The government of Colombian President Gustavo Petro confirmed that his administration maintains private communication with the government of Daniel Ortega for humanitarian efforts.
The Colombian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it promotes and defends human rights and for that reason it develops international actions for humanitarian purposes in Nicaragua.
“Colombia has a bilateral agenda with Nicaragua that requires a particularly careful treatment on the international stage, which the Foreign Ministry will preserve,” the note read.
Nicaraguan human rights organizations affirm that it could be a management that results in the release of the more than 190 opponents detained by the government of Daniel Ortega.
According to Denis Darce, of the Permanent Commission on Human Rights, “there is talk of an initiative that comes from the president of Colombia to intercede for political prisoners.”
“For us it is a positive initiative,” he added.
Other institutions, by contrast, criticize that Colombia has handled the talks with Nicaragua in a very private way.
“Let the facts show that they are indeed going to contribute to the tyranny ending the repression and allowing Nicaragua to begin a life in freedom to live and live without fear,” said Gonzalo Carrión, of the Nicaragua Never Again Human Rights Collective.
The private conversations between Bogotá and Managua take place in parallel to presentation of political prisoners on official television that began this week.
The Nicaraguan government has not referred to the bilateral agenda between the two countries.
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