US secures release of 135 political prisoners from Nicaragua
The released group includes student and religious leaders who were arrested as part of government crackdown under President Daniel Ortega.
The United States has successfully secured the release of 135 political prisoners from Nicaragua, including students and members of a faith-based organization. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, in a statement on Thursday, said these individuals were among thousands caught in a years-long crackdown on rights by Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's government.
The freed prisoners were flown to neighboring Guatemala and may relocate to the US, according to Sullivan. The office of Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo confirmed that a plane carrying the freed Nicaraguans arrived early Thursday.
Sullivan emphasized that "no one should be imprisoned for peacefully exercising their fundamental rights of free expression, association, or practicing their religion." He explained that these individuals were arrested for posing a perceived threat to the “authoritarian rule” of Ortega and his vice president, Rosario Murillo. Sullivan urged Nicaragua to "immediately cease" the arbitrary detention of its citizens.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken echoed this sentiment on social media, stating, “Nicaraguans deserve democracy and freedom from persecution in their home country.”
The release follows a UN Human Rights Office report earlier this week that criticized Ortega's continued repression of dissent, including arrests of anyone or any group not under government control. The report highlighted cases of torture involving sexual abuse and electric shocks. The government's crackdown dates back to the 2018 student-led protests against a proposed social security law. During the unrest, an estimated 355 people were killed.
Ortega’s actions are viewed as part of a broader authoritarian shift, having removed presidential term limits and consolidated power across branches of government. His administration's repression intensified ahead of the 2021 elections, with many opposition leaders arrested or exiled, including prominent figures in the Catholic Church.
Most recently, Ortega’s government banned 169 more nongovernmental groups, adding to the over 4,000 organizations shut down since 2018. The UN has expressed concerns about a proposed new law allowing Nicaragua to prosecute individuals abroad, potentially targeting exiled citizens for exercising their rights.
Among the released prisoners this week were 13 members of the evangelical Christian group Mountain Gateway, who had been accused of money laundering and organized crime—charges they deny.
This release follows a similar event in February 2023, when 200 Nicaraguan prisoners were freed and flown to the US. Although rights observers often praise such releases, they have expressed concerns that Ortega uses them to rid the country of dissent, also stripping freed prisoners of their citizenship and property.
