Nicaragua prepares for the impact of Hurricane Iota

Nicaragua, hit by Hurricane Eta just a few days ago, is now getting ready to receive the impact of what in the next few hours could become a major category 4 hurricane, according to the United States’ National Hurricane Center (NHC).

Iota has maximum sustained winds of 90 miles per hour (150 km / h), but NHC meteorologists predict that by the time it approaches the coasts of Nicaragua and northeastern Honduras, possibly on Monday night, it will be a major hurricane, that is, grade 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson scale (out of a maximum of 5).

The island of Providencia, in the Caribbean Sea, and a coastal strip that runs from Sandy Bay Sirpi, in Nicaragua, to the Honduran Punta Patuca, are under a hurricane warning, where “catastrophic winds”, heavy rains, and storm surge are expected.

Read the full coverage (in English) here.

2. Ortega receives more than 700,000 dollars for victims of Hurricane Eta

The government of Daniel Ortega received 700,000 dollars to assist the victims of Hurricane Eta, which according to an official report left 172 million dollars in losses.

Taiwan gave 200 thousand dollars for the purchase of food, while the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), the Inter-American Development Bank, and the World Bank donated 500 thousand dollars.

The United States and Switzerland also made donations, but these will be handled by UN agencies and the Red Cross.

For their part, the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo obstructed the collection and delivery of donations at the local level, they denounced social, business, and medical organizations.

Read the full report (in Spanish) here.

3. The resignation of Arnoldo Alemán, as honorary president of the PLC, demanded

The acting president of the Liberal Constitutionalist Party, Miguel Rosales, demanded that Arnoldo Alemán retires from his post as honorary president of the Liberal Constitutionalist Party (PLC), to demonstrate the independence of the so-called “new liberalism”.

The opposition National Coalition called on the (PLC) to "demonstrate a clear break with the past of some of its leadership, and their internal institutions."

“The PLC must solve its internal problems of lack of institutionality, but also solve the rupture with the recent past, in which the figure of Arnoldo Alemán is a figure of enormous weight for the PLC and can also be an obstacle to the strengthening of the National Coalition," said Violeta Granera, rotating coordinator of the National Coalition.

The summons comes after the Secretary of State of the United States reiterated the acts of corruption of the former president of Nicaragua, and pointed out the impediment of him and his close nucleus from entering the United States.

Read this article (in Spanish) on the matter.

4. Sandinista fanatic convicted of reckless homicide

Abner Onell Pineda, accused of killing Jorge Luis Rugama with a shot to the head after he shouted “Long live free Nicaragua!” in the Estelí department on July 19, was found guilty of reckless homicide.

The Permanent Commission on Human Rights (CPDH) criticized that the act was not classified as murder, as requested by the accusing party, who indicated that Pineda killed Rugama in cold blood.

The CPDH also pointed out that the maximum penalty for reckless homicide is four years, with the possibility of a family coexistence order being issued.

Read the full report (in Spanish) here.

5. Ortega deputies approved a life sentence

In the National Assembly, Ortega deputies amended the Political Constitution of Nicaragua to include the sentence of life imprisonment.

This is the third punitive law, dictated by the Ortega-Murillo regime, as part of a series of repressive legal instruments against citizens.

The other two recently passed laws are the Law for the Regulation of Foreign Agents, which seeks to prosecute those who receive financing from abroad; and the Cybercrime Law, which includes articles that punish the dissemination of news that the regime considers false, as well as the leakage of public information.

Read the full report (in English) here.

6. Archdiocese criticizes repressive laws and tax measures

The Archdiocese of Managua criticized the repressive laws and tax measures of the Ortega Murillo regime.

The Justice and Peace Commission pointed out that the laws "impede the right to free expression and mobilization" in Nicaragua and "ignore the situation of poverty and misery of the majority of the population."

"We see more and more dark shadows appear in the social, economic, and political landscape," the bishops said.

7. Nicaragua establishes a consulate in Crimea

Daniel Ortega's regime established a consulate in Crimea, a territory of Ukraine which was forcibly annexed by Russia in 2014.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine announced sanctions against Nicaragua for "violation of the territorial integrity of the State", with the appointment of a consul in the Russian Federation.

This regards the retired Russian military officer, Oleg Belaventsev, who, according to an investigation, was involved in an act of corruption due to a millionaire donation from the Vladimir Putin Administration to the Ortega regime.

Read this article on the matter (in Spanish).

8. Political prisoners again on hunger strike

Seven political prisoners have resumed a hunger strike to demand their release in the maximum-security cells of the “La Modelo” prison, located in Managua.

They started the strike on September 30 along with more than 50 inmates, of whom three had sewn their lips shut, and suspended it 15 days ago. They resumed action last Wednesday, their relatives reported.

This article has been translated by Ana Maria Sampson, a Communication Science student at the University of Amsterdam and member of our staff*