US expresses concern over arrest of another opposition leader in Nicaragua: ‘Ortega is a dictator’

America expressed its concern on Tuesday For the arrest of Nicaraguan opposition leader Felix Maradiaga Blendo, the third candidate for the presidency of the country Arbitrarily arrested by the Daniel Ortega regime in less than a week.

“The arbitrary detention of presidential candidate Felix Maradiaga – the third Nicaraguan opposition leader detained in ten days – should dispel any remaining doubts about Ortega’s credentials as a dictator. The international community has it as such. There is no option but to accept it.”, he said on his social network Julie Chung, acting under secretary of the US State Department for Western Hemisphere Affairs.

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) also spoke. Luis Almagro, who called for the “immediate release of Felix Alejandro Madariga Blandon”, as in the cases of Chamorro and Cruz last week. The former foreign minister of Uruguay indicated that “The Daniel Ortega regime must stop violating the fundamental rights of its citizens and the principles of the Inter-American Democratic Charter.”

Maradiaga was arrested this Tuesday after appearing at the Public Ministry, which launched an investigation against him for praising sovereignty, terrorism and sanctions., Sandinista prosecutor’s office reported.

The National Police elaborated that the opposition leader “Being investigated for committing acts undermining independence, sovereignty and self-determination, inciting foreign interference in internal affairs and calling for military intervention”, the institution explained in a separate statement from the prosecutor’s office.

In addition, he has been accused of “organizing with financing from foreign powers to execute”. acts of terrorism and destabilization“Added the police.

Allegations attributing Maradiaga are being considered In a law protecting the people and sovereignty and rights of foreign agents, approved by parliament in December, related to the Ortega regime.

In addition to the charges leveled against him by the police, the prosecutor’s office is investigating Mardiaga for violations.”seriously“why”deformedObjectives and objectives of the Institute for Strategic Studies and Public Policies (IEEPP).

it was an NGO closed at the end of 2018 by Parliament, along with other organizations criticizing the government.

The Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights (CENIDH) condemned Maradiaga’s arrest and denounced that the authorities are using “a new repressive model: to interview people who call political enemies without revealing it.” , let them exit the prosecutor’s office and then arrest them on their way home or already inside”.

Maradiaga, 44, He is the third candidate to be detained in a week in connection with the November 7 election., After the Journalist Christiana Chamorro arrested u Former diplomat Arturo Cruz.

The first detainee was the daughter of former President Violet Barrios de Chamorro (1990–1997) and the opposition figure with the highest chances of winning the presidential election, and the second was Cruz, Ortega’s government ambassador to the United States. between 2007 and 2009.

Camorro, who is under house arrest, does not belong to either party, but opinion polls indicated he had more public support after President Daniel Ortega, who according to his opponents will seek a fourth consecutive term in November.

The opposition woman is accused of money laundering through a foundation named after her mother, former President Violet Barrios de Chamorro (1990–1997), while Cruz is accused of attacking Nicaraguan society and city rights.

the day before Joe Biden’s government announced that it was preparing to impose new sanctions against the Ortega regime in response to the growing oppression of the Nicaraguan opposition.

With information from AFP and EFE

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