Get our news on your inbox! x

Remember me Forgot password

MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, November 22nd 2024 - 04:05 UTC

Tag: Daniel Ortega

  • Monday, May 14th 2018 - 08:34 UTC

    Nicarguan army sides with protests, calls for an end to violence

    The protests have expanded to at least eight departments, including clashes over the weekend between protesters, police and pro-government civilian groups.

    Nicaragua's military called for a halt to violence that has rocked the country during weeks of protests and a deadly crackdown by police and supporters of President Daniel Ortega's government. In a statement late Saturday, the army also expressed solidarity with families of those who have died — more than 60, according to a human rights group.

  • Monday, April 30th 2018 - 09:00 UTC

    Massive peaceful turnout in Nicaragua, with a month mediation of the Church

    The rally took place just hours after university students at the forefront of anti-government unrest issued conditions for talks with President Daniel Ortega.

    Thousands of Nicaraguans marched peacefully through the capital Managua on Saturday in a mass demonstration to demand justice following the violent suppression of a wave of protests that left at least 43 people dead. During the rally, which was called by the Catholic church, Managua's bishop issued a deadline of one month to see if there was a serious intention to achieve change through a national dialogue aimed at resolving issues that triggered the country's worst unrest in 11 years.

  • Friday, April 27th 2018 - 13:34 UTC

    The Washington Post: The political rot in Nicaragua

    By the thousands, Nicaraguans have taken to the streets in protest, and Ortega has responded with demonizing propaganda, media censorship and police gunfire.

    Nicaragua is a volcanic nation, geologically and politically. Forty years ago, seemingly out of nowhere, a series of popular eruptions shook the entrenched regime of Anastasio Somoza, who fell from power on 19 July, 1979. Today, one of the revolutionary architects of that dictator’s ouster, Sandinista party chief Daniel Ortega, rules the country of 6.1 million as high-handedly and corruptly as Somoza ever did.

  • Wednesday, April 25th 2018 - 15:17 UTC

    Repression and protests in Nicaragua do not mitigate: Daniel Ortega as Nicolás Maduro?

    “Damn the soldier who points his gun to his own people” is a phrase of Simón Bolívar used by Nicaraguans and Venezuelans demonstrators. RODRIGO ARANGUA / AFP

    “Ortega and Somoza are the same thing” protesters in Nicaragua yelled last week against the government of Daniel Ortega, after the announcement of a Social Security's reform that unleashed a wave of protests marked by repression and excessive use of force by the authorities. Human rights organizations have announced that at least 30 people have died in the demonstrations, including students, police and a journalist. This surprise wave of civil protests suggests comparing the crisis in the Central American country with the lived in the Venezuela of Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro for years.

  • Monday, April 23rd 2018 - 09:49 UTC

    Nicaragua's Ortega cancels social security reform following riots and death of 26 killed by police

    Human rights groups said at least 26 people were killed in several days of clashes. Dozens of shops in the Nicaraguan capital of Managua were looted

    Nicaragua's president on Sunday withdrew changes to the social security system that had triggered several days of deadly protests and looting. President Daniel Ortega said in a message to the nation late Sunday that the National Social Security Institute's board of directors had canceled the changes that were implemented April 16.

  • Monday, November 7th 2016 - 08:11 UTC

    Nicaragua ballots confirming a husband-wife presidential couple

    Rosario Murillo, whom many see as already sharing power and positioned to go from vice president to head of state, described the vote as “a historic election”

    Nicaragua held elections Sunday that look certain to hand another term to popular President Daniel Ortega, and make his wife Rosario Murillo vice-president, but which the opposition said was marked by “massive” voter abstention and the US Department has described as “rigged”.

  • Friday, December 26th 2014 - 07:30 UTC

    Nicaragua: civic organisations want protesters freed, 'Chinese invaders' out

    Popular unrest over the Nicaragua Canal

    Expropriation law upsets peasants, environmentalists. 30 arrested nationwide. President Daniel Ortega dubbed a 'traitor'.

  • Tuesday, December 23rd 2014 - 06:28 UTC

    Groundbreaking of Chinese-backed Nicaragua Canal commences

    The canal wiill have 172-mile (278-km) canal, due to be operational by around 2020,

    Protesters, skepticism did not stop the administration of President Daniel Ortega. Project seeks to reshape country's poor economy,

  • Wednesday, January 29th 2014 - 06:40 UTC

    Nicaragua's Ortega joins the club of Latam leaders addicted to remaining in office

    The Nicaragua legislative dominated by Ortega members scrapped presidential term limits

    Nicaragua's national assembly voted to scrap presidential term limits, which could allow current head of state Daniel Ortega to run again for election at the end of his current mandate.

  • Monday, January 13th 2014 - 07:27 UTC

    Nicaragua announces that construction of inter-ocean canal begins this year

    President Ortega and Chinese tycoon Wang Jing during the announcement ceremony

    President Manuel Ortega said on Saturday that the construction of a massive inter-oceanic canal in Nicaragua that could significantly alter global trade would start at the end of 2014. Ortega gave a Chinese group a concession to manage the future shipping channel for 50 years, with the possibility to renew the contract for another 50.