{"id":169914,"date":"2025-07-01T00:22:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-01T06:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/sin-categoria\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\/"},"modified":"2025-07-03T07:23:59","modified_gmt":"2025-07-03T13:23:59","slug":"samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/english\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Samcam Was a Refugee, They Killed Him for Opposing Ortega,\u2019 Lawyer Says"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Lawyer Federico Campos will represent Claudia Vargas, widow of retired Major Roberto Samcam, in the trial for the murder of the former Nicaraguan military officer, which took place on June 19, 2025, in San Jos\u00e9, Costa Rica.<\/a> Campos confirmed that the investigation is only just beginning, but they expect \u201cgreater transparency\u201d once the case moves to the Public Prosecutor\u2019s Office. However, he insists they already have sufficient evidence to support the claim that this was a political crime. <\/p>\n\n

He warns that the investigation by the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ), and the likely legal proceedings that follow, could conclude that the Costa Rican State bears some responsibility for failing to provide the protection Samcam needed.<\/p>\n\n

The Nicaraguan State could also be implicated if it\u2019s proven that the dictatorship ordered the killing. That would be \u201ca tremendous affront to Costa Rica\u2019s state sovereignty\u2026 and its democratic sovereignty,\u201d Campos said in an interview with CONFIDENCIAL<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n

Campos holds a law degree and is a Notary Public, having graduated from the Universidad Escuela Libre de Derecho in 1995. In addition to having published three books \u2014 with two more in the works \u2014 he also teaches at the University of Costa Rica\u2019s Faculty of Law, where he lectures on Criminal Procedure Law I and II. He will work alongside Spanish lawyer Almudena Bernab\u00e9u, from the Guernica 37 team, to represent Samcam\u2019s family in the legal case. <\/p>\n\n

You have been appointed to represent Roberto Samcam\u2019s widow in the legal process to seek justice for his murder. What is the current status of the investigation by Costa Rica\u2019s Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ)? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

The investigation is only just beginning \u2014 it\u2019s in its early stages. Like any other case, it must first go through this investigative phase to determine, based on what happened, who may be responsible for the crime. From our perspective, this is not just any ordinary homicide \u2014 there are potential political implications behind this case that make it very different. <\/p>\n\n

What kind of legal actions can you take at this time?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

We are appearing in the criminal proceedings on behalf of the victim, Roberto Samcam\u2019s widow, because the law allows victims to have a role and influence in the process. We\u2019re gathering details about the investigation with all the necessary caution, because this is a sensitive case, and any information leak could jeopardize the investigation. <\/p>\n\n

Very soon, we will formally take on the role of querellantes (private prosecutors) and civil plaintiffs to have an even greater role in the criminal process. A querella is essentially a private prosecution, similar or parallel to what the Public Prosecutor\u2019s Office would eventually do, except we are representing the victim. On the civil side, it would eventually be a claim for compensation, which every victim has the right to pursue \u2014 and this case is no exception. <\/p>\n\n

Are they two separate processes or does one follow on from the other?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

No, they go hand in hand. Under Costa Rican criminal law \u2014 as in most Latin American criminal codes \u2014 a civil claim can be filed within the criminal proceedings. There must be a causal link between the act that created criminal liability and the harm that gives rise to civil liability. <\/p>\n\n

On the support offered by the United States <\/h2>\n\n

Have you received any updates from the authorities on the progress of the investigation?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

So far, we have received very little information. The case is in the hands of the Judicial Police; at any moment, it will move to the Public Prosecutor\u2019s Office. That\u2019s when there will be a much clearer channel of communication and information sharing between the victim\u2019s lawyers and the Prosecutor\u2019s Office. <\/p>\n\n

For now, since the case is still being handled purely at the police level, they are understandably more tight-lipped about sharing details. We believe that in the coming days, we will have more information and a greater role in the judicial process. <\/p>\n\n

The U.S. State Department has offered support to the Costa Rican government to help investigate this murder. Do you know if they are involved now or if they will be allowed to participate? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

We know they are providing support, but they cannot have any direct involvement in the criminal proceedings, and so far they haven\u2019t<\/a>. What could happen is that if they have any information that could help move the case forward, they can of course share that with the Public Prosecutor\u2019s Office. Likewise, any information we have will be shared with the Prosecutor\u2019s Office so that the investigation can reach not only the direct or material perpetrators, but more importantly, those who ordered the crime. <\/p>\n\n

What kind of information do you have?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

I can say, in general terms, that it\u2019s well documented that this was a political crime and that Roberto Samcam was killed because of his opinions, his involvement, and the activities he carried out against the Ortega government. Given that he was a political refugee in Costa Rica, this is clearly a political crime. There could eventually be responsibility on the part of the Costa Rican state if it failed to provide him with adequate protection \u2014 for reasons and details I can\u2019t share right now, but they are connected to his political activities. <\/p>\n\n

The responsibility of the dictatorship<\/h2>\n\n

You mention possible responsibility of the Costa Rican state\u2026 Has the possible responsibility of the Nicaraguan state also been considered?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Of course \u2014 there could be responsibility there too. The most concerning scenario is if this crime was ordered by the Nicaraguan state and then carried out in Costa Rica. That would clearly be a serious affront to our national sovereignty<\/a> \u2014 to our democratic sovereignty \u2014 because it would mean foreign interference within Costa Rican territory to commit a political crime. <\/p>\n\n

Do you recall a similar case here in Costa Rica?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

What I recall recently, which could be connected to this same issue, are the two assassination attempts against another political dissident <\/a>[referring to the case of Joao Maldonado], which were also linked to his political activities opposing the Nicaraguan government.<\/p>\n\n

\"Funeral
Claudia Vargas and her children, together with other loved ones, at Roberto Samcam’s funeral \/\/ Photo: CONFIDENCIAL | Iv\u00e1n Olivares <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Do you have confidence in the OIJ to find the perpetrators and identify the masterminds of this murder?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Absolutely. The Costa Rican Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) has a high success rate when it comes to solving homicide cases, and we trust that they\u2019re doing their job properly and heading in the right direction. The only potential obstacle in identifying and capturing the direct perpetrators is if they are Nicaraguan nationals<\/a> who fled back to Nicaragua. <\/p>\n\n

That wouldn\u2019t prevent them from being prosecuted in Nicaragua if they are identified. The problem is, I seriously doubt that in Nicaragua there would be an impartial and independent trial, in line with due process, to hold not just the direct perpetrators but also the masterminds accountable. <\/p>\n\n

If these people are identified and remain in Costa Rica, they would be arrested immediately. And if it\u2019s determined that they fled to Nicaragua, then an international arrest warrant could be issued. The only way they could be arrested is if they leave Nicaraguan territory \u2014 if they\u2019re Nicaraguan citizens, they can\u2019t be extradited otherwise. <\/p>\n\n

A minimum sentence of 20 years in prison<\/h2>\n\n

What is your relationship, as a lawyer, with the Spanish lawyer Almudena Bernab\u00e9u and the Guernica group?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

They contacted me so I could take on the role in Costa Rica as the lawyer authorized to act in the country and represent the victim. They\u2019re the ones who originally established contact with the widow. The relationship has been purely professional, but from the start it has also been very close and empathetic. We\u2019re fully aligned in what we think and believe, and we\u2019re absolutely committed to supporting Guernica 37<\/a>, which I believe does remarkable work in pursuing justice across Latin America. <\/p>\n\n

What do you expect from the Costa Rican Prosecutor\u2019s Office once the OIJ concludes its investigation?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Once the Judicial Police has completed its investigation, they must submit a report to the Costa Rican Public Prosecutor\u2019s Office. We trust the Prosecutor\u2019s Office because of its independence and impartiality, and its commitment to objectivity. Both Ms. Almudena and I will do our part, confident that the Prosecutor\u2019s Office will handle the case to the best of its ability and in line with the law. Ms. Almudena has extensive experience with investigations and prosecutions of political crimes, and the insights and support she can provide to me and to the Costa Rican judicial process will be of enormous value. <\/p>\n\n

What is the maximum penalty under Costa Rican law for this type of crime?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

The crime of aggravated homicide carries a sentence of 20 to 35 years. If other charges are added and the total exceeds 50 years, then the maximum possible prison sentence when multiple convictions are combined is 50 years. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Lawyer Federico Campos will represent Claudia Vargas, widow of retired Major Roberto Samcam, in the trial for the murder of the former Nicaraguan military officer, which took place on June 19, 2025, in San Jos\u00e9, Costa Rica. Campos confirmed that the investigation is only just beginning, but they expect \u201cgreater transparency\u201d once the case moves […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":169786,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_eb_attr":"","_eb_data_table":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[15445],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-169914","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-english"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\u2018Samcam Was a Refugee, They Killed Him for Opposing Ortega,\u2019 Lawyer Says - Confidencial<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Federico Campos, Costa Rican criminal lawyer, will represent Roberto Samcam's widow as a plaintiff in the murder trial\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/english\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u2018Samcam Was a Refugee, They Killed Him for Opposing Ortega,\u2019 Lawyer Says\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Federico Campos, Costa Rican criminal lawyer, will represent Roberto Samcam's widow as a plaintiff in the murder trial\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/english\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Confidencial\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/confidencial.com.ni\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-07-01T06:22:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-07-03T13:23:59+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/FedericoCampos2-300625.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Iv\u00e1n Olivares\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@IvanOlivares66\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@confidencial_ni\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Iv\u00e1n Olivares\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/en\\\/english\\\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/en\\\/english\\\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Iv\u00e1n Olivares\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/1ef80b088e818833ca988410bade007b\"},\"headline\":\"\u2018Samcam Was a Refugee, They Killed Him for Opposing Ortega,\u2019 Lawyer Says\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-07-01T06:22:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-03T13:23:59+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/en\\\/english\\\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1500,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/en\\\/english\\\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/FedericoCampos2-300625.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"English\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"copyrightYear\":\"2025\",\"copyrightHolder\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/#organization\"}},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/en\\\/english\\\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/en\\\/english\\\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\\\/\",\"name\":\"\u2018Samcam Was a Refugee, They Killed Him for Opposing Ortega,\u2019 Lawyer Says - Confidencial\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/en\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/en\\\/english\\\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/en\\\/english\\\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/FedericoCampos2-300625.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-07-01T06:22:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-03T13:23:59+00:00\",\"description\":\"Federico Campos, Costa Rican criminal lawyer, will represent Roberto Samcam's widow as a plaintiff in the murder trial\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/en\\\/english\\\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/en\\\/english\\\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/en\\\/english\\\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/FedericoCampos2-300625.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/FedericoCampos2-300625.jpg\",\"width\":1920,\"height\":1080,\"caption\":\"Federico Campos, abogado costarricense.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/en\\\/english\\\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Portada\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"\u2018Samcam Was a Refugee, They Killed Him for Opposing Ortega,\u2019 Lawyer Says\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/en\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/en\\\/\",\"name\":\"Confidencial Nicaragua\",\"description\":\"Noticias de Nicaragua, informaci\u00f3n, an\u00e1lisis, reportajes, investigaciones, perfiles y entrevistas. Somos Confidencial. Hacemos periodismo independiente.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/en\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/en\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Confidencial\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/en\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/09\\\/Confidencial_696x696.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/09\\\/Confidencial_696x696.jpg\",\"width\":696,\"height\":696,\"caption\":\"Confidencial\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/confidencial.com.ni\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/confidencial_ni\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/ConfidencialNica\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/confidencial_ni\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/confidencial-nicaragua\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/open.spotify.com\\\/show\\\/1rNymjqQuqP1CTGqHKdQ24\",\"https:\\\/\\\/bsky.app\\\/profile\\\/confidencialni.bsky.social\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.threads.com\\\/@confidencial_ni\"],\"description\":\"En Confidencial hacemos periodismo de investigaci\u00f3n y an\u00e1lisis independiente para Nicaragua y su di\u00e1spora en el mundo. Fundado en 1996\",\"email\":\"info@confidencial.digital\",\"foundingDate\":\"1996-06-01\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/1ef80b088e818833ca988410bade007b\",\"name\":\"Iv\u00e1n Olivares\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.confidencial.digital\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/03\\\/ivan-olivares_avatar-96x96.jpeg\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.confidencial.digital\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/03\\\/ivan-olivares_avatar-96x96.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.confidencial.digital\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/03\\\/ivan-olivares_avatar-96x96.jpeg\",\"caption\":\"Iv\u00e1n Olivares\"},\"description\":\"Periodista nicarag\u00fcense, exiliado en Costa Rica. Durante m\u00e1s de veinte a\u00f1os se ha desempe\u00f1ado en CONFIDENCIAL como periodista de Econom\u00eda. Antes trabaj\u00f3 en el semanario La Cr\u00f3nica, el diario La Prensa y El Nuevo Diario. Adem\u00e1s, ha publicado en el Diario de Hoy,\u00a0de\u00a0El\u00a0Salvador. Ha ganado en dos ocasiones el Premio a la Excelencia en Periodismo Pedro Joaqu\u00edn\u00a0Chamorro Cardenal, en Nicaragua.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/IvanOlivares66\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/confidencial.digital\\\/en\\\/author\\\/ivanolivares\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"\u2018Samcam Was a Refugee, They Killed Him for Opposing Ortega,\u2019 Lawyer Says - Confidencial","description":"Federico Campos, Costa Rican criminal lawyer, will represent Roberto Samcam's widow as a plaintiff in the murder trial","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/english\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"\u2018Samcam Was a Refugee, They Killed Him for Opposing Ortega,\u2019 Lawyer Says","og_description":"Federico Campos, Costa Rican criminal lawyer, will represent Roberto Samcam's widow as a plaintiff in the murder trial","og_url":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/english\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\/","og_site_name":"Confidencial","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/confidencial.com.ni","article_published_time":"2025-07-01T06:22:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-07-03T13:23:59+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1920,"height":1080,"url":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/FedericoCampos2-300625.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Iv\u00e1n Olivares","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@IvanOlivares66","twitter_site":"@confidencial_ni","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Iv\u00e1n Olivares","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/english\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/english\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\/"},"author":{"name":"Iv\u00e1n Olivares","@id":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/1ef80b088e818833ca988410bade007b"},"headline":"\u2018Samcam Was a Refugee, They Killed Him for Opposing Ortega,\u2019 Lawyer Says","datePublished":"2025-07-01T06:22:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-03T13:23:59+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/english\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\/"},"wordCount":1500,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/english\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/FedericoCampos2-300625.jpg","articleSection":["English"],"inLanguage":"en-US","copyrightYear":"2025","copyrightHolder":{"@id":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/#organization"}},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/english\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\/","url":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/english\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\/","name":"\u2018Samcam Was a Refugee, They Killed Him for Opposing Ortega,\u2019 Lawyer Says - Confidencial","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/english\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/english\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/FedericoCampos2-300625.jpg","datePublished":"2025-07-01T06:22:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-03T13:23:59+00:00","description":"Federico Campos, Costa Rican criminal lawyer, will represent Roberto Samcam's widow as a plaintiff in the murder trial","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/english\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/english\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/english\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/FedericoCampos2-300625.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/FedericoCampos2-300625.jpg","width":1920,"height":1080,"caption":"Federico Campos, abogado costarricense."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/english\/samcam-was-a-refugee-they-killed-him-for-opposing-ortega-lawyer-says\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Portada","item":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"\u2018Samcam Was a Refugee, They Killed Him for Opposing Ortega,\u2019 Lawyer Says"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/","name":"Confidencial Nicaragua","description":"Noticias de Nicaragua, informaci\u00f3n, an\u00e1lisis, reportajes, investigaciones, perfiles y entrevistas. Somos Confidencial. Hacemos periodismo independiente.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/#organization","name":"Confidencial","url":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Confidencial_696x696.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Confidencial_696x696.jpg","width":696,"height":696,"caption":"Confidencial"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/confidencial.com.ni","https:\/\/x.com\/confidencial_ni","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/ConfidencialNica","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/confidencial_ni\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/confidencial-nicaragua\/","https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/1rNymjqQuqP1CTGqHKdQ24","https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/confidencialni.bsky.social","https:\/\/www.threads.com\/@confidencial_ni"],"description":"En Confidencial hacemos periodismo de investigaci\u00f3n y an\u00e1lisis independiente para Nicaragua y su di\u00e1spora en el mundo. Fundado en 1996","email":"info@confidencial.digital","foundingDate":"1996-06-01"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/1ef80b088e818833ca988410bade007b","name":"Iv\u00e1n Olivares","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.confidencial.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/ivan-olivares_avatar-96x96.jpeg","url":"https:\/\/www.confidencial.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/ivan-olivares_avatar-96x96.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.confidencial.digital\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/ivan-olivares_avatar-96x96.jpeg","caption":"Iv\u00e1n Olivares"},"description":"Periodista nicarag\u00fcense, exiliado en Costa Rica. Durante m\u00e1s de veinte a\u00f1os se ha desempe\u00f1ado en CONFIDENCIAL como periodista de Econom\u00eda. Antes trabaj\u00f3 en el semanario La Cr\u00f3nica, el diario La Prensa y El Nuevo Diario. Adem\u00e1s, ha publicado en el Diario de Hoy,\u00a0de\u00a0El\u00a0Salvador. Ha ganado en dos ocasiones el Premio a la Excelencia en Periodismo Pedro Joaqu\u00edn\u00a0Chamorro Cardenal, en Nicaragua.","sameAs":["https:\/\/x.com\/IvanOlivares66"],"url":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/author\/ivanolivares\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169914","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=169914"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169914\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":169917,"href":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169914\/revisions\/169917"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/169786"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=169914"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=169914"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/confidencial.digital\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=169914"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}