The Ortega-Murillo dictatorship has further strained diplomatic relations with Brazil, the most important economy in Latin America, by ordering the expulsion of that country’s ambassador from Nicaragua at the end of July, on the grounds that the diplomat did not attend the event on July 19, and in response, on August 8, the Brazilian government decided to apply the same dose to him, expelling the dictatorship’s ambassador in Brasilia.
Vice-dictator Rosario Murillo confirmed that the extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of Brazil in Nicaragua was expelled, Breno de Souza Brazil Dias da Costawho held that position since June 2022.
Related news: Lula recalls Ortega’s ambassador in response to the expulsion of his delegate in Managua for not attending the July 19 event
Murillo also reported that “Ambassador Fulvia Castro – Nicaragua’s representative in Brazil – is on her way to our Nicaragua,” but did not explain that the official’s departure occurred in response to the repressive action they had against the Brazilian representative.
The government spokesperson stressed that Fulvia Castro, a member of Ortega, who is now out of her post as ambassador, will take over as the new head of the Ministry of Family, Community, Cooperative and Associative Economy (Mefcca) upon arriving in the country, thus confirming the purge of Justa Pérez Acuña, also a member of Ortega, who was recently reported to have been removed from her post, although the removal has not been officially announced in the official newspaper La Gaceta.
On the other hand, Murillo celebrated the exile to Rome of seven priests of the Catholic Church who, he said, “arrived safely,” and affirmed that the expulsion of the religious from their own country was in the name of peace and justice.
“On August 7, seven Nicaraguan priests left Nicaragua for Rome. They arrived safely and were received by the Holy See,” said the vice-dictator.
The government spokesperson said that the exile of the priests was carried out “prioritizing peace, which is justice,” intending to tell the Catholic people of Nicaragua that the priests, deprived of the right to reside and practice in their country, represented a danger to the nation.
Related news: Nicaraguan Vice-Dictator Celebrates Priests’ Banishment: “We Prioritize Peace, Which Is Justice”
In his monologue, Murillo added that the arbitrary expulsion of the priests responded to the need to “continue walking on paths that are of security, that are of common good, that are of prosperity for Nicaraguan families.”
Dictator Daniel Ortega and vice-dictator Rosario Murillo decided to “freeze vacancies and new hiring” of public sector personnel starting this August 7, according to a circular from the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (MHCP), signed by Minister Bruno Gallardo.
Marlon Velazquez,
Victor Godoy,
Harvin Torres,
Jairo Pravia and
Silvio Romero. Photos: Taken from the Internet.
“All vacant positions and new hiring of personnel as of August 7, 2024, are frozen on all payrolls of entities and organizations of the public sector integrated into the Fiscal Payroll System, as well as those that are outside of it,” the circular orders in the first of the three guidelines directed by the dictator in relation to the “hiring of personnel.”
The letter was sent to those in charge of “the powers of the State of Nicaragua, financial institutions and state companies, decentralized entities and autonomous bodies,” all controlled by the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship.
Related news: Ortega decapitates the Ministry of Agriculture: Resignation of the head Bosco Castillo and his vice, Ivania León
Ortega also states that “when it is necessary to hire new personnel,” all, without exception, must “submit a reasoned request” and “accompanied by documentation in accordance with the regulatory framework,” through the General Directorate of Public Service of the MHCP.
According to the document, the Ministry of Finance will be the one to “manage the authorization with the Presidency of the Republic.”
