now the regime of Daniel Ortega demands the arrest of the writer Sergio Ramírez Mercado for “incitement to hatred and violence”

The prestigious writer and former vice-president of Nicaragua, Sergio Ramírez, was accused on Wednesday by the public prosecutor of his country of “including acts which promote and incite hatred and violence”. Besides, ordered his arrest. In a public statement, the novelist replied that “Dictatorships lack imagination and repeat their lies.

This takes place within the framework of the trials open to opponents of the Daniel Ortega regime and two months before the legislative elections.

The charges against the author of “Divine Punishment” are the same ones that the prosecution attributes to more than 30 opponents and detractors of the regime detained between June and August, including seven presidential candidates, under laws approved by the government last December.

Ramírez, Cervantes Prize 2017 and Vice-president of Ortega during his first term (1985-1990), now criticizes the president.

They also accuse him of having received, via the Luisa Mercado Foundation which he directs, money from the Violeta Barrios de Chamorro Foundation, the prosecution said in a statement.

The prosecution has requested an arrest and search warrant against the 79-year-old writer, who He is outside Nicaragua and had previously announced that he would not return to the country to avoid retaliation from the government after being summoned by the prosecutor’s office.

Ramírez was accused “of committing acts which promote and incite hatred and violence”; and to have received, through the Luisa Mercado Foundation, money from the Violeta Barrios de Chamorro Foundation, “whose main members of its Board of Directors are accused of embezzlement, money laundering, goods and assets “.

Según el Ministerio Público, la mayoría de ese dinero “iba destinado a financiar uno de los principal programas de la Fundación Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, ‘Programa Medios para Nicaragua’, pero en la práctica fueron destinados para otros fines que no eran los propios de the foundation”.

She also argued that these funds had been diverted to financial “to people and organizations looking for destabilization the good progress of the economic and social development of the country ”.

“Acts which fall within the criminal category of conspiracy commit an attack on national integrity, in competition with the crime of laundering money, property and assets, characterized by articles 282, 410 and 412 of the Penal Code, to the detriment of Nicaraguan society and the State of the Republic of Nicaragua ”, added.

In their report, the public prosecution authorities they did not identify the court before which they brought the charge against the Nicaraguan writer.

“Dictatorships repeat their lies”

Ramirez, jury of the Clarin Novela Prize in 2015, responded to the allegations with a public statement. Here is what he said:

“The dictatorship of the Ortega family He accused me through his own prosecution, and before his own judges, of the same crimes of incitement to hatred and violence, undermining national integrity, and others that I have not had the time to read, charges for which there are imprisoned in the dungeons of the same family, many worthy and courageous Nicaraguans.

This is not the first time that this has happened to me in my life. In 1977, the Somoza family accused me through their own prosecutor’s office, and before their own judges, of crimes similar to those of today: terrorism, unlawful association to commit a crime, and order and peace, as I fought against this dictatorship just as I am now fighting this other.

Dictatorships lack imagination and repeat their lies, their wickedness, their hatred and their whims. Son los mismos delirios, el mismo empecinamiento ciego por el poder, y la misma mediocridad de quienes teniendo en su puño los instrumentos represivos, y habiéndose despojado de todos los escrúpulos, creen también que son dueños de la dignidad y la libertad concad others.

As they announce that they are going to loot my house, they are going to find a house full of books. The books of a writer. The books of my whole life.

I am a writer committed to democracy and freedom, and I will not give up in this business from where I am. My literary work over the years is the work of a free man.

The only weapons I have are words, and silence is never imposed on me“.

Philanthropic fines

The writer chairs the Luisa Mercado Foundation, named after his mother, a teacher for generations dedicated to promoting cultural and educational development for the benefit of young people, creators and educators.

According to its website, it is a non-profit association based in the municipality of Masatepe, where Ramírez Mercado comes from, and which was created to promote cultural and educational development programs.

He has a public library and offers the free loan of books, the use of computers with the Internet for students, teachers and researchers, a book club and literary workshops on poetry and storytelling, and educational support in the methods of basic study, reading and writing of documentaries in accordance with the information.

In addition, it has a music school, from which came the orchestra “Lisandro Ramírez Velásquez”, according to the review proposed by Ramírez Mercado, also Winner of the Alfaguara Novel Prize in 1998 and the “José Donoso” Ibero-American Literature Prize in 2011.

Persecution

Monday evening, President Daniel Ortega opponents in detention qualified as “terrorist” for alleged treason, and “Demons in cassock” and “satanic” to Nicaraguan bishops and priests critical of their government.

According to the president, his opponents “were preparing to remake history (from April 2018) and justice is done, that’s all, justice is done against the terrorists”.

As part of the electoral process, the Nicaraguan authorities arrested and / or brought to justice more than 30 opposition leaders and independent professionals, including seven who announced their intention to run for president in the November elections, in which Ortega looking for his fifth term.

With information from EFE and AFP

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