U.S. senators have called for pressure on the regime of Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua

15 U.S. senators on Friday called on President Joe Biden’s administration to increase “pressure” on the Nicaraguan regime. And lead an international strategy to achieve The release of seven presidential believers Was imprisoned.

In a letter to the Secretary of State, Anthony Blingen, legislators – Democrats and Republicans – call on US executive to pressure opposition parties to participate in November general election Next in Nicaragua.

In that sense, They asked the United States to extend sanctions against Nicaraguan dictator Daniel Ortega, He is running for re-election, and against his senior military commanders.

In addition, one of the senators Urges the international community to take “urgent action” to stop what they consider to be one of the “strongest” repressive campaigns on the continent Since the dictatorship of the 1980s. In the current election process, Nicaraguan authorities have arrested and indicted more than thirty opposition leaders, including presidential candidates. Christiana Zamoro, Arturo Cruz, Felix Maradiga, Juan Sebastian Zamoro, Miguel Mora, Merto Marina and Noel Vitare.

In addition to demanding his release, U.S. senators demanded Their parties may be allowed to re-register and collectively nominate a candidate to represent the opposition in the election.

According to lawmakers, the Ortega regime as a whole has retained power At least 150 “political prisoners”, Those who are denied due process and regular access to their lawyers and families.

To achieve their release, the senators, headed by the Upper House Foreign Relations Committee, Bob Menandes, Propose that your country’s government uses “diplomatic channels” for this purpose.

In addition, Ask the White House to promote a “continuous international review” of the actions of the Ordega government Condemnation of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

Likewise, senators prefer Biden’s executive promotes a resolution in the Organization of American States (OAS) that considers the November vote “illegal.” Except to explore the possibility of using Article 21 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter to suspend Nicaragua from that organization.

In the event that Ordega refuses to respect Rule of law And this Human rights, They said Review Nicaragua’s participation in the Free Trade Agreement between the United States, Central America and the Dominican Republic (CAFTA-DR).

A similar demand created a group Nicaraguan farmers deported to Costa Rica. Head of Agriculture Francesca Ramirez, deported to Costa Rica, led the movement and delivered a letter to OAS headquarters condemning media closures and the imprisonment of opposition leaders and candidates. They ask the body to “do not recognize illegal rulers”.

In Nicaragua They are not legal elections because pre-candidates have been imprisoned, more than 150 political prisoners and more than 120,000 deported.The independent media has been disbanded and journalists are in jail, ”Ramras said.

For his part, Nelson Zeiss, leader of the Nicaraguan Channel Anti-Farmers Movement, commented The purpose of going to the OAS is to ask its member states to “ignore the government of Daniel Ortega and call it an illegal legal election circus.”

According to Jesus, Ortega “seeks to sell a legal process that the international community does not have”, Given that “You can’t call an election when opposition candidates are in jail.”

In the November 7 general election, former Sandinista guerrillas turn 76 and Ortega, who has been president since 1985, consolidated his governing body from 1979 to 1984 and returned to power in 2007. He is seeking a fifth consecutive term, a fourth term and a second term with his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo.

Further 4.4 million Nicaraguans are eligible to vote In the coming November 7 general election.

(With information from EFE)

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