The Nicaraguan government announced on Saturday that it had freed dozens of inmates from the country’s national penitentiary system, following pressure from the U.S. for the release of more than 60 political prisoners.
The administration of President Daniel Ortega did not specify the exact number of people released, nor did it clarify whether they had been detained for political reasons. It is also unclear whether those freed will be placed under house arrest. A human rights NGO monitoring political prisoners in Nicaragua identified 19 individuals released on Saturday.
Former prisoner and opposition leader Ana Margarita Vijil, head of the UNAMOS political movement, told Reuters that the released detainees “are political prisoners, and several of them are our friends.” She confirmed that among those freed were former mayor Oscar Gadea, evangelical pastor Rudy Palacios, and four of his relatives. Palacios had been detained in July after criticising the government over human rights violations and for supporting demonstrators who took to the streets in 2018 demanding Ortega’s ouster.
The move in Nicaragua comes at a time when Venezuela, also under U.S. pressure, has begun releasing political prisoners. Analysts suggest that these developments reflect the extent to which some left‑wing governments in Latin America are under pressure from Washington to respond to U.S. demands, particularly in the wake of last week’s dramatic capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. special forces. Maduro faces U.S. federal charges of narco‑terrorism and drug trafficking and has claimed he was kidnapped.
Ortega responded to the 2018 protests with widespread repression that left at least 350 people dead and hundreds detained. He and his wife, Rosario Murillo, maintain tight control over virtually all aspects of government, including the armed forces and judiciary.
The U.S. embassy in Nicaragua praised the release of opposition figures in Venezuela on Friday and urged the Nicaraguan government to follow suit. In a tweet, the embassy said:
“In Nicaragua, more than 60 people remain unjustly detained or missing, including pastors, religious workers, the sick and the elderly. Peace is only possible with freedom!”
A coalition of opposition groups, Liberales Nicaragua, welcomed the Nicaraguan government’s decision. In a statement, they suggested the release was the result of political pressure from the U.S. government and “the political chess moves triggered by events in Venezuela.”
The release of political prisoners in Nicaragua marks a rare concession by Ortega’s administration, which has long been accused of suppressing dissent and curtailing democratic freedoms. Human rights organisations continue to monitor the situation closely, noting that the majority of political detainees remain behind bars or under strict restrictions.
U.S. special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Sunday on efforts to en...
Iran has warned it will retaliate against any future U.S. attacks, saying American energy interests and infrastructure across the Gulf could become...
Baku Climate Action Week (BCAW) 2026 has begun in Azerbaijan’s capital, bringing together government representatives, business leaders, inves...
An eruption of Indonesia’s Mount Anak Krakatau has disrupted air travel, school activities and fishing operations, with hundreds of passengers stranded at Jakarta’s main airport on Sunday.
At least five people were killed and five others injured when an Amazon Prime Air cargo plane overran a runway and crashed while landing at Miami International Airport on Sunday, 6 September, local officials said.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday that the United States must recognise that the “rules of the game” in its war against Iran had changed “before it is too late”, a day after Washington struck several Iranian tankers in the Gulf.
Two Greek military pilots were killed on Saturday when an F-4 Phantom fighter jet crashed during an air show at Tanagra air base, north of Athens, officials said.
U.S. special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Sunday on efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
U.S. special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Sunday on efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
A battle over the future of the European Union’s diplomatic service is deepening divisions over who controls the bloc’s foreign policy, as EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas pushes back against plans to overhaul her service.
The Strait of Hormuz is moving into a more complicated stage of the U.S.-Iran war. Tehran says it will establish a new restricted maritime zone around the waterway, while Iran and Oman are preparing to formalise a separate shipping route intended to restore at least part of commercial traffic.
The European Union is preparing to boost investment in Greenland, as Brussels moves to deepen political and economic ties with the Arctic territory amid growing strategic competition involving the U.S., Russia and China.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said a newly commissioned destroyer will become part of the country's nuclear response system, capable of delivering what he described as “annihilating retaliatory strikes”.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment