Government of Nicaragua announces release of political prisoners in 90 days

The Nicaraguan government has announced that it will release all detainees within 90 days of protests that began last April, but hopes in return for the lifting of international sanctions against President Daniel Ortega.

This is stated in a statement read by the Apostolic Nuncio of Managua, Waldemar Sommertag, accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Denis Moncada, and by a representative of Civic Civic Alliance, Max Jerez. , with whom the talks resumed. the opposition after a stalemate of several days.

"The negotiating table received this afternoon a communication from the government (…) in which it expresses its decision to release, within a period not exceeding 90 days, all those arrested and detained in the context of events that occurred after the trial of April 18, 2018, according to the legal system of the country ", is indicated in the text, which recognizes the accompaniment not only of the nuncio but also of Luis Rosadilla, special delegate of the Secretary-General of the 39, Organization of American States, to reach this consensus.

According to the latest opposition figures, there are 640 detainees considered as "political prisoners", and their release is one of the essential conditions since the beginning of this new phase of the dialogue on 27 February. which has been interrupted several times.

The government and the opposition have also decided to invite the International Committee of the Red Cross to accompany the process of release of imprisoned persons and the OAS to resume its work on the issue of electoral reforms.

Starting on Thursday, the table will start working with an agenda that, among other things, establishes that the issue of prisoners and issues of democracy and electoral reforms will be developed immediately and simultaneously, although it does not not specify whether this will include the request for opposition. anticipate the presidential elections of 2021.

The road map also proposes to strengthen citizens' rights and guarantees, to define mechanisms for the implementation of agreements and to discuss issues of truth, justice and non-repetition.

Finally, once the agreements have been concluded, the board of directors will manage the international support necessary for their implementation. "In due course, and with the agreement of the parties, an appeal will be made to the international community to lift the sanctions in order to facilitate Nicaragua's right to human, economic and social development".

In recent months, the United States has approved a series of sanctions against senior Ortega government officials accused of human rights violations and alleged corruption. The European Parliament has also asked to apply similar sanctions to Nicaraguan officials, who could be approved by the end of the month.

At a press conference, politician and opposition businessman Jose Pallais said that the Civic Alliance hoped that the release of the prisoners would begin "as soon as possible", although It follows a schedule coordinated by the OAS.

On the requests for punishment of authorities designated as responsible for many crimes – the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights speaks of at least 325 dead and more than 2,000 wounded_, Pallais did not give any details, but said that the agenda considers the problem because "we do not want justice done". for some and impunity for others ".

For his part, the businessman José Adán Aguerri confirmed that 162 people had been released and placed under house arrest unilaterally by the government, since February 27 last.

In an updated report released Wednesday, the Committee of Relatives of Prisoners and Political Prisoners said that between the months of April and April, 802 people were arrested in the country, including the 162 mentioned above.