now Argentina refused to sign a very harsh document against Daniel Ortega

In another surprising turn of its foreign policy, the government has now avoided condemning the abuses of the Daniel Ortega regime, by refusing to sign a severe declaration which was signed by nearly sixty countries on Tuesday in Geneva and in which they have demanded that the Nicaraguan regime authorize “free” and “transparent” elections by releasing its political prisoners.

It was within the framework of the UN session during which the statement of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, is expected. At this time, the former president of Chile has not yet spoken about Nicaragua.

What is curious is that yesterday President Alberto Fernández announced in a statement that he called for consultations with his ambassador in Managua, Kirchner leader Daniel Capitanich. He did it with Mexico and Costa Rica joined him. The move was a move to harden his stance against the Ortega regime, which has raided opposition leaders, even sending presidential candidates next November to prison. Last Tuesday, he was criticized for abstaining from the OAS.

What is striking is that the government supported Bachelet’s condemnation last March by claiming human rights as free elections. But Argentina did not sign a declaration similar to that on Tuesday, which was signed by the United States, Brazil, France, Spain, among many other countries.

The official ups and downs are such that on Tuesday Ambassador Federico Villegas Beltran supported Bachelet’s report on Nicaragua – the March and its update now – with a speech, expressing Argentina’s “concern” on the human rights situation in Nicaragua, “and in particular”, he said, “because of the arrests of opposition politicians”.

Also because of the “persistence of restrictions on civic space and the repression of dissent.” He did so on his own without supporting the statement by other countries and the Foreign Ministry that were once again in tune with Mexico, which he also did not sign.

The document that Argentina did not sign begins by mentioning the “human rights violations” taking place in Nicaragua. “We share the High Commissioner’s concerns over Nicaragua, including the continued impunity for human rights violations since April 2018 and the continued reports of arbitrary detentions. The government must ensure human rights protection and hold those responsible to account. “, he says.

And then he continues to call for an end to prejudice: “We urge the government to end the harassment against journalists and human rights defenders and to allow civil society organizations to operate in safe and secure environments. conducive, without fear of retaliation.

He also advances on the obstacles that Ortega imposed on the electoral process a few weeks before the elections: “We are concerned that the government did not implement significant electoral reforms before the May 2021 deadline of the election. Organization of American States, supported by this Council in March. ”

The text says they are concerned about the regime’s laws against political participation, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association. And he points out that the arbitrary dissolution of political parties and the criminal prosecution of several presidential candidates and dissidents are of particular concern. “We demand his immediate release,” he added.

These measures are likely to prevent the holding of free and fair elections in Nicaragua in November, speculate and urge Nicaragua to engage even with international election observers in the presidential elections. Thus, the declaration of these 59 countries considers that Nicaraguans “They deserve free and fair elections through a transparent and credible process, and a peaceful solution to the country’s socio-political crisis.”

Since 2020, the High Commissioner has criticized the authorities for their inaction “to constructively resolve the tensions and structural problems which triggered the socio-political crisis of April 2018”. The repression of the demonstration left more than 300 dead.

The delegation from Bachelet’s office in Central America hastened to condemn the “criminal proceedings” in the first days of this new wave of arrests, this time against political leaders who directly threaten Ortega’s intentions to withdraw. get re-elected in the November presidential election.

Bachelet’s presentation on Tuesday corresponds to human rights in the world. In fact, yesterday, in what represents a historic moment, she criticized the abuses committed by Governor Gildo Insfrán in the province of Formosa.