Almagro affirms that Nicaragua is experiencing a dictatorship 1:08
(CNN Spanish) -
The Nicaraguan Public Ministry reported that justice ruled that the presidential candidates Félix Maradiaga and Juan Sebastián Chamorro must remain in detention for 90 days while the investigation that follows them is expanded.
In a statement, the Prosecutor's Office detailed that Maradiaga is being investigated for "carrying out illegal activities through the Foundation for Freedom", while Chamorro is being investigated "for the possible commission of illegal acts through Funides", in reference to the Nicaraguan Foundation for Economic and Social Development.
These are the presidential candidates and opposition leaders detained in Nicaragua
Both opponents are also being investigated because the prosecution says they have "strong indications that they have attacked Nicaraguan society and the rights of the people," crimes established in the so-called "Law for the Defense of the Rights of the People to Independence, Sovereignty and Self-determination for Peace ».
The wife of Nicaraguan leader Félix Maradiaga speaks 1:10
The law was approved by Parliament in December 2020 and prohibits Nicaraguans "who lead or finance a coup, alter the constitutional order, incite foreign interference and promote terrorist acts from opting for popularly elected positions."
Based on that law, the prosecution also says that Chamorro “has allegedly carried out acts that undermine the independence, sovereignty and self-determination of Nicaragua and that he has publicly incited foreign interference in internal affairs, proposing or managing economic blockades, commercial and financial operations against the country and its institutions and has demanded, exalted and celebrated the imposition of sanctions against the State of Nicaragua and its citizens.
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Almagro: Nicaragua is a dictatorship
In none of the cases did the Prosecutor's Office detail the "illegal activities" in which Maradiaga and Chamorro were allegedly involved.
Almagro: Ortega's government decided to delegitimize the election 0:46
CNN tried unsuccessfully on Thursday to contact the legal teams of both candidates.
The messages of Chamorro and Maradiaga
After his arrest on Tuesday, the Civic Alliance for Justice and Democracy published a video that had been previously recorded by Chamorro, in which he said: «I will never accept any charge of treason, much less of a dictatorship that has sold to Nicaragua ».
Chamorro: I call on Nicaraguans to continue fighting 1:12
For his part, Maradiaga told the press before his arrest that he believed that Daniel Ortega's regime could arrest him to try to stop a possible presidential candidacy and that he was not afraid.
Maradiaga and Chamorro are among the seven opposition leaders who have been detained in the last week by the authorities of the Central American country, measures that have generated a wave of convictions and rejections in the region.
Mario Medrano in Managua contributed to this report.