Now Argentina has refused to sign a very harsh document against Daniel Ortega

In another abrupt shift in its foreign policy, the government has now avoided condemning regime abuses Daniel OrtegaBy refusing to sign a strict declaration signed by nearly sixty countries this Tuesday in Geneva, in which it demanded that the Nicaraguan regime allow “free” and “transparent” elections and the release of its political prisoners.

It was in the framework of the United Nations session in which the statement of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, is awaiting. At this time, the former Chilean president has not yet spoken about Nicaragua.

And the funny thing is that yesterday, boss Alberto Fernandez He announced through a statement that he had contacted his ambassador in Managua to consult, Kirchner leader Daniel Kapitanic. He did so with Mexico and Costa Rica joined. The move came as a sign of a hardening of its stance against the Ortega regime, which led a raid against opposition leaders, and even sent candidates for the presidential elections next November to prison. On Tuesday, he was criticized for his refusal to join the Organization of American States.

Interestingly, the government backed Bachelet’s conviction last March for human rights as free elections. But Argentina has not signed a declaration similar to the one issued on Tuesday, which was signed by the United States, Brazil, France, Spain and many other countries.

The official ups and downs were such that this Tuesday Ambassador Federico Villegas Beltran endorsed Bachelet’s report on Nicaragua – March and now updated – with a speech expressing Argentina’s “concern” about the human rights situation in Nicaragua, “and in particular,” he said, “due to the arrest of opposition political figures.

Also due to “continued restrictions on civic space and suppression of dissent.” He did so on his own without supporting the declaration of other nations and the State Department that was once again in harmony with Mexico, which he also did not sign.

The document, which Argentina did not sign, begins by referring to the “human rights violations” taking place in Nicaragua. He affirms: “We share OHCHR’s concerns about Nicaragua, including persistent impunity for human rights violations since April 2018 and persistent reports of arbitrary arrests. The government must ensure that human rights are protected and those responsible are held accountable.”

He then goes on to call for a halt to the calls: “We urge the government to stop the harassment of journalists and human rights defenders and to allow civil society organizations to operate in safe and enabling environments, without fear of reprisals.”

He also advances on the obstacles Ortega imposed on the electoral process a few weeks before the elections: “We are concerned that the government has not implemented significant electoral reforms before the May 2021 deadline of the Organization of American States, with the support of 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. He notes that the arbitrary dissolution of political parties and criminal proceedings against the many contenders and opponents of the presidency are particularly troubling. “We demand his immediate release,” he added.

These measures are likely to prevent free and fair elections in Nicaragua next November, and they speculate and urge Nicaragua to participate even with international election observers in the presidential election. Hence, the declaration of these 59 countries considers that Nicaragua “They deserve free and fair elections through a transparent and credible process, and a peaceful solution to the social and political crisis in the country.”

Since 2020, the High Commissioner has been reprimanding the authorities for their failure to “constructively address the tensions and structural problems that unleashed the social and political crisis in April 2018.” The suppression of the protest left more than 300 people dead.

Indeed, in the early days of this new wave of arrests, Bachelet’s Central American office delegation was quick to condemn the “criminal trial”, this time against political leaders who directly threaten Ortega’s intentions to re-elect him again in November’s presidential election.

Tuesday’s presentation by Bachelet is consistent with human rights around the world. Indeed, yesterday, in what represents a historic moment, I criticized the abuses committed by Governor Gildo Insefran in the province of Formosa.

see also