The university professor and former politician Ricardo Baltodano He had to go into exile in Costa Rica in order to save his life and not be kidnapped again by the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.
In interview with Article 66the 62-year-old teacher said that his decision to go into exile came after the recent arrests of members and relatives of the Renovating Democratic Union (Unamos).
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“After the arrest of the 11 members of Unamos, who were already charged, there was a warning that they would also be arrested. I had to hide 100 percent, I didn’t even stick my head out on the street for fear of being arrested, “said the also member of Unamos.
He also stated that “I had to avoid the Police as far as I could, I did my best not to go into exile, but almost nothing could be done with the Police on top of me, because I ran the risk of being kidnapped again and this time in situations that I was putting my life at risk and it would happen to me the same as the opponents who are in El Chipote.”
On the afternoon of September 16, the former prisoner of conscience left for Costa Rica irregularly. “I had to jump over a zinc wall almost two meters high (…) It was very difficult to cross but I had to do it,” he said.
Baltodano pointed out that in addition to him, at least 15 other members of Unamos also went into exile after the hunt unleashed by the Ortega regime. “The departure of the other members stopped the hunt because we made the decision to each go out on their own.”
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“The blow to Unamos was strong in terms of its most visible leadership and possibly the one with the most experience, it was people who had been part of the organization for many years, that’s why I left to give my family peace of mind,” he said.
From October 2019 —after he was released— until January 2022, the former prisoner of conscience recorded 302 “direct visits from the police force.”
The professor concluded by assuring that despite being exiled he continues to work with the Group for the Reflection of Released Prisoners (Grex) and demanding the freedom of Nicaragua and all political prisoners.
