Starting on January 25, 2022, with the statement originally from 27 relatives of political prisoners, a number of organizations have issued calls for the release of political prisoners as a first step toward a “`process of citizen unification”. The initial call was quickly seconded by the Nicaraguan University Alliance AUN, who issued their statement on January 26th. Later that same day the original group of relatives updated their statement adding the names of 18 additional relatives to the statement. Then the Civic Alliance for Justice and Democracy also issued a statement in support of this call made by the relatives of political prisoners.
The next day, January 27 fifteen more relatives signed the original statement, making a total of 60. That same day the Superior Council of Private Enterprise (COSEP) issued their own statement calling for dialogue “as the only instrument for us Nicaraguans to find the path toward the reunification of the family.” Three top leaders of COSEP are among the 170 political prisoners.
January 28 thirty four additional families published a joint press release joining the work in fovor of any initiative that would seek the liberation of the 170 political prisoners.
The translation of those different statements follows.
Statement from Relatives of Political Prisoners
Managua, Tuesday January 25, 2022
From the start we want to emphasize that we welcome all those who want to join our group of relatives, and at the same time we want to highlight that we are present here before the big Nicaraguan family, motivated not by any political ideology nor any type of rancor. Just the opposite. We present ourselves prompted by the forces of love and loyalty, to promote a common effort in favor of the liberation of the 170 brothers and sisters who today find themselves behind bars.
We know that the popular will to achieve this task already exists. The most recent survey (CID GALLUP, December 2021) shows that 73% of Nicaraguans believe that the incarceration of political prisoners is an injustice. We also know that in addition to the will, there is a sense of urgency in the country. Let us remember that that same survey showed that 67% want the trials of the political prisoners to be annulled and their immediate release.
This broad public sentiment is encouraging, because it shows us that for Nicaraguans the freedom of our prisoners is not a matter of party preference nor a maneuver in the fight for power. Their freedom, rather, can be seen as an initial step in a process that implies a greater degree of serenity for Nicaraguan homes, inside and outside our borders; and that gradually would help to reduce the fissures in our society.
Undoubtedly all of us yearn for a lasting peace and genuine unity, but that peace and unity is going to elude as long as the liberation of our 170 prisoners does not happen. We Nicaraguans, after all, are a compassionate and Christian people, and therefore we are a people incapable of forgetting those who are in cells, isolated from their loved ones. In fact, we the relatives of the political prisoners have experienced very intensely the supportive goodness of Nicaraguans, because along with the many prayers that we receive daily, we receive messages from all over and from people that many times we do not even know, expressing their personal and persistent concern for our prisoners.
These prayers and messages, for which we are grateful with all our hearts, have ended up convincing us the relatives that the liberation of political prisoners can serve as a type of liberation shared by all Nicaraguans, because it is obvious that the incarceration of the 170 brothers and sisters is like a parallel incarceration of the larger family.
In the face of this situation, we appeal to the rulers and the vital forces of the nation, as well as our Church so that they might lead and support a process of citizen unification, willing to build bridges, willing to listen to one another in order to thus begin to dismantle the mutual distrust that has divided us for centuries.
We clearly call for this constructive task out of a profound love for our prisoners, but let there be no doubt that a serious commitment to the country also moves us, for which we want more hope and less anxiety in all spheres – spiritual, economic, civic, social and political.
Once again thanks to all those who have listened to us today, and thanks to each one of our Nicaraguan compatriots.
Statement of Relatives of Political Prisoners
Each and every one of us are here out of our own initiative, representing in addition the relatives of many other prisoners, who are already well known by you. I refer specifically to:
- María Germania Carrión, wife of José Adán Aguerri Chamorro
- Carolina, José Adán and Isabella Aguerri, offspring of José Adán Aguerri.
- María Sacasa de Aguirre, wife of Francisco Aguirre Sacasa
- Lesbia Alfaro, mother of Lesther Alemán Alfaro.
- Liliex Poveda, spouse of William Caldera Navarrete.
- Consuelo and Nydia Cruz, sisters of Arturo Cruz Sequeira.
- Dina Medrano de Díaz, spouse of Mauricio Díaz Dávila.
- Pablo Fletes, brother of Marcos Fletes.
- María Consuelo Céspedes, spouse of Walter Gómez Silva.
- Julio Sandino Granera, son of Violeta Granera Padilla.
- Carolina Jirón Palacios, mother of Samantha Jirón Padilla.
- Blanca Meza, aunt of Max Jerez Meza.
- Cándida Mairena, sister of Medardo Mairena Sequeira.
- Heyder García Miranda, spouse of Pedro Mena Amador.
- Margin Pozo de Mendoza, spouse of Miguel Mendoza Urbina.
- Karen María González, spouse of Néstor Montealto Nuñez.
- Baltasar Arévalo, spouse of María Oviedo Delgado.
- Jilma Herdocia de Pallais, spouse of José Pallais Arana.
- Miguel Parajón, father of Yader Parajón.
- María Marta Morales, cousin of José Antonio Peraza.
- Fernanda Guevara, spouse of Roger Reyes Barrera.
- Hazel Matus, spouse of Fanor Alejandro Ramos.
- Arelis Saavedra Cedeño, sister of Richard Saavedra Cedeño.
- Deyanira Parrales de Tinoco, spouse of Victor Hugo Tinoco Fonseca.
- Norma Vega Rios, spouse of Pedro Vásquez Cortedano.
- Yadira Torres Bermúdez, spouse of Freddy Navas López.
- Martha Lucia Urcuyo de Chamorro, spouse of Pedro Joaquín Chamorro Barrios.
We, the Nicaraguan University Alliance, AUN, support and make our own the statement that the relatives of political prisoners issued yesterday (Tuesday, January 25, 2022), among them the relatives of Lesther Alemán and Max Jerez, leaders and founders of our organization.
The liberation of all the political prisoners is a national demand that calls all of us together. As long as there are political prisoners Nicaragua will not have peace, democracy and prosperity. In this way we share with the relatives of the political prisoners the fact that “we all yearn for a lasting peace and genuine unity, but that peace and unity will elude us as long as the liberation of our 170 prisoners does not happen.”
In the AUN we will continue committed to a peaceful, democratic and institutional outcome to the serious social, political and economic crisis that Nicaragua is experiencing. For that reason we agree with the relatives of the political prisoners that their liberation “can be seen as the initial step in a process that implies a greater degree of serenity for Nicaraguan homes, inside and outside of our borders, and that would gradually help to reduce the fissures in our society.”
We accompany the relatives of political prisoners in the struggle for their liberation, which is also our struggle and the struggle of all the Nicaraguan people. Freedom for all political prisoners! Freedom for Nicaragua!
AUN* there is Hope!
AUN** we continue in the struggle!
Today, January 26, we present new signers in support of the statement yesterday of the relatives of political prisoners:
- Hanzi Alemán, sister of Bryan Kessler Alemán
- Maritza Arce, mother of Maycol Antonio Arce.
- Tania Mendieta, wife of Edgar Antonio Ayala Valle.
- Marbeli Leal, mother of Gustavo Adolfo Beteta.
- María Montalván, sister of Wilfredo Alejandro Brenes.
- Lía Verónica Silva Barbosa, daughter of Nidia Barbosa Castillo.
- Rafaela Ortiz, mother of Norlan Cárdenas Ortiz.
- Vanessa Duarte, spouse of Michael David Caballero Ayala.
- Leticia Dávila Meza, daughter of Baltazar Dávila Sovalbarro.
- Carlos Alberto Hernández, brother of Edwin Antonio Hernández.
- Carmen Jirón Jarquine, mother of Denis García Jirón.
- Karen Lacayo, sister of Edward Lacayo.
- Margin Blandón, mother of Jaime Navarrete Blandón.
- Karen Gonzales, spouse of Wlber Antonio Prado Gutierrez
- Lizeth Barrera, spouse of Marvin Antonio Rodríguez López
- Ulises Rivas, brother of Lázaro Rivas
- Skarleth Narváez, spouse of Ernesto Ramírez García.
- Adela María Pineda, spouse of José Alcides Zeledón Úbeda
PRESS RELEASE OF THE CIVIC ALLIANCE FOR JUSTICE AND DEMOCRACY
January 26, 2022
The Civic Alliance for Justice and Democracy began in May 2018 with the purpose of promoting the search for a civic and peaceful solution to the social and political crisis that the regime has worsened with the harassment, repression, persecution and incarceration of opponents.
Our Alliance does not believe in confrontation nor violence; for that reason, we have always been committed to dialogue and sincere negotiation, because it is the only path for a peaceful solution to the crisis.
The Civic Alliance backs and signs the statement from a group of relatives of 45 political prisoners where they make a call to all the vital forces of the nation and to the Catholic Church to lead and support a process of citizen unification in the hope of the liberation of the 170 brothers and sisters who today find themselves behind bars.
The statement is also signed by relatives of Lesther Alemán Alfaro, Max Jerez Meza and José Adán Aguerri Chamorro; members of our organization.
Each one of the people incarcerated, tortured and sentenced in spurious trials is innocent and therefore we demand their immediate liberatin, without conditions and with guarantees of non repetition.
We reiterate our principal demands, which are the freedom of all political prisoners, the end to repression, repeal of laws that restrict the fundamental rights of Nicaraguans, the return of international human rights organizations and the holding of free elections after electoral reforms that would allow the transition toward a Nicaragua with justice and democracy.
We want a country with justice, full democracy and with opportunities for all!
Today January 27 we present new signers in support of the statement of the relatives of political prisoners. We welcome all those families that want to join this initiative in the search for the liberation of our relatives:
- Jaime Roberto Arellano Harding, Nelly Margarita Arellano Harding and Jonathan Arellano Harding, offspring of Jaime Arellano Arana.
- Martha Del Socorro Ubilla, mother of Marvin Antonio Castellón Ubilla
- Cristiana María Lacayo Chamorro, daughter of Cristiana Chamorro Barrios.
- Maritza del Carmen Escobar, sister of Karla Escobar.
- Carmen and Ana Flores, sisters of María Fernanda Flores
- Marcia Carvajal, spouse of Carlos Antonio López Cano.
- Johana Guzmán, mother of Jonathan Snayder López Guzmán.
- Ana Mejia Gonzalez, daughter of Gerardo Antonio Mejia Montoya
- Elizabeth Caldera Gonzalez, spouse of Steven Moises Mendoza
- Rafaela Socorro Centeno, mother of Eder Uriel Muñoz Centeno.
- Ariana and Eveling Lucia Gutierrez Pinto, daughters of Rusia Evelyn Pinto Centeno
- Katy Massiel Bonilla, spouse of Julio Cesar Pineda Izaguirre.
- Johana Robles Carballo, sister of Yorlin Efrain Robles Carballo.
- Yamileth Ibarra Mairena, mother of Yoel Ibzan Sandino Ibarra.
- Leana Lovo de Vidaurre, Daniela and Andrea Vidaurre Lovo, spouse and daughters of Noel Vidaurre Arguello.
The Superior Council of Private Enterprise (COSEP), and its Leadership Council, in plenary session on Wednesday, January 26, 2022, unanimously resolved to consider dialogue as the only instrument for us Nicaraguans to find the path to the reunification of the family.
Consequently, COSEP welcomes the “Statement made by the Relatives of Political Prisoners” of January 25, 2022, which expressed that “in the face of this situation, we appeal to the rulers and the vital forces of the nation, as well our Church, that they might lead and support a process of citizen unification, willing to build bridges; willing to listen to one another to begin to dismantle the mutual distrust that has divided us for centuries.”
We join this call full of hope, with the confidence of supporting a process that might unify all the citizenry of Nicaragua.
We commit ourselves in a frank way to the search for viable, prompt solutions without preconditions, which would prioritize resolving the impasse that the nation is experiencing.
Managua, January 27, 2022.
We, the relatives of Juan Sebastián Chamorro, Juan Lorenzo Holmann Chamorro, Felix Maradiaga, Miguel Mora, Luis Alberto Rivas Anduray, Edgard Parrales, Irving Larios Sánchez, Henry Bayardo Chavez Cerda, Evelyn Pinto Centeno, Alex Hernandez, Marcos Fletes, Ana Margarita Vijil, Tamara Davila, Dora María Téllez, Victor Hugo Tinoco, Suyen Barahona, Osmar Vindell, Jaime Enrique Navarrete Blandón, José Angel González Escobar, Kennis José Vargas Gutierrez, Bryan Kelser Alemán, Benjamin Ernesto Gutierrez Collado, Sergio Beteta Carrillo, Rodolfo Zamora Sandoval, Hader Humberto Gonzalez Zeledón, Manuel Urbina Lara, Edgard Ayala, Lázaro Rivas, Edward Lacayo, Donald Magarito Alvarenga, Jhon Cerna, María Esperanza Sánchez, Wilber Pérez, Maycol John Herrera Gutiérrez, José Santos Sánchez, Bernardo José Ramos Galo, and Muammar Vado, welcome, send Greetings and manifest our decisión to work in favor of any initiative in the hopes of joining efforts for the precious freedom of each one of the 170 prisoners unjustly detained.
We reiterate our interest in that their freedom be immediate, unconditional, with the nullification of the trials and the full reestablishment of their citizen guarantees.
Managua, January 28, 2022
* The acronym AUN spells out the word “still” in Spanish, so it makes the slogans a play on words, “there is still hope, we still continue in the struggle”