UN Report Links Nicaraguan Army to Crimes Against Humanity During 2018 Protests

The UN’s GHREN has exposed the Nicaraguan army’s involvement in crimes against humanity during the 2018 protests against the Ortega regime. Despite previous denials, evidence shows military coordination with police in violent repression leading to numerous deaths. The report highlights systematic state violence and political allegiance of military leadership to the current government.

The United Nations Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua (GHREN) has presented credible evidence implicating the Nicaraguan army in crimes against humanity, particularly during the 2018 social protests against the Ortega and Murillo regime. Historically, the military denied any involvement in the repression, but the report now reveals coordination between military leadership and state violence that resulted in over 350 deaths, contradicting the army’s claims of being non-partisan.

On April 20, 2018, shortly after the protests commenced, a meeting of military leaders discussed how to address what they termed a coup d’état led by social organizations. The report confirms that government figures, including President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo, issued orders to suppress the protests through violence. This included indiscriminate orders to utilize all state resources against demonstrators, equating to crimes against humanity being pursued in Argentine courts.

The GHREN report delineates actions taken by the army, asserting its collaboration with the National Police and armed groups supportive of the government, evidencing a systematic strategy of violence. The army employed lethal measures such as the utilization of snipers, intelligence operations, and direct engagement in demonstrations, which were intended to instill fear throughout the population rather than merely control the crowds.

Despite the apparent complicity in state violence, the Nicaraguan military has insisted on its limited role during the protests, claiming a mandate to protect strategic assets. However, recent evidence underlines the army’s allegiance to the Ortega and Murillo regime, with General Julio César Avilés recently being sworn in for another term in a politically charged ceremony that highlighted military loyalty to the government.

A detailed intelligence network, largely consisting of army and police members, is employed to monitor opposition activities while maintaining a facade of neutrality. This network extends its control throughout Nicaraguan society, allowing for the surveillance and persecution of dissenting voices, thereby exacerbating the fears of escalating repression under the current regime.

The United Nations Group of Human Rights Experts has provided compelling evidence linking the Nicaraguan army to state-sponsored violence and crimes against humanity during the 2018 social protests. The findings dismantle previous denials from the military hierarchy regarding their involvement, revealing a coordinated operational strategy alongside police forces against protesters. The military’s continued loyalty to the Ortega and Murillo government underscores the profound implications for human rights in Nicaragua.

Original Source: english.elpais.com