MADRID 8 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Government of Nicaragua, led by President Daniel Ortega, has canceled another 15 NGOs this Wednesday, including Save the Children, within the framework of the repressive campaign that began in the Central American country after the anti-government protests of 2018.
The decree, published in the official newspaper ‘La Gaceta’, highlights that Save the Children International, active since 2011, has been closed due to “voluntary dissolution by agreement of the board of directors to complete its portfolio of projects in Nicaragua.”
Ten other organizations have been canceled for the same reasons, many of them religious. Likewise, five foundations and associations have closed for not reporting their financial statements for long periods of time.
These types of measures have been frequent since the 2018 protests. The Government has deprived dissidents of their nationality, expelled ambassadors from the country and closed thousands of national and international NGOs, as well as media outlets and religious organizations, alleging administrative irregularities.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada al Nashif, assured in December that a “repressive climate” prevails in the country in the face of the latest constitutional reforms promoted by President Ortega, which have generated “fear” among Nicaraguans, including those who are exiled.
“The Human Rights situation in Nicaragua has continued to deteriorate. A serious repressive climate prevails. In recent months, the reforms have aimed to concentrate more power in the Presidency and criminalize dissident voices,” he highlighted.
The amendment to the Constitution promoted by Ortega extends the presidential term from five to six years and eliminates the prohibition on press censorship in the Magna Carta. It also establishes that all fundamental rights can be suspended during a state of emergency and lowers the conditions for the Government to use the Army for “security” reasons.