The UN has implicated the Nicaraguan army in crimes against humanity during 2018 protests, revealing their active role in violent repression. GHREN’s report confirms collusion with police and paramilitary forces, ordering the use of lethal force against protesters under directives from the government. Evidence highlights a systematic strategy of violence, challenging the military’s claims of non-involvement and shedding light on a broader network of oppression orchestrated by the Ortega regime.
The United Nations Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua (GHREN) has presented credible evidence indicating that the Nicaraguan army played a significant role in the violent repression of protests against the Ortega and Murillo regime in 2018. This challenges the military’s longstanding denial of involvement in political repression and confirms their collusion in a crackdown that resulted in over 350 deaths.
In a report released on February 26, GHREN detailed that government leaders, including President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo, ordered state forces to quell dissent, leading to systematic violence against protesters. Commands issued included directives to use lethal force against demonstrators under the guise of managing a coup d’état.
The report reveals meetings among high-ranking military officials who discussed strategies to deal with the protests as threats to national stability. Evidence suggests a coordinated effort where police, army, and pro-government groups worked together, engaging in extrajudicial killings and employing military-grade weaponry against civilians.
GHREN specifies that orders from military leadership, including General Julio César Avilés, directed army units to participate in community suppression, despite lacking jurisdiction in public security matters. This engagement is described as part of a broader strategy that deliberately aimed to instill fear, with evidence suggesting lethal intent rather than crowd control.
The Nicaraguan army has publicly claimed its actions were limited to protecting strategic interests during the protests. However, their involvement has become increasingly apparent as senior officials have been observed reinforcing loyalty to Ortega’s government, even amidst allegations of human rights abuses.
The report also identified a network of surveillance and intelligence operations orchestrated by the army and police to monitor opposition activities and suppress dissent. It highlights the army’s integration into a wider system of political control, which includes tracking and targeting individuals opposed to the government.
The UN’s evidence presents a damning indictment of the Nicaraguan army’s involvement in state-sponsored violence during the 2018 protests, undermining its claims of non-partisanship. The systematic involvement of military leaders in repressing dissent underscores a significant breach of human rights and reflects the regime’s broader strategy to maintain control through fear and violence. This report serves as a crucial step towards accountability for the atrocities committed against civilians in Nicaragua.
Original Source: english.elpais.com
