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Government forces in Nicaragua shot dead two young people at a protest site in a church, clergy said, latest acts of violence in Central American country convulsed by political unrest for three years months
The attack took place on the third day of protests across the country against President Daniel Ortega, a former revolutionary hero now accused of authoritarianism.
Political tensions have exploded since protests against a pension reform now canceled on April 18 began and became a general opposition to Ortega and his government, with the "They were shooting to kill," said a young Saturday protester at Managua Cathedral, where students were kidnapped after fleeing the beleaguered parish church. "It was very hard, they had high caliber weapons and we only had mortars."
"The bullets whistled over our heads … They even tried to burn the church with people inside," said a student who used the name of El Negro.
] In Managua, hundreds of protesters took to the streets to seek justice and early elections
"Ortega wants us to kneel, but he did not realize that it far exceeded the fear that we would have, "said activist Azahalea Solis
The latest events followed a general strike on Friday and a peaceful procession by thousands on Thursday.
"They tell us that we have two dead and several wounded, "said Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes on his arrival at the parish besieged by the Vatican envoy, Stanislaw Waldemar Sommertag
" This hurts us a lot "He added:
The events provoked a general condemnation and called for an end to the violence, including the new socialist government in Spain, the Secretary General of the Organization of American States, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. ;man. and US officials UU And Brazil. and Chile
From José Miguel Vivanco, Executive Director for the Americas, Human Rights Watch.
The United States Ambbadador also spoke. in Nicaragua, Laura Dogu, and USAID chief Mark Green.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Madrid has called for an investigation into all deaths since April 18.
Costa Rica's Chancellor and First Vice President, Epsy Campbell, condemned "the use of lethal force against students and civilians" President of Argentina, Mauricio Macri, expressed his desire for peace for Nicaragua
– "They want to kill" A night of gunfire and fear in the church complex, religious leaders have negotiated the release of dozens of people. students
Waving Nicaraguan flags and raised fists, the released students pbaded by hundreds of supporters shouting at the highway as the drivers honked
"Long live the students!" they shouted.
The leaders of the Church reported that about twenty people had been injured
Later, the Nicaraguan Episcopal Conference issued a statement accusing the government of being hypocritical in its declared desire to maintain the [19659018] Students camped in the parish since Friday and were attacked late at night after an badault on the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua next door, a stronghold of the resistance.
Students have taken refuge in the university since the beginning of the demonstrations and a doctor has reported several wounded after pro-government forces opened fire.
Also on Saturday, an opposition leader accused government forces of attacking civilians who were protesting in the rural central municipality of San Pedro de Lovago after attempting to block a road [19]. 659003] – Speaking of Peace –
Nicaraguan forces attacked Friday a district of the Masaya opposition square, killing two people, while Ortega pleaded for peace .
procession from the capital to the opposition fortress, 30 kilometers south. One of the dead Friday was a policeman, told AFP a representative of the local rights group
The demonstration celebrates the "retirement" of June 1979 in which thousands of guerrillas withdrew from Managua to Masaya to regroup, before obtaining victory in July when the dictator Anastasio Somoza flees Nicaragua.
But where he was harbaded with Masaya allies fighting a dictatorship, the 72-year-old head of state is now despised in the rebel stronghold.
In Masaya, Ortega accused the opposition of "acting with poison and hatred" and called for a return to "the road to peace."
The opposition demands early elections or the resignation of Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, accusing them of corruption and despotism.
With the information of the AFP
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