue” and demanded that the regime release political prisoners and comply with the agreements reached during the second attempt at dialogue in March 2019.
“The institutions of the State have been destroyed by the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship; the powers of the state resulting from the electoral farce of November 7 are illegitimate. Consequently, there is no rule of law in Nicaragua, ”the organizations indicated in the statement read at a press conference, chaired by representatives of the Blue and White National Unity, the Campesino Movement, and the Group of Reflection of the Political Released in Prison (GREX) , in person from Costa Rica and others, such as the Civic Alliance and other organizations, via zoom.
The statement cites the resolution of the Organization of American States (OAS) of November 12, 2021, in which 25 countries voted in favor of declaring the general votes of November 7 “without legitimacy”, in which Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo was guaranteed a fourth consecutive term in power without political competition, without minimum conditions of transparency, and with the main leaderships and candidates for the presidency imprisoned. The results were also not recognized by 40 other countries.
However, Ortega has ignored the questions of the international community and his response was to request the departure of Nicaragua from the OAS.
Meanwhile, his wife and vice president, Rosario Murillo, in his first address in 2022 assured that the inauguration will take place from the Plaza de La Revolución, in Managua, where “they will take an oath to all of us, the oath to the people- President”.
Murillo valued his questioned triumph as a victory against “evil, hatred. We have overcome discord, conflict, separation. We have defeated the devil, and we all know how the devil manifested itself in those unfortunate days – in reference to the wave of civic protests in 2018 – ”, he expressed on January 3.
Nicaraguan opponents draw roadmap in exile
Dialogue under conditions
The OAS urged, through the last resolution of December 8, the holding of new elections in Nicaragua and required a dialogue with various actors, including the opposition. However, diplomatic actions by the OAS Secretary General, Luis Almagro, to persuade the regime to admit a visit by a high-level commission of that regional forum have not progressed.
However, the opposition organizations assured that before this possibility of talks, the regime must first release, immediately and unconditionally, the 170 political prisoners, victims of inhuman, degrading treatment, isolation and torture. Their criminal proceedings must also be completely nullified.
They demand the repeal of the combo of repressive laws and that it comply with the obligations assumed in the “Agreement to Strengthen Citizen Rights and Guarantees of March 29, 2019, signed between representatives of the dictatorship and the Nicaraguan democratic opposition.”
The police state must cease and paramilitary groups disarm; the safe return of exiles, with full guarantees and personal and family security; the restitution of all civil and political guarantees of Nicaraguan citizens and guarantee the unrestricted right to freedom of expression.
These demands, as established in the OAS resolution of December 8, are “indispensable and indispensable conditions to initiate a peaceful and civic transition towards democracy. Any effort must be made with the effective participation of representatives of the democratic opposition ”, indicated the organizations in their statement this Thursday.
“An illegitimate, illegal regime”
Alexa Zamora, member of the UNAB political council, assured that the pronouncement of several organizations is a first step to give continuity to the efforts at the international level regarding the ignorance of the Ortega and Murillo regime.
“We are going to ask the international community, the OAS, to take the following steps also to ignore the Ortega-Murillo regime for what it is, an illegitimate, illegal regime that therefore does not represent the Nicaraguan people before any instance” , he expressed.
For his part, Nemesio Mejía, a member of the Peasant Movement, pointed out that “dictatorships are not removed overnight and much less, in the plan that we are managing, which is a civic plan.” He recalled that the opposition leaderships have been weakened, starting with the imprisonment of the seven presidential candidates, but they continue to resist.
Global protest against the “illegitimate” regime
Seven other Nicaraguan organizations, located in different countries, promote a worldwide protest called “Nicaragua does not have a government or legitimate powers of the State”, in rejection of the inauguration of the new mandate of Ortega and Murillo, considered “illegitimate.”
Karen Bermúdez, a member of the participating organizations, called on any Nicaraguan, regardless of where they are in the world, to demonstrate this Sunday, November 9, through a sit-in, a video or a message, expressing their rejection of the consummation of the usurpation of power by Ortega, “imposing himself the presidential band,” he said.
He added that another of the objectives of this initiative is “Raise your voice before international organizations and the international community to emphasize, once again, that in Nicaragua there is neither a government nor a legitimate state power.”
The diaspora and exiles are expected to demonstrate on January 9 and 10. In Costa Rica, where more than 100,000 Nicaraguans have taken refuge, a vigil will be held on Sunday from 5:00 pm in the Plaza de la Democracia. Marlon Medina, a member of Unidos por Nicaragua, assured that they will carry lighted candles “in honor of all our political prisoners, there we are going to read the name of each one of them and we are going to shout for their freedom,” said the tomorrow this Thursday.
In addition, the organizations call on Nicaraguans to stay at home on January 10, under the slogan “I’m staying at home, you won’t let me vote, I won’t let you govern.”
Likewise, they expect them to participate in actions to “weaken the economy of the regime … by stopping consuming liquors, cigarettes and luxury affairs in businesses that are accomplices of the regime, as well as maximizing savings in fuel and electricity and reducing banking procedures.
