US President Joe Biden has “the greatest confidence” in the ambassador-designate to Nicaragua, which was rejected by Daniel Ortega’s government, a State Department spokesman said on Saturday (October 1).
Hugo Rodriguez “continues to enjoy the President’s full confidence,” the spokesman said, adding that during his Senate testimony he “accurately reflected the bipartisan political positions” of the United States. The Nicaraguan government announced on Friday that it would be “not allowed” because of its “interfering” attitude.
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“Hugo Rodriguez, we repeat, will under no circumstances be admitted to Nicaragua (…) Let these gentlemen, the imperialists, take it for granted: Hugo Rodriguez will not enter here,” said Vice President Rosario Murillo, also the head of state’s wife.
Hugo Rodriguez, who had called the Ortega government a “dictatorship” at his US Senate hearing, had also worked to get Nicaragua out of the cafta (free trade agreement between Central America, the Dominican Republic and the United States). . Faced with this rejection, Washington decided to keep current Ambassador Kevin Sullivan in his post.
The United States remains committed to “encouraging the return of democratic government to Nicaragua,” the spokesman said. Washington has imposed sanctions on Ortega’s officials and relatives for human rights abuses and corruption.
In addition to rejecting the new American ambassador, the Nicaraguan government this week deepened its international isolation by expelling the European Union (EU) ambassador and cutting diplomatic ties with the Netherlands.