CID Gallup poll: 70% say the political prisoners should be released

According to the results of the most recent opinion survey conducted by the CID Gallup firm, 73% of Nicaraguans believe that the detentions of Daniel Ortega’s 167 political prisoners are “unfair” and 67% say their political trials should be annulled and the detainees released. In contrast, 20% believe they should be put on trial. 

In the survey, sponsored by CONFIDENCIAL, the firm consulted a total of 1000 Nicaraguan citizens nationwide between December 5 and 13 via cell phones. They said the margin of error is +/- 3.1 points, and a confidence level of 95%.

According to the survey sample, 52% of those responding were women and 48% men; 22% were between 16 and 24 years old, 26% between 25 and 34, 23% between 35 and 44, 15% between 45 and 54, and 7% over 55. Regarding educational levels, 44% have primary education, 44% high school, and 12% university education.

In Daniel Ortega’s prisons there are currently 167 persons considered prisoners of conscience, of them, 40 were arrested between the end of May and October and another 27 in November. These include seven presidential candidates, civic leaders, journalists, businesspeople, human rights activists, students and former diplomats.

On November 8, during a celebration for his “reelection” without competition, Ortega called the political prisoners "sons of bitches" and argued that the United States "should take them away."

A resounding 81% of those surveyed said they did not approve of Ortega calling them “SOBs”, and only 12% supported the hateful term used against prisoners of conscience.

As follow-up, CID Gallup asked the survey participants whether the United States should take the political prisoners "because President Ortega said they are no longer Nicaraguans." Only 16% said they agreed with the idea, while 70% said they should be released and enjoy their rights as Nicaraguans.

Similarly, only 20% said they agree that Ortega's language seeks to defend national sovereignty, as stated by the Sandinista strongman, who also approved a package of laws, including the so-called Sovereignty Law, that he has applied to a dozen political prisoners to keep them in jail.

On the contrary, 64% of the citizens questioned believe that Ortega's discourse generates hatred and violence in Nicaragua. The arrests made by his Police have been plagued by irregularities and human rights organizations confirm they lack a legal basis. They also note that the political prisoners have been subjected to trials without the presence of their lawyers and carried out during early morning hours, among numerous other anomalies.

Political prisoners lead favorable opinions

Political prisoners Juan Sebastián Chamorro, detained at the El Chipote prison, and Cristiana Chamorro, under house arrest, both presidential candidates, lead the favorable opinions of the country's political personalities, while the rulers Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo lead those with the highest negative opinions.

The economist and former executive director of the Civic Alliance has a 61% favorable opinion and 26% unfavorable, while the former president of the Violeta de Chamorro Foundation has 61% of favorable opinion and 30% unfavorable. Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo have 35% and 31% of favorable opinion, respectively, and the highest index of unfavorable opinion of 57%.

Other political prisoners, presidential candidates, such as Miguel Mora (56%), Félix Maradiaga (55%), Medardo Mairena (52%), and Arturo Cruz (51%), have favorable opinions above 50%, while the main political operators of the Ortega Murillo family, Fidel Moreno and Cesar Zamora, have favorable opinions of 30% and 25%, respectively.

Among the leaders of the private sector, the former president of the Superior Council of Private Enterprise, Jose Adan Aguerri, has a 50% favorable rating. The recently elected president of Cosep, Cesar Zamora, has a 27% favorable rating and 26% unfavorable. Zamora assumed the presidency of Cosep after the illegal arrest of Michael Healy, who has a 24% favorable opinion rating and the same percentage of unfavorable opinions.

This article was originally published in Spanish in Confidencial and translated by Havana Times