BOGOTÁ.- New onslaught by the Sandinista dictatorship, this time once morest exiles who did not fall directly into its clutches. In a very summary proceeding, Judge Ernesto Rodríguez, president of the Nicaraguan Court of Appeals, announced the stripping of the nationality and property of 94 exiles, whom he declared “fugitives”.
Among the newly accused of “traitors to the country”like the 222 exiled to the United States, there are prominent figures of Nicaraguan politics and society, such as the writer Sergio Ramirezwho was vice president in the first stage of the government of Daniel Ortega, and the archbishop of Managua, Monsignor Silvio José Báezexiled in Miami following the intervention of Pope Francis.
The poetess Gioconda Belli; the human rights defender Vilma Nunez, president of the emblematic Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights (Cenidh); journalist Carlos Fernando Chamorro (brother of the pre-candidates Cristiana and Pedro Joaquín, released last week); the sociologist Sofia Montenegro and Arturo McFields, former ambassador to the Organization of American States, appear on the new presidential “blacklist”, which includes the withdrawal of their citizen rights “perpetually” and the disqualification from holding public office.
“We will never stop being Nicaraguans”McFields reacted instantly.
“Everything to guarantee social peace, independence, sovereignty and peace for Nicaraguans,” stressed the judge in a television broadcast to the nation, with the same paraphernalia as last week. The magistrate informed the rest of the revolutionary powers that the condemned “are no longer Nicaraguans.”
The judges of the fifth, sixth, ninth and tenth criminal district courts participated in the new judicial pantomime together with Rodríguez, in an attempt to give it legal importance.
journalists like Lucia Pineda (100% News) and Alvaro Navarro (Article 66), peasant leaders such as girl ramirezpriests as Uriel Vallejosactivists like Monica Baltodanopolicies such as the liberal Kitty Monterrey y Alexa Zamorafrom the Blue and White National Unity, and even bertha valleythe wife of former presidential candidate Félix Maradiaga, appear on this latest list of Sandinistas.
“Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo are ridiculed, a thousand times. I am Nicaraguan, by the grace of God. I carry my Nicaragua and my Cinco Pinos in my Blood. If they think they’re going to bring me to my knees with this, they’re entangled once more. Long live Nicaragua!”, Navarro calmed through his social networks.
The backfire. This is how the operation to release and exile to the United States 222 political prisoners, with which Ortega sought to obtain political gains, has turned out. The resistance and strength of those released as well as the attitude of the Bishop of Matagalpa, Monsignor Rolando Alvarezwho refused to board the plane, have become a boomerang once morest the revolutionary dictator.
Nicaraguan media have published in the last few hours that the rebel bishop remains in a punishment cell at the Modelo prison in Managua, which among political prisoners is known as “Infiernillo”. After being sentenced to 26 years in prison also for treason, Álvarez has aroused national and international solidarity.