“A pressure cooker about to explode.” This was how international human rights NGO Amnesty International (AI) described Nicaragua this week amid growing international condemnation of serious human rights violations committed by the Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional (FSLN) administration led by President Daniel Ortega against anti-government protesters which has so far left over 300 dead. AI’s statement follows recent attacks by pro-government paramilitaries against members of the Catholic Episcopal Conference (CEN) which is brokering national dialogue between the government and opposition. The mediators insist that the dialogue process will continue despite the attacks; despite Ortega’s declared refusal to bring forward elections from 2021 to 2019, a key demand of the opposition, CEN, and international community; and despite continued state repression. The international community – particularly the US – continues to ramp up the pressure on Ortega to make concessions.End of preview - This article contains approximately 1146 words.
Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article
Not a Subscriber?
Choose from one of the following options