A Nicaraguan opponent attends a mass for the release of political prisoners. Jorge Torres (efe)
Exiled and exiled, the Nicaraguan opposition embarks on a new quest for “unity” against the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, a goal forgotten after the self-convened protests of 2018. The main opposition leaders met in Houston, USA this week and presented the Monteverde Group in a statement. It is not a political platform, but “a space” that “searches for a peaceful way out of dictatorship and the construction of a democratic society”, but above all tries to bring together the various aspects opposed to the Sandinista apparatus.
The meeting in the United States brought together opponents in exile since 2018 and key leaders released last February, banished on a plane by the regime and later stripped of their nationality, including presidential candidates. “This unity process is an inclusive space that involves people from different sectors, including youth, farmers, leaders of political organizations and sector leaders. Diversity of perspectives is valued and encouraged in this area, as it is believed that this is the only way to achieve collective enrichment and a plural and diverse unity, capable of driving the country’s democratic transition.” the declaration they signed.
Although Monteverde was introduced on June 28, it was a space born in late October 2021 in a mountainous region of Costa Rica (where the group gets its name). Opponents, including those in exile in Costa Rica since 2018 and those not being hunted down by regime police in 2021, formed this group “of people” to demand the release of political prisoners. But they were also called by the urgency to reconcile the opponents’ internal differences, which were heavily influenced by an ideological discussion between “left and right”.
After the popular uprising against Ortega and Murillo, the articulated opposition is very diverse: it includes sectors ranging from students, farmers, businessmen, traditional politicians, leaders of civil society, former Sandinista guerrillas to members of mindless political parties, among others. They are all opponents of the regime and have been equally affected by the crackdown on the presidential couple. However, due to mutual distrust, they have not managed to form a single opposition bloc. The ideological factor prevailed to such an extent that it fueled a desire that had been nurtured since 1990, when the coalition of political parties called the Union Nacional Opposition (UNO) elected Violeta Barrios de Chamorro to the presidency and defeated the Sandinista revolution in the polls.
After the 2021 election, which left Ortega and Murillo in power, Monteverde exiled hostile political actors: from Kitty Monterrey, President of the Citizens for Freedom Party (CxL), to members of the National Unity Blue and White (UNAB) , and the Renewable Democratic Union (UNAMOS). “The first meetings in Monteverde represented the first approaches and the creation of a space for dialogue between individuals but linked to various pro-democracy groups in Nicaragua. These meetings made it possible to break down prejudices and preconceptions between people with different political perspectives; as well as open communication bridges despite the differences. All based on respect,” a source linked to Monteverde told EL PAÍS, who has asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals against his family in Nicaragua.
“Ortega is everyone’s opponent”
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The main criticism Monteverde has received has come from far-right sectors – most of them based in Miami – who suggest the group is “a nest of leftists”. However, Monteverde members claim that there are “more people from the center and right than from the left” in the room. “There is a good balance in the group. The most important thing is that the fundamental problem in Nicaragua is between dictatorship and democracy. “Ortega is everyone’s opponent,” says a source connected to the opponents.
According to Wednesday’s Monteverde Declaration, participants do so individually and are based on principles such as “respect for democratic foundations and human rights, commitment to dialogue among participants and building consensus, commitment to civic action and inclusion.”
“The biggest challenge was to put aside the positions that divide and reconcile everyone’s interests,” stresses one of the Monteverde members. “Because of this principle, the ideological flags stay at home in this process. The dialogues and consensus we seek are based on democracy, justice and freedom, regardless of political ideologies,” the group explains.
There are many other Monteverde members who prefer to keep their participation anonymous for “security reasons”, but there are others who openly manage their participation: Eliseo Núñez, Héctor Mairena, Jesús Tefel, Alexa Zamora, Daisy George, Luciano García, Juan Diego Barberena, Francisca Ramírez, Ana Quiros and Maria Laura Alvarado. Almost all of them had their citizenship revoked by the regime. “Monteverde is defined as a process of agreement and action of national and international importance to contribute to the building of democracy in Nicaragua,” they affirm.
Although criticism and distrust of Monteverde remain, the independent analysts consulted by EL PAÍS agree that the challenge facing the opposition is enormous: it must articulate itself in exile for the time being, while grappling with the fact that it has no nationality that allows them to pursue a career in public office in Nicaragua. In addition, they cannot propose a concrete national plan to the country. The new opposition attempt, which wants to add more actors, aims to change the previous trend: All attempts to articulate a single emblem have failed.
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