problems in nicaragua today

Carlos Fernando Chamorro: Exiled from Nicaragua. A brutal crackdown by the National Police and armed pro-government groups left over 300 dead and 2,000 injured in 2018, and resulted in hundreds of arbitrary arrests and prosecutions. Nicaragua is an Uber-free zone, people. Their brother Pedro Joaquin Chamorro, a politician and activist, has been imprisoned. As the crackdown intensified, some individuals responded violently. Share this via Email This picturesque lakeside town boasts charming cobblestone streets, friendly locals, brooding nearby volcanoes, and the beautiful yellow cathedral smack dab in the middle. She called the sources questionable. 2:08. But it is his wife who is the day-to-day face and voice of the government. Stick to bottled water, or bring a refillable bottle and water purification tablets. The pair are defying Washingtons warnings, sanctions and visa bans, ignoring the objections of other neighboring states, and aligning themselves more with Moscow as they peddle what one U.S. official described as a religiously infused magical realism to Nicaraguan citizens. There was a time when Nicaragua was a great place to take your family. As of April 2020, more than 103,000 citizens had fled Nicaragua since April 2018, IACHR reports. In October, the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning Nicaraguas deteriorating human rights record and urging a tougher EU approach in the absence of any progress. Compared to regional peers, the economic impact of the pandemic was limited due to mild containment measures. FILE - UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, Dec. 1, 2021. The main concern youll have here is petty theft and pickpocketing. This map is an approximation of actual country borders. The law defines traitors in sweeping terms to include, for example, people who undermine independence, sovereignty and self-determination or damage the supreme interests of the nation.. The scale of religious repression in Nicaragua has brought back memories of the worst years of the Central American civil wars of the 1980s, when dozens of priests and nuns in nearby El Salvador. Sanctions against all 14 were renewed for another year in October 2021. Hundreds of protesters were arbitrarily arrested and detained, many for months. The legislation also calls for more reports on Russian activities in Nicaragua and alleged corruption of Ortega and his family members. Sign up for our newsletter and get the best travel tips delivered right to your inbox. | Getty Images. More information. The ruling couple have had a mixed, troubled relationship with the Catholic Church, but their commentary is often infused with references to God and religion. Local knowledge always goes a long way, so be sure to reach out to your hosts if youre unsure about how to fill up your Nicaragua itinerary! Storm Julia kills dozens in Central America. In September 2019, Army Commander-in-Chief Julio Csar Avils Castillo accused NGOs of being coup-plotters. As of June 2020, Congress had stripped 10 NGOs of legal registration, forcing them to close. An easy hop from Leon by chicken bus, Granada is another colonial city with gorgeous buildings, vibrant nightlife and historical sites. Of the 26, 6 were also sanctioned pursuant to the Nicaraguan Human Rights and Corruption Act of 2018. On Feb. 8, State Department spokesperson Ned Price warned that Ortega is driving Nicaragua toward dictatorship as the Nicaraguan leader shut down civil society groups under a law targeting foreign agents.. Some have been detained repeatedlysometimes being abused during detentionfor periods ranging from several days to several months. Biden administration officials declined to say what they plan next to express their displeasure, although its possible they will unveil new sanctions around the Nov. 7 election. He was accused of dissemination of false information to instill instability and insecurity that endangers national sovereignty after he allegedly said the state and its institutions had deliberately failed to investigate the murders of Indigenous persons in the North Caribbean Coast in 2020 and 2021. But the tiny country in its own way has come to epitomize two of the key challenges that President Joe Biden says the worlds democracies cannot ignore: the rise of authoritarianism and the spread of corruption. Dont get involved in protests Avoid visiting during the rainy season (May to November) Dont look like a tourist or super-wealthy Dont underestimate the sea current. Get a quote below or read our in-depth review! Share this via LinkedIn Impunity for human rights abuses by the police continues. That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we dont believe are up to scratch. Detention and Prosecution of Critics. Copy. Most critics have been held incommunicado and subjected to abuses in detention, including daily interrogations, prolonged solitary confinement, and insufficient food. The regime is very paranoid, theyre very erratic, said Berg, the CSIS senior fellow. The lawrequires manypeople and groups that receive direct or indirect funding from abroad to register as foreign agents and bars them from intervening in matters of internal politics. The lawcould impact journalists, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and political opponents. Following a two-year recession brought on by the sociopolitical crisis of 2018, the country suffered further declines in economic activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic and two major hurricanes in 2020. Just months before seeking re-election, Nicaragua's president, Daniel Ortega, has brought his country a step away from becoming a one-party state, clamping down on the opposition to an extent not. We recommend booking a taxi through your hostel. Human Rights Watch defends the rights of people in close to 100 countries worldwide, spotlighting abuses and bringing perpetrators to justice, Human Rights Watch is a 501(C)(3)nonprofit registered in the US under EIN: 13-2875808, Attacks on Human Rights Defenders and Independent Media, Women and Girls Sexual and Reproductive Rights. Its still fairly safe to go to Nicaragua for families. Defense lawyers have experienced escalating harassment and prosecutions. Read about how e-Sims work or click below to see one of the top eSIM providers on the market andditch the plastic. But as repression has intensified and its become clear that Novembers elections wont offer voters a real choice, the climate inside Nicaragua is akin to a state of terror, prominent Nicaraguan journalist Carlos Fernando Chamorro said. Use your judgement of the situation on this one. If you do decide to visit Nicaragua, here are some tips to help you on your way. In April 2018, massive anti-government protests broke out countrywide. Think beautiful cathedrals, elegant architecture, a ton of history, and loads of nature to get to grips with. From April 2018 through June 2021, more than 110,000 people fled Nicaragua, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees reported. EU member states renewed the sanctions against the regime until October 2021. The newspaper La Prensa ended its print edition in August, when the Customs Authority withheld newsprint and ink supplies it had imported. In March 2020, police stood by while people shouting pro-Ortega slogans attacked and robbed at least three journalists from independent news outlets covering a funeral in Managua. Other ways to share Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa said his fathers plight is a constant undercurrent in his thoughts, but that its hard to know whether the efforts to publicize the case make any difference. Audio, 23 minutesHARDtalk, Carlos Fernando Chamorro: Exiled from Nicaragua. Truth is: Nicaragua has always been an alternative destination for intrepid travellers, regardless of political situations. Share this via Email We do our best to advise but this info may already be out of date. In addition, Ortega said he would propose a constitutional amendment to allow life sentences for hate crimes, in September. But what youre essentially getting there is something that no longer really has the characteristics of anything really resembling a democracy., POLITICO requested an interview with Francisco Campbell, Nicaraguas ambassador to the United States, via email, phone calls and a written note left at the embassy in Washington. Riot police stand guard outside the house of Cristiana Chamorro, former director of the Violeta Barrios de Chamorro Foundation and opposition presidential candidate, in Managua on June 2, 2021, the day Nicaraguan police raided her home without a warrant and placed her under house arrest. 16 Feb 2023. Prosecutors opened investigations against most on alleged treason charges. Make sure to check out the stunning cathedral in the main square, for just a dollar you can get right up on top of the whitewashed roof where you will be rewarded with stunning panoramic views of the city. Charges, carrying prison sentences of 15 to 25 years, ranged from money laundering to, most commonly, conspiracy to undermine national integrity. Prosecutors failed to identify specific acts by the defendants to support the charges in at least 14 cases. Most travelers backpacking Nicaragua want to have a crack at surfing and this is one of the best places to learn. Before it was a hybrid type of regime where there were elements of democracy, such as opposition candidates being allowed to run for the presidency, the senior official said. The governments response to Covid-19 included denying its impact and failing to implement measures recommended by global health experts. . During the 2018 crackdown, at least 405 doctors, nurses, and other health workers were fired from public hospitals, seemingly for providing care to protesters or criticizing the government. Nicaragua: Ortega crackdown deepens as 94 opponents stripped of citizenship Some of country's most celebrated writers and journalists targeted as critics condemn 'totalitarian drift' under. Is your phone eSIM ready? We can take these actions, but really were at the mercy and the whims of an administration that is paranoid, corrupt, using terror tactics and doesnt seem to recognize any of the humanity or the human rights of the prisoners.. One of the worst-affected areas . Other ways to share And for transparencys sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links. (Did you remember a water bottle?). During the next two months, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega dramatically escalated a crackdown on people he and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, deemed a threat to their continued rule of 14 years and counting. The country still offers great amenities to those with children. Will stripping citizenship silence Nicaraguas critics? Between the pandemic, ever-worsening cultural division, and a click-hungry media, it can be hard to maintain what is truth and what is sensationalism. To answer the burning question ofIs it safe to travel to Nicaragua right now, I present you this guide. Nicaragua's Property Values Plummet, Few Buyers. Nearly two years after Nicaragua was plunged into a serious political and . Since taking office in 2007, the government of President Daniel Ortega has dismantled nearly all institutional checks on presidential power. This has been a flat-out rejection, Dodd said. Spanish, Indigenous, and Creole flavours mix in a tantalisingly tasty cuisine offering in Nicaragua. Women and girls who have abortions face prison terms as long as two years. Human rights defenders and other critics are targets of death threats, intimidation, online defamation campaigns, harassment, surveillance, and assault. Murillo already was a powerful first lady and the government spokesperson before Ortega put her on the ballot as his No. You may really want a smoothie because, no joke, they look amazing. Theyve been in the agreement for a long time. In September 2019, OHCHR released a comprehensive report on Nicaraguas human rights record from August 2018 to July 2019, urging the government to guarantee civil society freedoms; reinstate shuttered NGOs and media outlets; investigate and prosecute rights abuses in the context of protests; and end arbitrary arrests, among othermeasures. For example, the countrys Special Law on Cybercrimes punishes alleged crimes committed in the use of information and communication technologies. Many governments from the region and Europe said the elections had not met minimum guarantees to be considered free and fair. But U.S. lawmakers from both parties, as well as other voices, say the Biden administration must do more, quickly, to reverse the trend in Nicaragua. Boiling water is always the surest way to eliminate harmful organisms. In late September, a bipartisan group of 15 U.S. senators asked the administration to exert more pressure on Nicaragua, including by expanding sanctions to Ortega as well as the ranks of the Nicaraguan military and its investment fund. Also in October, Congress adopted a cybercrime bill that criminalizes a wide range of online communications, including by punishing with sentences of up to 5years in prison the publication or dissemination of false or distorted information on the internet likely to spread anxiety, anguish or fear.. The Ortega government has continued to bring criminal cases against protesters and critics. Unfortunately,express kidnappingshave been increasing recently. The prisoners are believed to face dire conditions, with reports of freezing temperatures, lights kept on at all times and the danger posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Share this via Facebook As members of the Sandinista rebel movement, they helped topple the dynastic dictatorship of Nicaraguas Somoza family. Ortegas wife is, by most accounts, highly influential and in charge of many day-to-day decisions. Share this via Printer. In addition to the 39 detentions carried out since late May 2021, Nicaraguan rights groups reported that over 100 perceived critics detained earlier remained under custody as of October. Most people can still visit Nicaragua without getting robbed they just have to be more cautious than usual. Peaceful protests turned violent with at least 25 killed by the hands of government police and military, including a reporter named ngel Gahona who was shot and killed during a Facebook live broadcast on Saturday. You need to be careful and aware of your surroundings pretty much anywhere you go in the world, and the same goes for visiting Nicaragua. 25 Top Tips for Traveling Safely to Nicaragua. Both OHCHR and the IACHR point to a larger, persistent failure of the Nicaraguan government to title and protect Indigenous territories from invasions. We recommend turning right (as you face the ocean) and walking along the beach, over the rocks and onto the next beach to enjoy stunning views and clear water. And its perfectly safe, as long as you read the reviews. Medical professionals who perform abortions face one to six years. When Sacasa arrived, police arrested him without informing him of the charges against him and without allowing him access to a lawyer. Video, 00:01:37Storm Julia kills dozens in Central America, Nicaragua police order five mayors to stand down, Storm Bonnie leaves deadly trail in Central America, Migrant caravan heads to US as key summit begins, Nicaragua shuts down non-profits in new crackdown, Lose your fear, dissident Nicaraguan diplomat says, Nicaragua opposition leader jailed for eight years, Nicaragua government critics 'guilty of conspiracy', Leading opposition figure dies in Nicaragua prison, From revolutionary leader to opposition hate figure, Nicaragua gets China vaccines after Taiwan split, Nicaragua cuts ties with Taiwan in favour of China, Ortega tightens grip in 'pantomime' Nicaragua vote, Longest-serving leader in the Americas stands again, Nicaragua accused of running internet troll farm, Five men deny smuggling two tonnes of cocaine, HARDtalk. Threats, intimidation, online defamation campaigns, harassment, surveillance, and assault another. 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