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Alberto Brunori: "The UN has offered support to the Government of Nicaragua, but it does not accept it"

2021-02-22T20:49:15.855Z


The representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Central America fears a resurgence of violence against political dissent


Alberto Brunori, UN Representative for Central America and the Caribbean UN

Silence has been the response that the Government of Daniel Ortega has given to the requests presented by the United Nations to learn about the human rights situation in the Central American country.

The organization publishes this week a new report on Nicaragua, in which it once again suspends the Sandinista regime.

Arbitrary detentions, illegal raids, violation of freedom of expression, the right to assembly, attacks on journalists, threats.

The list of humiliations grows and the fear of the UN is that it will increase in an election year, when Nicaraguans are expected to elect a new president without Ortega showing the slightest sign of wanting to step down from power.

Although the UN recommendations seem to fall on deaf ears, Alberto Brunori, regional representative for Central America and the Caribbean of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), affirms in this interview that he does not lose hope that Ortega reconsiders accepting the support he has been offered to overcome the crisis that since 2018 has turned Nicaragua into one of the organism's biggest headaches.

Ask.

The Ortega government has stopped responding since June 2020 to the requests for information that the OHCHR has made, how do you interpret this silence?

Answer.

It is a pity that a government does not respond and, furthermore, that we are accused of being biased.

Our impartiality is precisely based on the fact that we have sent 37 requests for information to the Government, giving it the opportunity to contrast the statements we make.

The fact that they do not respond does not penalize the Office of the High Commissioner, which in the end has a mandate and does its job, but the Government.

Q.

What are the consequences of this lack of collaboration?

R.

We have offered several times the support of the United Nations, especially the High Commissioner, to help the country overcome the crisis.

If the government does not accept that cooperation and, in addition, passes laws that are contrary to human rights standards and continues to commit violations, the truth is that the solution of the problem becomes increasingly complicated.

Q.

It is interpreted as a disdain for the UN.

A.

Yes. It is a negative element, because when one offers you support to overcome a crisis and given that elections are coming in November and the climate is not the best, one would expect there to be an opening.

The fact of not having it and of closing it does not help the country.

I consider it a loss of opportunity to do things right.

When an office like the one headed by Michele Bachelet offers the tools to overcome a crisis, normally countries accept it.

Q.

Almost three years have passed since the social outbreak in Nicaragua, how do you now assess the situation in the country?

R.

Saying complicated is not enough.

It seems to me that the situation, although it is not as serious as in 2018, the violations continue and in the last period incidents, threats, harassment of journalists, human rights defenders, illegal raids, arbitrary detentions, all signs have been increasing. worry.

We fear that this will increase by November, with the tension of the elections.

In addition, the cases of human rights violations in 2018 are almost all in impunity.

In that there have not been major advances.

Yes, several detainees have been released, but we continue to have reports of 111 cases of people arbitrarily detained.

The type of rape has changed.

We no longer have so many violations of life, as we saw with the 300 [fatal] victims of 2018. But the right to association is violated, political rallies have been prohibited, femicides are increasing, there is a violation of the right to freedom of expression.

Q.

Have you seen any signal from the Government to clarify the violations committed in the framework of the repression against the 2018 protests?

R.

No. Rather, the amnesty law [approved in June 2019] is contrary to human rights.

It is already known that for certain crimes, under international law, an amnesty is not admissible.

That is the first stumbling block we have.

In addition, the justice system shows weakness on the issue of independence, including the prosecution.

Q.

Can the amnesty approved by the Nicaraguan Congress affect future investigations and processes against those who have violated human rights in the country?

A.

Yes, it affects, because practically de facto it prevents investigations and that is why they have not advanced.

Q.

Nicaragua is facing elections this year without guarantees of a free process.

Do you see possibilities for real reforms in the face of the presidential elections?

A.

We never lose hope that there will be a reconsideration. These electoral reforms have been requested by the OAS, by the European Parliament, by the High Commissioner in the 2019 report. There is still time to do so, although the shorter that time, the less chance that the process will be highly participatory. Once again we reiterate our willingness to support the State.

Source: elparis

All news articles on 2021-02-22

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