The Vice President of Nicaragua, Rosario Murillo, He has harangued for three consecutive days against the opponents and the hierarchs of the Catholic Church, four years after the beginning of the worst political crisis in memory in the Central American country in the last 30 years.
In her speeches that she usually gives at noon on the official television station, the government spokeswoman also threatened jail and “harsh” consequences for those who, according to her, “attack peace” by trying to create a bit of protest against the mandate that she directs together with her husband, Daniel Ortega.
“We are in April and April is made to live in peace…, neither forgive nor forget for the criminals, neither forgive nor forget for the terrorists, for the bloodthirsty, for the promoters of horror, of anxiety, for those who broke the peace so precious in a town that has suffered so much”, warned the Nicaraguan Vice President, sanctioned by the United States for alleged human rights violations.
In Nicaragua, more than 150 political prisoners are imprisoned, 50 of these are in conditions of torture and isolation in the prison known as El Chipote, as recently denounced by the OAS Secretary General, Luis Almagro, who called for the immediate release of these .
Almagro assured that they do not have sufficient access to sunlight, any reading material, nor do they receive correspondence, adequate medical attention or a good diet, which has caused weight loss that puts their health at risk.
“The Nicaraguan regime must dismantle this true system of repression and torture. These human rights violations merit the intervention of international justice in order to be able to carry out a competent investigation, settle responsibilities and administer reparations”, Secretary Almagro recently expressed on his Twitter account.
“April reminds them that their time in government is ephemeral”: opposition leader
But the harangues of Murillo, second in command in Nicaragua, are being interpreted by the opponents. Ana Quiroz, a member of the Blue and White National Unity (Unab), comments from exile in Costa Rica that April has bad memories for the presidential couple.
“April reminds them that their tenure in government is ephemeral, that at any moment it will end and they do not have the support of the population, they know that the moment they let go of that iron will to repress the population, they will have demonstrations of repudiation like the ones that occurred in 2018,” he told the VOA.
On the other hand, according to the opposition, this month for the government means fear, panic “because especially this year it is seeing that the repudiation comes not only from the opponents, but from their own ranks as those who have deserted.”
The crisis in Nicaragua began on April 18, 2018 with simultaneous demonstrations throughout the country that lasted for several months, leaving more than 300 dead, according to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).
The Ortega government has accused the opposition of gestating a supposed coup d’état through the riots and has since prohibited any type of demonstration.
Under this argument Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo have imprisoned several opponents using the Parliament they control and the justice system. In fact, in 2021, during the presidential elections, the ruling couple sent at least six opposition candidates to prison, paving the way for their re-election for five more years.
Ortega has more than 15 years of having come to power in Nicaragua. Since then he has carried out reforms to perpetuate himself in power, analysts say.
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