After high-level negotiations, which show that in Latin American politics what was said yesterday may be the opposite tomorrow, Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada offered his support this Friday, January 7, in Buenos Aires to Argentina to occupy the pro presidency. tempore of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).
Last September, Moncada himself said that he would not vote for the South American country, after accusing Argentina of being “Instrument of US imperialism” in a series of tensions, exacerbated by the attempt made by the Argentines to mediate in the Nicaraguan crisis, which was rejected as an “interference” by the Daniel Ortega regime.
The reconciliation of the Nicaraguan dictator with his Peronist ally has occurred at the gates of a new inauguration of Ortega, which will be attended by an envoy from Fernández, as confirmed to the newspaper La Prensa by the Argentine ambassador in Nicaragua, Daniel Capitanich. CONFIDENTIAL He tried to contact the diplomat, but he did not respond to our inquiry.
From Argentina, however, the newspaper La Nación, citing Foreign Ministry sources, reported that this issue had not been discussed.
On the other hand, the newspaper Clarín highlighted that Fernández’s decision came amid tensions with the United States over the International Monetary Fund. CELAC is made up of 33 member states and Argentina received the pro tempore presidency from Mexico.
Ortega assumes his fifth consecutive term after voting considered illegitimate last November 12 by a majority of 25 countries of the Organization of American States, including —and contradictorily— Argentina that he exalted the importance of respect for human rights when he supported the regional resolution, after maintaining his vote as abstention in the case of the Nicaraguan crisis.
In his first statements, according its press department and the information published on the CELAC website, Fernández assured that it is an organization that “was not born to oppose someone or confront other institutions.”
“We are all part of a great country that unites us, although many do their best to divide us, and consequently to submit easily (…) it was not born to interfere in the political and economic life of any country. CELAC was born as a forum in favor of ourselves ”, stated Fernández.
?️ “I am honored by the trust they placed in Argentina, it is a recognition of our ability to articulate dialogues and consensus. We are part of a great country that unites us.” President @alferdez at the XXII Summit of Foreign Ministers of the # CELACArgentina2022. pic.twitter.com/7shCoq7OgJ
– Alberto Fernández Prensa (@alferdezprensa) January 7, 2022
Moncada says that they respect human rights.
For his part, Foreign Minister Moncada not only voted for the country led by an old ideological ally, but also proclaimed that Nicaragua is respectful of human rights.
“Nicaragua, by reason of principles, is respectful of Human Rights. We accompany the fight for Human Rights in any part of the world, respecting the affairs of each country, “said Foreign Minister Moncada on behalf of the regime, indicated by the GIEI for crimes against humanity
According to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), the repression left at least 355 dead, 2,000 injured, and caused more than 100,000 people to go into exile to protect their safety. However, the state version is that he was the subject of a “coup”, of which they did not show a single piece of evidence.
The Foreign Minister began his speech in Buenos Aires ratifying Nicaragua’s support for Argentina on the issue of the Malvinas Islands and welcomed “the leading role of CELAC to strengthen unity in diversity.”
He even recalled that Ortega decided to denounce the OAS letter, after describing the organism’s behavior as aggressive. In reality, that instance has demanded the release of political prisoners, respect for the civil liberties of citizens and has denounced the irregularities of the electoral process, which Ortega considers an interference.
Canton: “They must suspend Nicaragua”
Santiago A. Canton, Director of the Peter D. Bell Rule of Law program, Inter-American Dialogue, made several criticisms of Argentina on his Twitter account and suggested that the first measure that country should take as president of CELAC is to suspend the Central American country from the body.
Citing the declaration of Defense of Democracy of CELAC, signed in 2011, Canton stated that in the event of a breach of the constitutional order or the rule of law, the Pro Tempore Presidency would convene a meeting in which the measure of suspending to Nicaragua.
The first measure of the Govt Arg as President of CELAC should be to suspend #SosNicaragua based on the Declaration for the Defense of Democracy approved by CELAC itself in 2011, which says that the State where there is a breach of the rule of law will be suspended (See last page) pic.twitter.com/KuSXO0FGlV
– Santiago A. Canton (@SantiagoACanton) January 6, 2022
“I suppose that delegations like Argentina, which will attend the re-re-assumption of Ortega as the illegitimate president of Nicaragua, will ask to meet with more than 100 political prisoners. Those of us who came to Argentina during the dictatorship expected the same. Let’s not do international politics with human rights ”, questioned Canton.
