The Government of Nicaragua Tuesday announced it will turn what used to be the Organization of American States (OAS) headquarters in Managua into a museum of infamy after declaring the property of public utility and transferring ownership thereof to the State.
The US Treasury Department and the United Kingdom announced new sanctions against members of the Nicaraguan government in retaliation for the controversial presidential elections held on 7 November.
The 27 countries of the European Union imposed new sanctions against eight Nicaraguan leaders responsible for the deterioration of democracy in the country's institutions and for repression against the opposition. The list includes the Nicaraguan vice president and First Lady, Rosario Murillo. Juan Carlos Ortega head of the official television channel, the chief of Police, and the president of the National Assembly.
After arresting most opposition leaders who could challenge him, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega announced Monday that he will run for a new term in office in the November 7 elections.
The main opposition alliance in Nicaragua named a former right-wing guerrilla and a beauty queen as its candidates for the coming presidential election in November. The Citizens Alliance for Liberty, CXL, nominated Oscar Sobalvarro, 68 as president hopeful and ex-Miss Nicaragua 2017, Berenice Quezada, 27 to complete the ticket.
United States president Donald Trump on Tuesday sanctioned the wife of Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega and one of his aides under a new executive order allowing Washington to target Nicaraguan officials for a crackdown on anti-government protests.
Nicaragua's veteran leader Daniel Ortega defended brutal action by his forces against anti-government protesters, as the United States warned he and his wife were ultimately responsible for deaths and rights violations.
By Gwynne Dyer (*) - From the Ceausescus in Romania (overthrown and shot 1989) to the Mugabes (removed in a non-violent military coup 2017), husband-and-wife teams running authoritarian regimes seem to have a particularly high casualty rate. And now it may be the turn of the Nicaraguan team: President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice-President Rosario Murillo.
At least two people were killed and 50 wounded as clashes flared in Nicaragua after peace talks between the government and opposition collapsed, the Red Cross and victims' relatives said on Thursday.
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.