Also a former guerrilla, one of Ortega’s major opponents
(ANSA) – MANAGUA, June 13 – The Nicaraguan police have arrested four well-known leaders of the Sandinista dissent, including the former guerrilla Dora Maria Tellez, one of the most critical voices against Daniel Ortega’s government. The police reported this in a statement.
“Dora Maria Tellez and Ana Margarita Vigil Guardian”, both leaders of the Union for Democratic Renewal (Unamos), an opposition party, were arrested today, “the statement read. Hours later, the police announced the arrest. Unamos president Suyen Barahona Cuan and party vice president, retired Sandinista dissident general Hugo Torres.
The head of American diplomacy for the Americas, Julie Chung, defined these new arrests as arbitrary and invited member countries of the Organization of American States (OSA) to send “a clear signal” to the Ortega government at a meeting. of the body dedicated to the crisis in Nicaragua called for tomorrow.
Police said the detainees “are being investigated for committing acts that undermine independence, sovereignty and self-determination, inciting foreign interference in internal affairs”.
In December Nicaragua passed a controversial law “defending the people’s rights to independence, sovereignty and self-determination for peace”, which punishes people who encourage international intervention.
Unamos, formerly known as the Sandinista Renewal Movement (MRS, center-left), is made up of opponents of President Ortega, leader of the ruling Sandinista Front (FSLN, left). A dozen opposition leaders, including four presidential candidates, were arrested by police on 2 June at the request of the Ortega government. The first was Cristiana Chamorro, daughter of former president Violeta Barrios de Chamorro (1990-1997), accused of money laundering through a foundation that promotes press freedom and which bears her mother’s name. Chamorro, 67, under house arrest, had challenged Ortega in the November 7 elections. (HANDLE).