When the President Daniel Ortega called for a National Dialogue to deal with the crisis, he asked the Bishops to be mediators and witnesses to the dialogue. These are the translations of the documents that they have produced, with the most recent at the top:
NATIONAL DIALOGUE MEDIATION AND WITNESS COMMISSION
PRESS RELEASE
JUNE 15, 2018
The National Dialogue was renewed on Friday June 15, 2018, after it was suspended due to the lack of consensus this past May 23, 2018. The Mediation and Witness Commission presided over the session, composed of His Eminence Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes, Mons. Rolando Álvarez, Mons. Jorge Solórzano, Mons. Bosco Vivas, Mons. Silvio Báez and Mons. Juan Abelardo Mata; this session had the presence of Mons. Waldemar Stanislaw Sommertang, the new Apostolic Nuncio in Nicaragua.
The sectors participating have been representatives of the government, private enterprise, students, universities, civil society, workers, the rural area, evangelical churches and indigenous and afro-descendent communities.
After an arduous day of work, progress was able to be made on the first point of the agenda: Human Rights. The following agreements were achieved:
- The presence of the IACHR is urgently needed and they are urged to announce the members of the international group of investigators for Nicaragua that will have to work on site to help in the investigation of all the deaths and acts of violence, the identification of those responsible, and a holistic plan of attention to the victims so that effective justice be achieved. In addition, that the functioning of the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts for Nicaragua (GIEI for its acronym in Spanish) and the follow up mechanism (MESENI) be installed, to support civil society, to continue montoring and processing the cautionary measures and cases postulated in the interamerican system.
- The immediate invitation on the part of the Government of the Republic to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the European Union.
- The immediate presence of the Secretary General of the OAS is important.
- The dialogue roundtable calls for an end to all type of violence and threats, do matter where they come from.
- The Verification and Security Commission is created, composed of representatives of the National Dialogue, always having the Church as witness and the international organizations refered to above as accompaniers. The Commission will define their work procedures and internal organization approved by the National Dialogue. This Commission will verify that an environment of peace and security exists for all Nicaraguans.
- The end of all forms of violence and threats no matter where they come from in the national territory, and a plan with its implementation as soon as possible for the removal of barricades on the part of the Verification and Security Commission. This will favor even more the maintenance of an environment of peace and security.
The commitment to the implementation of the content of this agreement creates conditions to address in the dialogue, tomorrow June 16, the democratization process of the country, that includes the points of the agenda presented to the President of the Republic by the Episcopal Conference on June 7th.
Issued in the city of Managua on the fifteenth day of the month of June of the year two thousand eighteen.
Mediation and Witness Commission
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NATIONAL DIALOGUE MEDIATION AND WITNESS COMMISSION
PRESS RELEASE
MAY 18, 2018
Today Friday May 18, 2018 the First Session of the National Dialogue was held, presided over by the Mediation and Witness Commission, composed of His Eminence Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes, Mons. Rolando Álvarez, Mons. Jorge Solórzano, Mons. Bosco Vivas y Mons. Silvio Báez, Bishop delegates of the Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua.
The participanting sectors have been government representatives, private enterprise, students, universities, civil society, workers, the rural area, evangelical churches and indigenous and afro-descendent communities.
On the topic of Justice it is important to highlight the presence at the Dialogue roundtabel of the Interamerican Commission for Human Rights (IACHR) as an investigative institution that promotes the clarification of the facts and the truth as a fundamental right of the people for the purpose of obtaining a exit to the crisis of the country.
The Dialogue roundtable achieved the following points of undertanding:
The urgency of stopping acts of violence, as recorded in the Letter of the Episcopal Conference of May 11 of this year.
All the sectors promise to hold a truce on Saturday and Sunday, May 19 and 20, where the Government is obliged to withdraw the police to their bases and withdraw the shock forces, Government sympathizers and civil society will join efforts to promote better conditions for the Dialogue, normalizing transit and continuing to a better climate on Monday May 21, 2018.
Likewise, all Sectors recognize the urgent need to respect the right to meet, demonstrate and hold civic and peaceful protests.
Thank and support the work of the IACHR in Nicaragua, particularly in terms of the investigations and clarifications of the events of April and the adoption of urgent cuationary measures for the safety of the youth and the population.
Accept the meaning and spirit of the Press Release of the IACHR in Managua, issued this same day, May 18 in the context of the on site visit: likewise, this Dialogue Roundtable makes itself available to collaborate in their mission.
The importance of reaching agreements in the national dialogue for benefits for the Nicaraguan nation within the constitutional framework, based on the principles of respect for the dignity of people, justice, freedom and democracy.
Finally, we highlight the importance of making all possible efforts to create a climate of stability, security, coexistence and freedom.
Issued in the city of Managua on the eighteenth day of the month of May of the year two thousand eighteen.