The regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo authorized, after more than 45 days of incommunicado detention, the seventh day of visits for political prisoners imprisoned in the Judicial Assistance Directorate, known as El Chipote, detained between June and November 2021.
In the new meetings that took place between April 28 and 30, the relatives of the prisoners of conscience verified that the methods of torture and cruel treatment against their relatives have worsened. They are kept in more isolation, guarded by new, more hostile staff, have had their food and drinks reduced, are not taken for medical check-ups in the sick room, and even have less access to medicine.
The authorized visits on this occasion lasted two hours and were again monitored at all times by police officers, who constantly interrupted the meeting by taking photos and videos. The relatives of the prisoners of conscience denounced, in an interview with CONFIDENTIAL and the program This week, that during the visits they were even forced to pose for photographs, to remove their masks and to stop showing each other affection. In addition, they pointed out that they were subjected to even more abusive searches than the previous ones, since the agents lifted some clothing and touched or felt genital areas during the searches.
Ramón Mendoza, brother of journalist Miguel Mendoza, stated that entering the visit was “difficult”, especially for Margin Pozo, wife of the communicator, because they reviewed it “exhaustively”.
“They take everything away from you, they put their hands on you everywhere, as much as they can. It’s demeaning,” she denounced.
He pointed out that the state of Mendoza has worsened more than in previous months. “He has serious high blood pressure problems and now they don’t take him to the infirmary, but the doctor visits all the inmates in the cells, who asks them from outside how they are, and there is no check-up like before,” he said. In addition, he denounced that his brother sleeps on a totally deteriorated mattress, practically on the concrete of his bed, and has caused “serious back and neck problems.”
He affirmed that the prison conditions against the journalist continue to be excessive and inhumane, since he remains in a punishment cell, with double fences, totally isolated, with little ventilation, with a light on 24 hours a day, with little food and they are only allowed two hours of patio and sun per month.
He stressed that Mendoza, although he is strengthened in his faith, is concerned about the disconnection he has with his daughter, for which he demanded that fluid communication be authorized between the two.
Political prisoner Juan Lorenzo Holmann, general manager of the newspaper La Prensa, who shares a cell with Mendoza, also suffers from blood pressure problems and is not taken to the infirmary for medical consultations, according to a report published by this media outlet.
Holmann’s family is concerned about the medicine he receives to regulate his blood pressure, because in the opinion of the political prisoner’s basic cardiologist, this could cause him greater dehydration.
The medicine that he receives by prescription from the Chipote doctor is HCT, 12.5 milligrams, and the one recommended by his primary care doctor is Amlodipine.
Policy of attrition and torture
Ana Lucía Álvarez, sister and niece of the political prisoners Tamara Dávila and Ana Margarita Vijil respectively, also indicated that they are extremely concerned about the condition in which their relatives were found in prison, for which she considered it fundamental, just as was done a few months ago, “launch an SOS and raise your voice loudly to denounce what is happening”.
“Tamara, my sister, for example, we estimate that she has lost about 10 pounds in 50 days, which makes Tamara around 90 or 95 pounds. When she entered Chipote, she weighed about 145 pounds, which indicates that she is in a situation of malnutrition. Ana Margarita is also much skinnier. None of them have access to reading material, they do not have access to talk with other people, they are not guaranteed access to the patio to sunbathe, they are no longer taken to the medical attention room, now they are checked in the cell. That makes the level of isolation higher, ”she denounced.
He stressed that what is happening in El Chipote is “an intentional State policy of wear and tear and torture, focused on the lack of medical attention so that their bodies deteriorate and are susceptible to any situation.”
In addition, he stressed that as relatives of political prisoners they are “concerned because we have already seen the death of Hugo Torres and other situations of political prisoners who have left the prisons in Nicaragua in a vegetative state and the truth is that this cannot happen again.” ”.
She denounced that Tamara Dávila, like other political prisoners, is still in a punishment cell and is not allowed any type of communication with her six-year-old daughter, pointing out that this measure is “a way that this genocidal regime, which seeks to subdue the spirit of political prisoners, to annul the individuality of these people”.
Daniel Ortega’s regime keeps more than 180 people imprisoned for political reasons in the country’s different prisons. National and international organizations have demanded the immediate release of these citizens who have been convicted of participating in social protests and denouncing the human rights violations that continue to be committed in Nicaragua.
Photo: Confidential
Suyen Barahona urgently needs dental care
César Dubois, husband of Suyen Barahona, president of the political organization Unamos, formerly MRS, denounced that the area of conscience continues to lose weight, since the Chipote authorities continue to reduce the amount of food and drinks for her.
“Now they give him less and on weekends the amount is still less and that impacts his nutritional status. In addition to this, we give him two drinks and three liters of water every day, which is the only thing they allow us. We learned that only three times a week they are being given one of the drinks that we leave for them. They are in a very difficult situation,” Dubois said.
He affirmed that his wife’s health also continues to deteriorate because, in addition to losing weight, she also suffers from back pain, as a result of sleeping directly on the concrete of her bed, because she does not have a good mattress; and dental problems that, despite having been reported, remain untreated by a specialist.
Dubois assured that Barahona, even after being convicted of the alleged crime of impairment, “continues to be interrogated, they keep her incommunicado, isolated, they do not allow her to communicate with anyone and they punish her if she speaks just to speak.”
He stressed that as a family, on this new visit, they insisted again that Suyen have contact with his five-year-old son, through a photo or drawing, and that he be allowed reading material, at least a Bible, but the authorities again they did not reject it.
Violeta Granera is diagnosed with vitiligo
The family of Violeta Granera, political activist and member of the National Coalition, through a statement, said they were concerned about their relative’s situation, since he is “physically weak, has had high blood pressure crises and has heart problems that they can aggravate with your hypertension if it is not treated in time.”
“We are also concerned because he has white spots all over his body. He was diagnosed with vitiligo. He still has red spots all over his body that look like moles. This is in addition to his dental problems that have not been taken care of,” they denounced.
The relatives request that Granera be sent to “house arrest, which is stipulated by law, due to her status as a valetudinary person.”
“We fear that her health may worsen and that she will not be treated properly,” they said.
Medardo Mairena has allergies and circulation problems
Relatives of political prisoner Medardo Mairena, from the Peasant Movement, denounced, in an interview with CONFIDENTIALthat the peasant leader continues to be a victim of torture in El Chipote, as he remains in a punishment cell, with little air circulation and with a light on 24 hours a day.
Mairena, according to her relatives, also has little access to patio hours to sunbathe, continues to lose weight and has developed allergies and blood circulation problems due to the deplorable prison conditions in which she finds herself.
“Despite everything that is happening, the message that it sends to Nicaraguans is that: ´Do not be discouraged. Keep praying for that democratic Nicaragua that we all yearn for. The Lord will listen to his people’”, they indicated.
