Crackdown on Democracy in Nicaragua

CARLOS FERNANDO CHAMORRO, NICARAGUAN JOURNALIST: They should put all the political and economic pressure on the issue of restoring democratic freedoms in Nicaragua. That’s where the solution of the problem is. It’s not a question of sanctions. I think Ortega can stay in power for a longer period no matter the sanctions, but he cannot stay in power if Nicaraguan people recover their freedom, in order to have freedom of reunion, freedom from mobilization, freedom of the press, freedom of expression. So I would expect the U.S. to act multilaterally with Latin America, with the European Union in that direction, to restore Nicaraguan democratic freedoms.

(CROSSTALK)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: Yes.

CHAMORRO: Sorry. The next point will be to free all the 39 political prisoners, plus 120 others who are in prison for more than two, three years.

AMANPOUR: But, I mean, I guess what is the leverage? And I wonder whether you agree or what you might think of the following. It’s an expert at the Woodrow Wilson Center in the United States. His name is Benjamin Gedan. And he’s written this.”Thieves and brutes in presidential palaces are another challenge compelling a constant balancing act between collaboration and censure. But ramping up U.S. trade and investment, improving public health, and spurring renewable energy production would help solve many of the region’s troubles that sooner or later land on the U.S. doorstep.” So that’s a whole step forward from just not using sanctions. It’s actually talking about active investment or intervention in that kind of way with countries like Nicaragua and others to try to change them in that way. Do you think that has a chance?

CHAMORRO: Well, again, I insist that the challenge is mostly a challenge for Nicaraguans. But we require international cooperation in order to weaken the control that Ortega maintains on the state, maintains on Nicaragua, having all the political leaders in prison. The OAS had a vote yesterday, and 26 government of the continent voted demanding deliberation of political prisoners. That should be the first step to put all the pressure. Ortega cannot maintain all Nicaraguans in prison.