AMERICA/NICARAGUA - Message from the Archdiocese of Managua: "There are no preconditions for democratic elections"

Thursday, 12 August 2021 politics   human rights   elections   democracy   area crisis  

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Managua (Agenzia Fides) - The Archdiocese of Managua, through its Justice and Peace Commission, has denounced the systematic violation of political and constitutional rights in the election campaign for the November vote.
In a statement sent to Fides and relaunched on social media, "Justice and Peace" Commission denounced the serious situation following a wave of persecution that Daniel Ortega's regime has instigated against opposition members, including those running for president, journalists and politicians, in recent months.
In addition, there are "threats against the Catholic Church, insults to its priests and bishops, visa and residence restrictions for foreign priests, harassment against parishioners and other illegal and intimidating measures".
In this way, "the Nicaraguan people, who have the right to choose different political options, will be prevented from freely expressing their preferences in the November election. The electoral process, which should be a civic celebration, is lived with fear and uncertainty because there are no conditions for democratic elections", continues the statement.
Furthermore, "we are hurt by the new wave of emigration from Nicaragua, which mainly affects young people who are forced to leave their homeland due to insecurity, unemployment and uncertainty about the future of the country".
In the last three months, Daniel Ortega's regime has arrested seven presidential candidates
(See Fides, 17/6/2021 and 9/7/2021).
Civil society organizations have denounced that the Ortega regime is holding more than 140 political prisoners in various prisons across the country, including more than 30 activists, politicians, intellectuals, former Sandinista rebels, businessmen, former diplomats and journalists who were in the lead up to the election were arrested on November 7th. (CE) (Agenzia Fides, 12/8/2021)


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