The United States demands a democratic transition in Nicaragua “immediately” | International

The United States wants the end of the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo in Nicaragua to begin “immediately”. With this forcefulness the North American Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, expresses himself, it’s a statement published this Saturday on the occasion of second anniversary of the protests against the regime that has left hundreds of dead.

Washington calls in the statement for a “democratic transition” that should include “restoration of human rights guarantees and free and fair elections.” The chosen date is an ephemeris, but it also does so in the context of the unheard-of response from the Managua regime to the coronavirus crisis that is coming to Latin America.

After 34 days without appearing in public, President Daniel Ortega addressed the country last Wednesday on television to refer for the first time to the threat of covid-19. There is no plan to order any quarantine, or promote social distancing, or carry out massive diagnostic tests in the country. Instead of explaining a plan to the threat, Ortega spoke of “atomic bombs” and the “sign that God is sending us.”

Earlier this week, Costa Rica dispatched military forces to the Nicaraguan border amid concerns over the lack of measures in the neighboring country. Border crossings have been closed for three weeks and all the requests for refuge of those persecuted by Ortega have been paralyzed. Since the protests began in 2018, Costa Rica had been the refuge of 77,000 asylum seekers from Nicaragua. The Government of San José has warned Nicaraguans in its territory that if they visit their country they will not be able to enter again.

“The covid-19 pandemic illustrates the poor governance of Ortega and Murillo,” says Pompeo this Saturday. “This public health crisis is a challenge for the entire country” and Ortega is showing “a blatant disregard for the health of the people by evading the public measures necessary to contain the covid-19”. “The Ortega-Murillo regime refuses to even acknowledge the danger of this deadly pandemic. The people of Nicaragua deserve responsible measures to contain the covid-19 without delay, “he concludes.

This Saturday marks exactly two years since the beginning of the massive protests against the dictatorial regime led by the former Sandinista leader and his wife since 2007. The uprising was led by university students but has had a cross-sectional reach between social and professional classes in the face of the disaster. economic of the Central American country. Despite having offers to get out of this situation, the regime has sustained itself on its charitable programs and harsh repression.

“The call for freedom of the people has been answered with bullets,” recalls the State Department in its anniversary note. “At least 325 have been killed, many by snipers from the Ortega / Murillo regime.” Washington recalls that “more than 70 political prisoners remain incarcerated,” attacks on the press continue, and “the Nicaraguan National Police and masked parapolice continue to spread fear with violence and intimidation against political opponents and activists.”

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