The Government of Spain offered this Friday, February 10, Spanish nationality to the 222 political prisoners released, exiled and declared stateless by the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.
Speaking to the Servimedia agency, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, said that “the Government offers Spanish nationality to these 222 released prisoners, given the news that the process to declare them stateless has begun.”
He explained that “the procedure that will be used is the granting of Spanish nationality by naturalization letter, to prevent them from being stateless.”
Albares pointed out that “it is a government decision that would take a very short time” and that the process would be “immediate”, so they would soon come into contact with them.
The foreign minister added that “we also offer to Spain to welcome any other prisoner who is still in the same situation as those who have just been released.”
“Urgent” reform regime of the Constitution
The National Assembly of Nicaragua approved on Thursday in the first of two legislatures a reform to the Political Constitution that establishes that any Nicaraguan who is sentenced for crimes considered “treason” will lose the quality of Nicaraguan national.
The constitutional reform, presented with urgent processing by the Sandinista deputies who are an absolute majority in Parliament, was approved —with the vote of 89 of the 91 legislators— the same day that the 222 Nicaraguan prisoners were expelled to the United States, including leaders opponents, priests and critics of the government of President Daniel Ortega.
The reformed constitutional article, 21, which must be approved in a second legislature for it to enter into force, that is, next year, establishes that “the acquisition, loss and recovery of nationality will be regulated by law. The traitors to the homeland lose the quality of Nicaraguan national.
Subsequently, the deputies approved, also urgently, the “Special Law that regulates the loss of Nicaraguan nationality.”
According to its article 1, this legislation “is intended to regulate the loss of nationality stipulated in article 21 of the Political Constitution of the Republic of Nicaragua.”
Thus, it is established that “people sentenced under the provisions of the Law for the Defense of People’s Rights to Independence, Sovereignty and Self-determination for Peace, published on December 22, 2020, will lose their Nicaraguan nationality.”
The judicial authority will be competent to apply this Law, and must notify the Supreme Electoral Council, in accordance with the approved norm.
European Union calls for “more steps” to the regime
The European Union (EU) expressed this Friday its satisfaction with the release of political prisonersbut warned the Nicaraguan authorities that this “long-awaited” step is not enough and dialogue must follow.
Among the political prisoners are European citizens, whose release the EU had requested “constantly” and “by all means at its disposal,” said Peter Stano, spokesman for the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, in a statement.
The spokesman assured that the EU also welcomes the role played by the United States in facilitating a “safe journey” and the entry into the country of those released, as well as the corresponding emergency aid provided.
The EU made it clear that it rejects Managua’s decision to strip former prisoners of their Nicaraguan citizenship and your civil and political rightswhich “constitutes a violation of their fundamental rights and international law.”
Finally, the spokesman stated that the EU remains “open to political dialogue with Nicaragua, through the appropriate diplomatic channels,” and carried out “in a respectful manner.”
With information from EFE.
