Journalists, doctors, opposition figures, and professionals in sociology, international relations, and public administration. The list of those arrested for political reasons in Nicaragua now includes more than 70 people in prison or under house arrest.
By Redacción Central | @CoyunturaNic
Managua, Nicaragua
In just a span of seven days, from Friday, November 22 to Thursday, November 28, 2024, Nicaragua has witnessed a new escalation of repression. At least 30 people have been arbitrarily detained by the Police -controlled by the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), a key arm of the authoritarian regime of Daniel Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo- according to reports from Monitoreo Azul y Blanco, an organization documenting human rights violations in the Central American country, and various independent media outlets. These arrests coincide with the approval, in its first legislature, of a constitutional reform that radically redefines Nicaragua's political, institutional, and social system, consolidating the absolute power of the presidential couple after 16 months of reforms.
The arrests, which have occurred in at least ten departments, including key cities like León, Masaya, and Estelí, have been made without judicial orders or procedural guarantees, according to reports compiled by this media outlet. Among the detainees are journalists, doctors, and activists, some of whom had already been targeted in previous persecutions. In León, for instance, journalist Leo Catalino Cárcamo Herrera and retired doctor Arnoldo Toruño were arrested. Cárcamo had previously been detained, while Toruño has been under surveillance and harassment for years. The arrest of pulmonologist Pablo Amaya, who was taken from his clinic by police officers, has also been reported. In Estelí, doctor Carlos García Vallejos, who was dismissed for political reasons in 2018, was also arrested.
The case of 75-year-old journalist Henry Briceño is particularly alarming. His family has attempted to locate him in various detention centers, including the feared dungeons of the Judicial Aid Directorate, known as "El Chipote" in Managua, but so far, they have received no information about his whereabouts.
While this wave of repression is taking place, the root of the conflict lies in a major constitutional reform that deeply redefines the system and life in Nicaragua. Approved by the Sandinista majority in the legislature, along with their allies, this reform expands the powers of Daniel and Rosario, establishing a unique "co-presidency" model in the Americas and total control over all state organs from the single state power, the Executive, formalizing Murillo's role as an equal partner in the governance of the country. The reform also extends the presidential term from five to six years and grants immunity to the co-presidents, shielding them from potential sanctions or international investigations. Furthermore, it solidifies strict control over the media and gives the green light to the creation of paramilitary bodies under the euphemism of "Voluntary Police".
This institutional change, coupled with the elimination of individual and public freedoms, is clearly a strategic move to consolidate a family dynasty in power, with the aim of ensuring that Ortega and Murillo’s children inherit control over the country.
The recent arrests reflect a continuing pattern of human rights violations in Nicaragua. According to Monitoreo Azul y Blanco, many of the families of the detained individuals have not received any information regarding their whereabouts or the condition of their loved ones, which constitutes a blatant violation of international norms. This tactic, designed to sow fear and dismantle the opposition, not only affects the detainees but also their families, who face harassment and uncertainty. A reality that has now been permitted by the new Constitution.
The Nicaraguan Democratic Concertation (CDN), made up of exiled opposition members, has stated that these actions represent a new phase in the regime’s strategy of absolute control, extending its violence toward the families of the disappeared, exiled, or displaced. The lack of access to lawyers, the transfer of detainees to torture centers like "El Chipote" in the capital, and the absence of official information further exacerbate the humanitarian crisis.
Neither the Nicaraguan State nor the National Police have issued statements regarding these allegations. This silence reflects a recurring strategy of the regime: to ignore accusations while reinforcing its power structures and repression. Since April 2018, when mass protests against the government began, Ortega and Murillo have used state and paramilitary violence to crush any attempt at resistance.
In light of this situation, civil and human rights organizations have urged the international community to act urgently to pressure the regime. The lack of international observers and the information blockade make it difficult to bring attention to this crisis, leaving Nicaraguans in a state of defenselessness. In a context where national institutions have been co-opted by the regime and the social fabric is fractured by years of repression, Nicaragua's future seems increasingly uncertain. Meanwhile, both internal and exiled resistance continue to seek ways to confront a system seemingly determined to perpetuate its dominance at any cost.
46 political prisoners, or more
In Nicaragua, the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo continues its policy of repression against opponents and dissenters, according to the latest report from the Mechanism for the Recognition of Political Prisoners. As of Thursday, November 7, 2024, the number of people detained for political reasons has risen to 46, an increase from the 45 reported in September. This includes both men and women, 10 of whom are elderly, some of whom face very vulnerable health conditions.
The report, supported by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), reveals that these prisoners are victims of a judicial system that operates under political directives, with accusations that vary according to the circumstances and context of each detention. This reflects a refinement of repressive tactics that not only seek to stigmatize the victims but also expand the scope of accusations to neutralize any form of political or civil dissent.
The situation of the detained individuals is alarming, and the context of persecution is compounded by an increasing number of forced disappearances. According to the Mechanism, the number of disappeared persons has risen to 12, including retired Colonel Víctor Boitano Coleman, who has been missing for over six months. Forced disappearance is a practice denounced by international organizations like Amnesty International, which defines it as illegal detention followed by the state’s refusal to reveal the whereabouts of the detained individual, causing deep distress for the families.
Boitano’s case is particularly revealing. Eugenia Valle, his wife, recounted that her husband was kidnapped on April 23, 2024, by armed civilians and police officers, and since then, it has been impossible to obtain any official information about his whereabouts. According to Valle, Boitano had returned to Nicaragua in September 2023, after living in Italy for several years, to attend his daughter’s graduation and reunite with his family. Additionally, his critical books about Ortega and the suspicious death of boxer Alexis Argüello might have been factors in his persecution.
In addition to the 46 political prisoners, the report from the Mechanism notes that arbitrary detentions have increased, even among public officials and regime sympathizers, who are arrested without evidence and denied a fair trial. The repression, however, is not limited to known opponents: it has also targeted government employees who have fallen out of favor with the presidential couple, such as 28 state workers currently held in the maximum-security "La Modelo" prison. These prisoners, mostly former Supreme Court officials, face inhumane conditions, with no access to family visits or minimal dignity.
Conditions of imprisonment in Nicaragua are becoming increasingly severe. In "La Modelo," the maximum-security prison, political prisoners are in complete isolation. In some cases, the lack of access to visits and packages for months has been the norm. Only in recent weeks have restricted packages been allowed, containing basic items like bread and soap, but without prepared foods or personal items beyond what is strictly essential.
The report also reveals the dire situation of elderly prisoners, whose vulnerability is increased by the lack of adequate medical care. In this regard, the Mechanism has made an urgent call for the international community to maintain pressure on the government of Ortega and Murillo to end political persecution and human rights violations in Nicaragua.
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