Former Ibero-American presidents denounce “torture, cruel and degrading treatment” of political prisoners in Nicaragua

The Libertad y Democracia group, made up of former Ibero-American presidents and heads of government, has expressed concern about the democratic collapse in Nicaragua, where the regime of Daniel Ortega “it continues to attack the personal freedom, expression, religion and press of its citizens”.

In recent months, the regime has forced more than 200 political prisoners into exile, revoking their nationality.

The group recalls that several states in the region have denounced, individually and before the OAS, “Nicaragua’s offenses against democracy and the rule of law, including arbitrary arrests and inhumane treatment of political prisoners”.

The former presidents propose that governments in the region seek “new mechanisms, within the framework of international law, to hold Nicaragua accountable for widespread and systematic human rights violations, including the arbitrary detention and torture of its political prisoners. In particular, to those held in the run-up to the November 2021 illegitimate elections”.

The text bears the signatures of former presidents Maurizio Macri from Argentina, the Costa Ricans Raffaele Calderón AND Miguel Angel Rodriguez, the Colombians Andres Pastrana AND ivan dukethe Ecuadorian Osvaldo Urtadothe Bolivian Jorge Tuto Quirogathe Panamanian Mireya Moscosothe Spanish Mariano Rajoythe Chilean Sebastian Pinera and the Mexican Philip Calderón.

torture

Former Ibero-American heads of state and government say political prisoners held in Nicaragua have been physically and mentally abused, subjected to torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. A practice that continues today.

“Last February, 222 political prisoners who had been sent as expatriates to the United States were expelled. His citizenship was stripped, violating the most fundamental principles of international law. However, another 94 people managed to flee the country their possessions were taken from them and they were declared traitors to their country“, they recall.

“Furthermore, the Bishop of Matagalpa, Monsignor Rolando Álvarez, refusing to be exiled from the country, was sentenced to 26 years for treason. Many of these testimonies are also supported by the March 1, 2023 report of the Independent Investigative Mission charged with by the Council for human rights, among others,” they said.

The current situation, they say, “urgently requires creative reflection by governments committed to the rule of law, democracy and justice for the innocent victims of the Nicaraguan dictatorship”.

Finally, they call on the governments of Latin America to “take targeted actions to this end and deploy all the tools, within the framework of international law, to facilitate the functioning of international justice”.