Persecution in Nicaragua: Opposition leader Cristiana Chamorro held under house arrest

police officers from Nicaragua They entered the presidential candidate’s house on Wednesday Christian Chamorro With a “search and arrest” warrant issued by a local judge, it was officially reported. The order was given by the judge Karen Chavarria Morales The Ninth Circuit for Criminal Trial, according to a statement issued by that judicial unit.

Five hours after the raid, at 5:15 p.m. (Managua time), Christiana Chamorro was placed under house arrest, His brother Carlos Fernando Chamorro also revealed, who added that the house was “still occupied by the police”.

Head of the NGO Nicaragua Center for Human Rights (Senedah), Velma Nunez, told reporters that police officers stormedviolentlyThis Wednesday at Chamorro’s residence located about 11 kilometers south of the capital.

Nicaragua newspaper the press reported that Police officers with long weapons are kept inside the house In the surrounding areas there are policemen and civilians who monitor the development of events. The opposition leader is inside the house with her daughter, according to her sister-in-law, Veronica Lacayo.

Christian Chamorro He had called a press conference at 12 (1800 GMT) and the policemen had entered about 15 minutes earlier. Chamorro, 67, to investigate allegations of money laundering by Prosecutor’s Office On Tuesday evening, he announced her accusation and asked the competent authorities to prevent her from running for public office.

According to a statement issued by the Press and Public Relations Office of the Central Judicial Complex in Managua, Chamorro is accused of “Arbitrary administration, ideological lies in real competition with the crime of money laundering, property and assets, at the expense of the Nicaraguan State and Nicaraguan society“.”Dr. Chavarria also ordered that the lawsuit be filed and that judicial proceedings be conducted in accordance with the law. Once the accused is arrested and placed by order of the judicial authority, the hearing of the accused will be held”, he pointed to the press part of the system.

CEO of Human Rights WatchAnd the Jose Miguel VivancoHe pointed out the seriousness of the matter and indicated that he demanded respect for the human rights of the candidate and the main reference for the Nicaraguan opposition. “We demand respect for your human rights. The international community must be alert to this campaign of abuse that seeks to prevent any possibility of a fair election in the country.“, He said Vivanko.

“The Biden administration and the European Union should jointly condemn this plan to prevent free elections. A multilateral strategy is badly needed to stop Ortega“he added.

political persecution

Yesterday, Tuesday, the Nicaraguan Public Ministry charged Chamorro – the daughter of former President Violeta Barrios de Chamorro (1990-1997) – with the crimes of arbitrary administration, and ideological lying, in a real competition with the laundering of money, property and assets. Ortega’s justice carried out the order today.

The Office of the Prosecutor of the Sandinista regime also requested the removal of Chamorro Barrios from public office, The opposition figure most likely to win the November elections, as dictator Daniel Ortega seeks re-election, according to a CID Gallup poll, “Because they do not fully enjoy their civil and political rights because they are subject to a criminal process.”

In addition, the Public Prosecution began requesting precautionary measures to retain immigration, as indicated, to prevent him from evading the investigation process that was conducted against him. moreover, He demanded that Chamorro Barrios be prevented from attending certain meetings and places, and from communicating with people associated with the events under investigation.

These same precautions, with the exception of disqualification from public office, were requested against Univision’s Hispanic Nicaragua correspondent, Maria Lily Delgado Talavera.and journalists María Lourdes Arolega Vanegas and Guillermo José Medrano, former employees of the NGO Fundación Violeta Barrios de Chamorro.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office stated that “the process is continuing in the crime of laundering money, property, assets and others” that is being investigated with the Violetta Barrios de Chamorro Foundation, which was closed last February.

The Public Prosecution will continue to carry out all necessary investigation procedures to clarify the facts. We have contacted and will continue to contact all those who appear as beneficiaries.” By that NGO, submit.

According to the regime’s Ministry of the Interior, that non-governmental organization, which is dedicated to protecting and promoting freedom of the press and expression, “seriously breached its obligations before the supervisory authority, and from the analysis of financial statements, for the period 2015-2019, obtained clear indications of money laundering”, and for this reason “was” Inform the Public Prosecution (of opening) the corresponding investigation.”

What does Chamorro think?

In January of this year, Chamorro Leaving some concepts out in an in-depth interview with Infobae. In it, among other things, he said:We have a lifelong commitment to democracy, freedom and development, and in the circumstances that we are in now, where this dictatorship has taken us, I believe it is necessary to return the Nicaraguans to their country“.

“Nicaragua is interesting. Ortega fought to overthrow Somoza and Ortega later became Somoza. Then my mother came in and she raced Ortega and beat him… That might be the case. We must not get ahead of the times, but I see no surprise because this daughter, you say, or this citizen, has been since those times in the life of Nicaragua and like other women like me, we feel that Nicaragua needs this change, and if you have to make it, you must do it . I’m hereShe said at the time that the candidate had been persecuted by her opponent.

Read on: