Nicaragua withdrew its representatives from the Organization of American States (OAS) and ordered the closure of the organization’s headquarters in the country, taking the opportunity to describe its activities as “catastrophic, brutal and mendacious”.
“As we reaffirm our irrevocable denunciation and resignation in the face of this ominous, brutal, and mendacious dependence on Yankee imperialism, we also communicate this.” from that date we cease to be part of all the fraudulent mechanisms of this monstrosity.”said Nicaragua’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Denis Moncada.
In this regard, the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced in statements from Channel 4 that it will withdraw the credentials of representatives Orlando Tardencilla, Iván Lara and Michael Campbell.
“We will not be present in any of the instances of this diabolical instrument of evil called Oea.”he added.
Nicaraguan authorities have defended that the organization violates “rights and independence” and sponsors and encourages “interventions and invasions.” and “Coups in various formats and modalities”.
Back in November 2021, Moncada announced that the country had officially started the exit process in light of what the government sees as “continuing signs of interference” in the country’s internal affairs.
The head of Nicaraguan diplomacy confirmed that he was following the instructions of President Daniel Ortega presented a complaint to the organization’s secretary, Luis Almagro, alleging “interference” in internal affairs and the country’s consequent desire to “leave the entity”.
After the November 7, 2021 elections, amid allegations of fraud and criticism of the government’s repression of opposition and critics, The OAS approved a resolution declaring the elections “illegitimate” and calling for an “immediate collective assessment” to take “appropriate action” in relation to Nicaragua.
According to the resolution, the November 2021 presidential elections in Nicaragua “were not free, fair or transparent and lack democratic legitimacy”.
The document says further The Nicaraguan authorities have ignored all of the organization’s recommendations.
“Shut the Door to Peace”
On March 23, the then-Permanent Representative of Nicaragua to the OAS, Arturo McFields, surprised during his speech at a Permanent Council session, in which he called Ortega’s leadership a “dictatorship” and denounced the precarious conditions in which his opponents were arrested .
“I don’t understand the government’s motives, but this withdrawal comes a month after my speech to the OAS”McFields said this Sunday in an interview with AFP.
Following reports of irregularities in the lka that led to Daniel Ortega’s re-election, the OAS approved a resolution declaring the elections “illegitimate” and calling for an “immediate collective assessment” to determine “the appropriate measures” regarding to seize Nicaragua. – Photo: AFPAlthough for him Ortega’s decision to take early retirement “is a great moral victory for the people of Nicaragua and for the political prisoners held at El Chipote prison.” This organization repeatedly demanded the freedom of opponents.
The OAS offices “were historically in our country and were part of a historical process of pacification in Nicaragua. Offices representing the peace accords in Nicaragua have been closed. The government is closing a door to peace,” he added.
As described by McFieldsthe agency’s offices in Managua currently operate with a simple administrative staff.
relationship with the OAS
In 2016, when the opposition denounced voter fraud in Ortega’s election to a third consecutive term with his wife Rosario Murillo as vice president, The OAS sent a mission to reach an agreement, without many results.
The organization urged Nicaragua to change the electoral law to prevent these incidents from happening again. Even its Secretary General, Luis Almagro, visited Nicaragua at the end of the year. In 2017, the OAS and Managua signed an agreement to implement measures to improve the electoral system.
However, the anti-government protests that erupted in April 2018 and paralyzed Nicaragua for several months changed the course of events. According to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), the violent repression left 355 dead, hundreds imprisoned and thousands displaced.
On repeated occasions, Ortega refused entry to OAS missions to find a solution to this crisis and claimed to have intervened in internal situations.
At the start of the arrests of opponents in June 2021, months before the general election, AlMagro was of the opinion that in Nicaragua “the exercise of power is not based on the rule of law”so you could call it a “dictatorship”.
*With information from Europa Press and AFP.