The Peace Brigades International-Nicaragua Project accompanies Nicaraguan human rights defenders living in exile in Costa Rica.
On October 17, La Prensa reported: “The growing harassment, including recent attacks on young Nicaraguans exiled in Costa Rica, has led a number of exiles to flee once more.”
“Attacks such as the one against Joao Maldonado on September 11th have sparked fear among many young people. …At least seven young Nicaraguans left Costa Rica in the first half of October, and others are on the verge of leaving the neighboring country for fear of suffering attack from unknown sources.”
The article adds: “Many young people preparing to leave Costa Rica and seek asylum in countries such as Panama, Guatemala, Mexico, the U.S., Spain, England, or Germany.”
It also quotes Wendy Quintero from the “Nicaragua Nunca + Human Rights Collective who says: “The competent authorities of this country [Costa Rica] have an obligation to clarify all doubts on the circumstances and motivations” of the attacks against Joao Maldonado and Rayza Hope [who was attacked on October 2 in San Jose].
Quintero adds: “We encourage exiled Nicaraguans to make any needed denunciations to the Costa Rican government. The offices of our Collective continue receiving denunciations of human rights violations against the exiled Nicaraguans.”
PBI launched its accompaniment project for Nicaraguans in exile in January 2020.
Since the social crisis of April 2018 and the intensification of repression against Nicaraguan citizens, 108,000 people have fled the country, of which it is estimated that approximately 85,000 have sought protection in Costa Rica.
The situation is expected to intensify in the lead-up to the presidential election in Nicaragua on November 7.
Among those currently imprisoned in Nicaragua is Dora María Téllez, one of the best-known heroes of the Sandinista Revolution, who was arrested on June 13 of this year. She has not been seen since. Photo by PBI-Nicaragua.
Upcoming webinar, November 6
Exiled Nicaraguan environmental rights defender Amaru Ruiz Aleman will be speaking on the Peace Brigades International ‘COP26 and land defenders’ webinar on November 6. To register to hear him speak (with simultaneous translation in English), click here.
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2021 is Peace Brigades International’s 40th Year Anniversary!
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