A group of 160 Nicaraguan victims, along with 29 national, regional, and international human rights organizations, have called on governments from the Americas and Europe to prioritize the human rights situation in Nicaragua during the upcoming European Union – Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (EU-CELAC) summit. They urge the establishment of a Group of Friends of the Nicaraguan People to facilitate cross-regional, high-level efforts aimed at restoring democracy in the country.
The signatories of the letter, which include exiled Nicaraguans and former political detainees from various sectors, emphasize the need for a strong and meaningful response from democratic governments in Latin America and Europe. They propose that leaders from the Americas, along with the EU and its member states, form a Group of Friends of the Nicaraguan People to effectively coordinate an international response and push for a democratic transition.
President Daniel Ortega’s brutal crackdown on protesters in April 2018 has led to the targeting of government critics, with many Nicaraguans suffering from arbitrary detention, prosecution, expulsion, and deprivation of their rights. A report by the United Nations Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua released in March concluded that crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, sexual violence, and forced deportation, have been committed by the authorities.
Despite condemnation from several Latin American governments and the European External Action Service (EEAS), the international response lacks coordination and sustained effort to achieve the release of political prisoners, accountability, and steps towards democracy. The letter calls for Latin American governments to take the lead in creating a Group of Friends for the Nicaraguan People, conducting high-level meetings with Nicaraguan civil society groups and other stakeholders to develop a strategy that exerts concerted pressure, both privately and publicly, to address abuses, promote accountability, and push for free and fair elections.
Juanita Goebertus, Americas director at Human Rights Watch, stressed the urgency of a united approach from Latin American and European governments, stating that the people of Nicaragua cannot afford further delays in addressing the crisis.