Uncertainty grows over the elections in Nicaragua 3:34
(CNN) -
Víctor Hugo Tinoco, a former Nicaraguan Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs in the 1980s and a member of the Unión Democrática Renovadora (Unamos) party, was arrested Sunday night in Managua under the same "Law 1055" used to detain several opposition leaders before Nicaragua's general elections scheduled for later this year.
Tinoco's arrest brings to 13 the total number - as of Monday - of opposition leaders arrested and accused of committing acts that violate national sovereignty.
Four of the 13 detainees are potential presidential candidates.
Tinoco is accused of committing “acts that threaten independence, sovereignty, self-determination, incite foreign interference in internal affairs, request military interventions, organize financing of foreign powers to carry out acts of terrorism and destabilization, propose and manage economic, commercial and economic operations. financial [and] blockades against the country, "said the National Police in a statement this Sunday.
The Nicaraguan government tries to turn the "exercise of journalism into a crime," says editor of La Prensa
Almagro: Ortega's government decided to delegitimize the election 0:46
"Brutal escalation of repression"
Early Monday morning, the Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights (Cenidh) condemned the “brutal escalation of repression and persecution against social and political leaders.
It is evident that the Ortega Murillo regime intends to stay in power at the cost of terror and violating the [human rights] of Nicaraguans. "
The show of force against the opposition comes just five months before Nicaragua holds presidential elections and Daniel Ortega is seeking a fourth consecutive term in power.
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Ortega, a 75-year-old former revolutionary leader, has ruled the Central American country since 2007 and previously ruled the nation between 1979 and 1990, the last five years as president-elect.
- From Mario Medrano from CNNE in Nicaragua, Tatiana Arias from CNN in Atlanta and Rafael Romo from CNN in Mexico City.
Arrest of opponents