In Solidarity with a Free Nicaragua
Democratic Spaces stands in solidarity with the demands of the people of Nicaragua to live in a free and democratic nation.
The cry for freedom was launched on April 18. 2018 when Nicaraguans took to the streets in what became one of the largest pro democracy protests in recent history. It was also considered the deadliest since the end of the civil war in 1990 as the regime responded with sheer brutality to peaceful protesters.
Initially people took to the streets to protest against Daniel Ortega’s decree of Social Security Reforms which increased taxes and decreased benefits. While popular pressure led Ortega to cancel the reforms within five days of its announcement, the protests grew into a movement that condemned the Ortega regime and called for his resignation. More than 2,000 protests nation wide occurred from April 18 to September 29. 2018 when demonstrations were made illegal.
The brutal crackdown on protesters ordered by the regime helped exposed to the world the true face of the Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo’s dictatorship. More than 355 people were killed as a result of the protests and today Nicaragua has over 185 political prisoners. Since the massive pro democracy protests of April 2018 in Nicaragua, the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship have amped up repression by silencing the media, criminalizing protests and persecuting pro democracy defenders.
Seven of the presidential candidates in the 2021 elections were arbitrary arrested by the Ortega regime under fabricated charges and sentenced to long prison terms under inhuman conditions. Félix Maradiaga was for example abducted and disappeared for 84 days. As reported by his wife, TV anchor and activist Berta Valle, he is being kept in the dark in a solitary confinement cell 24 hours a day and prohibited any form of contact with family members. He is being prohibited from access to any reading material. Other political prisoners also suffer from psychological tortures.
Since 2018 resistance to oppression in Nicaragua has been ongoing struggle. In response, the regime has unleashed all its brutality by responding to popular demand for democratic change with repression.
Democratic spaces calls on all pro democratic forces in Canada and around the world to condemn the Ortega dictatorship and stand in support of civil society as they lead a peaceful struggle to overthrown dictatorship and establish democracy in Nicaragua.
On April 6. 2022 Berta Valle exposed the oppressive nature of the Ortega dictatorship at the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy
MOMENTS IN THE HISTORY OF RESISTANCE IN NICARAGUA
Lesther Alemán, a student leader confronted Daniel Ortega on May 16, 2018, calling him criminal and demanding his resignation.
March of Flags. September 2,2018. Managua, Nicaragua.
Protests in Leon, Nicaragua on August 25. 2018. People demanded the release of young protesters arbitrarily arrested in previous protests.
On June 21, 2018 Auxiliary Bishop of Managua Silvio Báez stands with the people of Masaya and raises a voice against a government attempt to masacre protesters. Báez and other Bishops by making this call were able to demobilize repressive forces who were going to massacre pro democracy protesters.