Various political groups condemned the police takeover of the Santa María de Pantasma Mayor’s Office, Jinotega municipality. The information on the assault on the opposition commune led by Citizens for Freedom (CxL) was confirmed by the same party on its social network accounts. the independent organization Open Ballot Boxes He has followed up on the case and denounced the situation.
“We condemn the takeover of the Santa María de Pantasma City Hall and the siege of the home of Mayor Óscar Gadea executed today by police forces. We demand the cessation of intimidation of citizens and respect for the integrity of municipal authorities and officials,” Cxl wrote on social media.
The opposition Blue and White National Unit (Unab) condemned the event and classified it as a new violation of the human rights of the Nicaraguans who elected Óscar Gadea as mayor of the municipality of Santa María de Pantasma in 2017, one of the five communes that runs the opposition party outlawed last year, on the eve of the presidential elections.
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“The regime has not made a statement so far, we have not been able to establish communication with the mayor (Óscar Gadea), but we are aware of the situation and we would stand in solidarity with him, with the family and with the people who elected him to office. We energetically denounce this repressive act carried out by the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, which adds to the long list of violations of this regime against the human rights of Nicaraguans,” said Marlon Caldera, member of the Political Council of Unab.
For its part, the Urnas Abiertas organization highlighted that “the roads to enter the town were blocked by the Police, who are at different strategic points conducting searches. So far, most of the municipal workers held within the Mayor’s Office have already been released, however, citizen reports indicate the retention of a worker from the financial area, we demand his immediate release and respect for his integrity ».
“From Open Polls we warn about this serious situation that demonstrates once again the absence of conditions in Nicaragua for the development of legitimate and complete elections. We are following up on this situation and on reports of political violence against other opposition mayors, which represents a heavy blow against municipal autonomy,” he stressed.
