2023-06-14 01:56:02
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi delved into Nicaragua on Tuesday in his confrontational speech, in an act together with Sandinista President Daniel Ortega. The United States was questioned by both leaders, as happened on Monday in Caracas, at the start of their first visit to Latin America.
“The United States wanted to paralyze our people with threats and sanctions, but it has not succeeded,” Raisi asserted, following pointing out that his country is governed by a “democratic” system elected by popular vote and that respects “justice and freedom.”
The president of the Islamic Republic, who arrived in the Nicaraguan capital from Venezuela, spoke from a platform in the Plaza de los Non-Aligned, in the old center of the Nicaraguan capital. The next stop on his tour will take him to Cuba.
In his speech, Raisi lashed out at “imperialist and evil powers” and said that a “new world order” is being formed to defeat them. The day before, he had insisted before the president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, that both countries have a “common enemy”, also alluding to the United States.
The Nicaraguan president, aligned with the tone of the statement, welcomed “brother Ebrahim Raisi” on Tuesday and also attacked the North American nation and European countries, whom he called “imperialists and slaveholders.”
Ortega also paid tribute to Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in a lightning attack by the United States in Iraq in January 2020. The Nicaraguan ruler called for a minute of silence for Soleimani, whom both called a “hero.”
During Raisi’s visit, cooperation agreements were signed with Managua. “We are going to continue and deepen our relations in all areas, especially in science and technology,” said the Iranian ruler, accompanied by a large delegation of ministers and deputies.
Raisi will conclude his stay in Nicaragua on Wednesday, following visiting the headquarters of the National Assembly (Parliament).
This is the first trip of the Iranian ruler to Latin America since he took power in 2021 and he does so by visiting his three main political allies in the region: Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba.
Nicaragua and Iran maintain close diplomatic ties that were ratified last February in Managua, with the signing of a cooperation memorandum between foreign ministers Denis Moncada and Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, respectively.
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