Nicaragua: Speech by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell at the EP Plenary

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Madam President, Honourable Members,

It is, in fact, a sad occasion, having to address you again on the situation in Nicaragua, only three months after the previous urgency debate. It is nevertheless necessary - over the summer we witnessed further violations of human rights.

The latest actions of the authorities in August with the arbitrary closure of seven Catholic radio stations and two more community radio/TV stations shortly after, together with the excessive police force used to occupy these installations.

All this stands testimony to the continued brutal repression the Government continues to carry out against its own people, and in particular on those who dare to oppose the regime. The detention and treatment of Bishop Rolando Álvarez and his fellow clergymen is also deeply troubling, and we are following developments very closely.

This is yet another violation of freedom of expression and freedom of religion or belief.

We stood by those affected, as we outlined in a statement on 4 August.

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has just released its report on the Human rights situation in Nicaragua. In the words of this report “the human rights situation […] has progressively deteriorated since 2018”, while 2022 saw further “deterioration of the human rights situation […] in a context characterized by the absence of dialogue, the deepening of the political crisis, and the isolation of Nicaragua from the international community.”

This is the true legacy that Mr. Ortega and Ms. Murillo are leaving behind, setting back the country after decades of hard-fought development.

But we are not fooled. We see the regime for its true colours: a brutal dictatorship. And so do Nicaraguans themselves: support for the regime has fallen to a historical low.

We maintain our demands for unconditional liberation of all political prisoners, immediate return of international human rights bodies and the Nicaraguan people’s efforts to re-establish democracy and rule of law.

In coordination with our partners, we imposed, already, restrictive measures on 21 individuals and 3 entities, including Vice-President Murillo and the National Police. Their review process is underway.

We will continue to ensure that Nicaragua remains at the core of the international agenda, in particular the United Nations, and will support the Nicaraguan people who suffer under Ortega’s dictatorship, and their legitimate search for a free country, and a better future.

We shall work with Member States and with our international partners towards the restoration of democracy and the rule of law in Nicaragua, and we shall continue to insist on the respect of human rights.

Thank you very much.

Link to the video (starting at 38:00): https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-229724