The United States repeatedly pressed for the release. Nicaragua’s ruler Daniel Ortega has now brought hundreds of people imprisoned for political reasons to the United States.
The Nicaraguan government has released more than 200 prisoners labeled political and sent them to the United States. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the 222 people affected arrived at an airport near Washington on Thursday.
Blinken welcomed the release, saying it allows for further dialogue between the US and the Central American country. The US ensured the safe transport of those released from Nicaragua to Washington. The US government had repeatedly asked Daniel Ortega’s authoritarian government to release the prisoners.
Among them are politicians and business people, journalists, representatives of civil society and students, according to the US government. One of the persons has US citizenship. According to the Nicaraguan University Alliance, those released include prominent student leaders Lesther Alemán, Mildred Rayo and Miguel Flores. These were recently sentenced to prison terms of up to 13 years. Government critics who were under house arrest are said to have been freed and expelled to the United States, the government-critical portal “Confidencial” reported.
US State Department spokesman Ned Price said the government of Nicaragua had taken the step on its own. The US government has agreed to accept those released. “This was not part of a larger deal,” he said. US sanctions against Nicaragua and other restrictions remained in place. However, the US government hopes to be able to improve relations with the country.
In recent weeks, several government opponents have been sentenced to prison terms in Nicaragua for undermining national integrity and spreading fake news. Ortega’s government is increasingly taking action against members of the opposition, church representatives and journalists. According to the opposition, more than 245 political prisoners are in custody. Many activists, politicians, intellectuals and journalists had to leave the country. More than 350 people died in anti-government protests in 2018.
Source: Stern
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