How was the liberation operation: the youngest political prisoner of Nicaragua speaks

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Samantha Padilla Jiron it’s out of stock. It’s almost 9 pm Washington time and you’ve had one of the most important days of your life: He has just regained his freedom after one year and three months in prison. He hasn’t slept in over 24 hours. She has just come out of the hospital, where she was treated because she has digestive problems due to stress and diet in prison.

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Samantha had just turned 23 the youngest political prisoner of the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua. He is one of 222 opponents suddenly released on Thursday in Managua and taken to Washington, where they will receive political asylum for two years. he addresses to clarion on the phone, trying to weather the storm of emotions of the day.

Journalism and political science student, activist, feminist, artist and member of the opposition National Blue and White Unit, was in exile in Costa Rica after the demonstrations against Ortega’s regime that erupted in 2018, but returned to her country in 2020 She was arrested the following year.

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-How were you arrested and why?

-I was a student human rights activist of a youth and women’s rights organization. She was heavily involved in feminist movements. They arrested me on November 29, 2021 in the middle of a public street and with a lot of violence, when I was leaving a hotel for work with some journalist colleagues, which is what I study.

-Where did they take you?

-They took me to El Chipote, to the judicial assistance facilities. Later they transferred me to a precinct and then I went to Esperanza Women’s Prison to serve my sentence and that’s where I spent the most time.

What have you allegedly been accused of? Have you had a judicial process?

-They accused me of conspiring to undermine Nicaragua’s national sovereignty by applauding sanctions and spreading false news to destabilize the economy. They gave me a totally rigged trial and illegal in every way. The witnesses who accused me were the same policemen there. I was sentenced to 8 years in prison, fines and the loss of my right as a citizen in perpetuity.

-How was the time you were in prison?

– I had a bad time. I was very abused, not physically, but I suffered a lot of psychological abuse. They kept me isolated and didn’t give us the necessary medical care. Everything was a screen. We didn’t have the right to go to the patio or to see the sun, which the other prisoners had.

Daniel Ortega shows the list of names of the 222 political prisoners released on Thursday.  EFE extension

Daniel Ortega shows the list of names of the 222 political prisoners released on Thursday. EFE extension

-How did you find out they would be released?

-I really didn’t know. They only let us out of bed at 10pm on Wednesday, told us to get up and they would make a transfer. We were told to take only the most intimate things, like underwear and shoes. We took our bags and they put us on a bus. From there they took us to the airport. It was all very fast and abrupt, but they didn’t inform us of anything. They made us sign papers saying we were traveling voluntarily, even though we were all still handcuffed. Likewise, we didn’t know we were going to sign, but we had to sign because we had no other choice.

-You had no idea where you were going at that moment?

-No, I went with the women of the prison system, but there were like 6 buses. We left different places and all of us who were in different prisons met when we boarded the plane.

-Didn’t they know they could go to the United States? What did they think?

-I imagined it because the United States has been the country that has constantly fought for democracy and the freedom of political prisoners. For some time the United States has wanted to dialogue with Nicaragua on respect for human rights and on the situation of political prisoners. I think it was the only way in a democratic and humanitarian way, that was the option. What is surprising is the number of prisoners released, I think a very good job has been done by the United States.

-How was that moment, when you realized on the plane that you would be free?

-I really went into shock, it felt like a dream. After so much and that went from one day to the next, it was really impressive. What happened to me is that joy became something bigger than pain. It’s a joy to see us all together again, to be able to hug each other, to meet my long time friends who I hadn’t seen them for a long time and didn’t hear from them.

-When they arrived in the US, what did they offer them, now where are they?

-We have a humanitarian visa, where we have the right to work. We just have to legalize our immigrant status and they will give us advice. At the moment we are in hotels, but they will transfer us to the homes of our sponsors, whether they are relatives or friends.

-How do you feel now? How do you see your future?

-The truth is that I have a lot of uncertainty because I know that the United States is not an easy country for Latinos. It is a country where you have to work a lot. But having regained my freedom, I feel optimistic to move forward and give back a little for all they’ve done for us.

Do you think Ortega got anything in return for this release? Why do you think he did it?

-I honestly don’t know if it was due to economic pressure, but I’m quite uninformed. Right now I’m really trying to absorb everything that’s happening to me.

-Some say that the operation was not a liberation, but an exile.

-Yes, in fact it is an exile because when they tell us that we lose all our rights as citizens then we stop being Nicaraguans. It’s really very dangerous for us.

-What do you dream for Nicaragua?

-Democracy, freedom and respect for human rights, but above all being able to live without fear.

– Do you think this is a step towards a possible democratization of the country or is it just a gesture by the Ortega government because it is drowning in sanctions?

-I firmly believe that it is the first step towards freedom.

-There are still dozens of political prisoners in Nicaragua, what do you expect from them?

-I’ve heard the comments, but I’m not informed. But I can tell you that it hurts because we know what it’s like to be there and we don’t want that for anyone.

Thinking of ever going back to Nicaragua?

-Of course, when Nicaragua is free.

Source: Clarin

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