Statement on Nicaragua

The Central American Member Centers of the Latin American Council of Social Sciences, CLACSO, meeting virtually on Monday, June 14, 2021 ,

Whereas:

1. In the last three weeks, the Nicaraguan government has imprisoned four presidential pre-candidates and nine opposition leaders, adding to the long list of political prisoners who have been in jail for months and some for years.

2. In addition, two political parties have been arbitrarily stripped of their legal status.

3. The regime's repressive escalation is increasing in the lead-up to the next presidential elections, scheduled for November 7, for which there are no guarantees of transparency or of free organization and mobilization of the opposition to campaign and promote democratic competition.

4. Daniel Ortega has been president of Nicaragua for 14 consecutive years and is seeking a fourth presidential re-election despite the country's constitutional restrictions and legal framework.

5. The demolition of Nicaragua's legal and institutional framework has produced a profound political crisis and systematic violation of human rights with alarming numbers of people killed, imprisoned and thousands exiled.

6. Among the imprisoned people are representatives of all social, trade, political and ideological sectors, men and women, including Tamara Dávila, leader of the Blue and White Unity, feminist activist and associate researcher of CIASES, a research center belonging to CLACSO.

We express:

1. Our condemnation of the human rights violations in Nicaragua.

2. Our deep concern about the curtailment of academic freedom in the country, and of all fundamental freedoms such as freedom of expression, press, social protest and political participation.

In consecuense,

We ask:

The release of political prisoners, respect for human rights, guaranteeing academic freedom, and ensuring the freedom of organization, mobilization, and communication that a free and democratic electoral process demands.

We invite the Steering Committee and the more than 600 centers that make up the CLACSO network to speak out in this same way about the situation in Nicaragua.

Central America, June 14, 2021

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