This post and the press release by the Nicaraguan Government which follows, shows the difference in perspectives between The Blue and White National Unity, a participant in the National Dialogue under the Civic Alliance for Justice and Democracy, and the government. The government, through the actions of the National Police, has not allowed civil society to peacefully demonstrate since September 2018, in effect alleging that demonstrations by nature are a violation of public order. While the Blue and White National Unity see the right to demonstrate as something that cannot be subject to negotiation, as it is enshrined in the constitution.
[for original Spanish see: https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&vertical=default&q=%23SOSNicaragua&src=hash]
Press Release
NATIONAL UNITY
On Saturday March 16, 2019 the citizenry was preparing to civically and peacefully demonstrate in response to the call made by the Blue and White National Unity, the University Coalition and the Committee for the Liberation of Political Prisoners. The Ortega regime responded criminally, deploying their police, paramilitaries, and political operators, who with a inordinate use of force, abducted and beat minors, women, adults and journalists.
Shots and tear gas were received, leaving a balance of 6 people wounded by rubber bullets and pellets, in addition to several people wounded and more than 195 detained (among them members of the Civic Alliance and the Blue and White National Unity) a situation that was manifested in other provinces of the country.
The dictatorship wants to naturalize the violence, and use negotiations as an instrument to wash its face before the international community. Negotiate and kidnap, speak about “peace and reconciliation” and repress and instill terror throughout the national territory. This dictatorship is not willing to respect human rights, and does not show the political will to find a peaceful solution to the crisis that the country is experiencing.
It is urgent to stop this wave of repression and kidnapping, and disarm the paramilitaries and political operators who are threatening and intimidating the citizenry.
We request of the OAS the immediate application of the Interamerican Democratic Charter, the governments of the world must repudiate this dictatorship. We ask the UN to act accordingly to prevent more massacres.
We continue believing that dialogue is the only path for the solution to the social and political crisis of the country, but with the prior conditions that we have manifested many times, above all, the liberation of all political prisoners, the end to the repression and the return of the international human rights organizations.
The streets belong to the people, we will remain there until this regime leaves. In commemoration of the 11 months of struggle, we make the call for this Wednesday March 20 to travel with our vehicles to the closest traffic circle and join in a NATIONAL BLAST OF HORNS at 6pm.
We reiterate the call to the general population to continue demonstrating where ever you are in favor of the liberation of our political prisoners and the freedom of Nicaragua.
Issued in the city of Managua on the eighteenth day of the month of March of two thousand nineteen.
BLUE AND WHITE NATIONAL UNITY
Email: [email protected]
Nicaragua, CA