United States Sanctions Nicaragua Again | For arresting thirty opponents, including seven presidential candidates

The United States has again sanctioned the Nicaraguan government for the arrest of more than 30 opponents, including seven presidential candidates before the November 7 elections. the state department North American this Friday, it banned the entry of 50 relatives of lawmakers, prosecutors and judges linked to the management of President Daniel Ortega and Vice-President Rosario Murillo, the president’s wife. Separately, on Friday, the US Senate approved the Renacer Bill, which aims to monitor and take action against corruption in the Ortega government, sanctions against “key regime players,” as well as “To increase information on Russian activities in Nicaragua”. The law also seeks to coordinate sanctions with Canada and the European Union. Meanwhile, the Nicaraguan government has established by presidential decree that organizations or countries that decide to award an award or recognition to a citizen of Nicaragua must first seek government authorization.

No more penalties

The State Department announced on Friday that it had banned 50 people close to Daniel Ortega’s government from entering the United States. “As these measures demonstrate, the United States is committed to promoting broad accountability to anyone responsible for or benefiting from the Ortega-Murillo regime’s attacks on democratic institutions.“the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

This Wednesday, Bérénice Quezada, the vice-presidential candidate of the main opposition bloc, the Citizens for Freedom Alliance (CxL), was disqualified from participating in the next November elections. Quezada was also charged with “conspiracy to commit terrorist acts”.

For his part, the spokesperson for the State Department, Ned Price praised Quezada’s “courage” to run amid “growing repression”. To date, 32 opponents are held by the government, including seven candidates for the country’s presidency. “Ortega and Murillo have demonstrated once again that they are afraid to compete with anyone who they think can win the support of the Nicaraguan people,” said the spokesman for US diplomacy.

“Today, we are announcing visa restrictions against 50 other people, all close to officials affiliated with the regime who have directly contributed to measures adopted by the Nicaraguan government that do not meet the conditions for transparent, free and fair elections,” Price said.

Last month the The United States government has withdrawn the visas of 100 officials in the Ortega administration. In June also sanctioned Camila Ortega Murillo, daughter of the presidential couple in the same way, Al Sandinista caucus leader Edwin Castro and to President of the Central Bank, Ovidio Reyes.

RENAISSANCE law

As the US government also passed new laws to sanction Nicaragua. This Friday the The US Senate passed the “Reborn” bill, a measurement supported by the Democratic Party and the Republican Party and what are you looking for promote “free and fair” elections.

The bill to strengthen compliance with the conditions of electoral reform in Nicaragua (Renacer) extends supervision of loans from international financial institutions to Nicaragua, edemands the submission of classified reports on corruption perpetrated by the government and the family of President Ortega.

The Democratic Senator, Bob menendez, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Upper House, is one of the promoters of the proposal. In a statement from the legislative committee, he explained that the proposal seeks to dramatically increase US diplomatic engagement in the face of Ortega’s “repressive tactics” intimidate and arrest opposition candidates in the November 7 elections.

“The Senate has just approved my RENACER law, making it clear that the Ortega regime’s outrageous tactic of chaining all its opponents will not work. Their fear of losing in the elections is no excuse for systematically dismantling democracy in Nicaragua.” , wrote Menéndez. on his Twitter account.

Another of the promoters of the legislation with Menéndez was Republican Senator Marco Rubio. “I am happy that the Senate has passed our bipartisan bill, RENACER. With this unanimous vote, the United States sends an unequivocal message of support to the Nicaraguan people. Our nation must use all tools to hold Ortega’s repressive regime and her family to account.. I urge the House of Representatives to quickly pass this bill “said Rubio.

The eye in Russia

Another point the bill will investigate focuses on bilateral relations between Nicaragua and Russia.. According to the statement released by the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, the Renacer bill aims to increase intelligence reports on Russian activities in Nicaragua. Thanks to a law just passed in the Senate will request documents on Russia’s military sales to the Central American country Yes “That the possibility of imposing sanctions under the Opponents of the United States by Sanctions Act (CAATSA) be reconsidered”, they detailed in the text.

While the Nicaraguan president issued a presidential decree requiring international organizations or institutions to seek the consent of the Nicaraguan government to award prizes to national persons or entities. “The government, foreign state, international organization or institution that wishes to award a prize, decoration or recognition to a Nicaraguan natural or legal person, must first seek the agreement of the government of Nicaragua,” said the president in a decree published Thursday in La Gaceta, official newspaper.