Nicaragua finds itself even more isolated on the international scene on Saturday after President Daniel Ortega expelled the EU ambassador, refused the arrival of the ambassador designated by the United States and broke off diplomatic relations with the countries. -Down.
The story of a long drift of an authoritarian power, ready to do anything to stay in power.
Daniel Ortega, let us remember, was re-elected in November 2021 for a fourth consecutive term in a ballot from which all his potential opponents of weight, arrested or forced into exile, were absent.
Why was the EU ambassador expelled?
Declared persona non grata on Friday, the EU ambassador to the country Bettina Muscheidt flew to France on Saturday, via Mexico City, escorted by police.
According to the media 100% Noticias, the declaration of a representative of the European Union on Monday before the Human Rights Council in Geneva (Switzerland), asking the Nicaraguan government to "restore" democracy, provoked the anger of Managua.
Seven months after the expulsion of the Apostolic Nuncio (the Vatican's ambassador), the Central American country continues to add countries to its blacklist.
Broken relations with the Netherlands
Latest example: Managua cut ties on Friday evening with the government of the Netherlands, described as "interventionist" and "neocolonial", after its ambassador Christine Pirenne informed that The Hague was giving up financing the construction of a hospital within the framework of the cooperation.
In a letter sent to AFP on Saturday, the Dutch Foreign Ministry condemned this "regrettable" and "disproportionate" response to a critical message on democracy and human rights.
The Netherlands claims to have sent several warnings to Nicaragua about the "deterioration of the situation" in this area in the Central American country.
Calls that went unanswered led to the cancellation of the funding project, which had already been suspended since 2018. Daniel Ortega accused Ms. Pirenne, who returned to Costa Rica where she is based on Friday, of having held "a stomping speech dignity" of the Nicaraguan people.
" Out!
“, he thundered.
A firm response promised by the European Union
The EU's response was immediate.
“These hostile and unjustified actions will not only affect bilateral relations between Nicaragua and the EU and its Member States, but will also lead to further international isolation of Nicaragua.
In this context, the EU is reflecting on the appropriate course of action and will respond in a firm and proportionate way”, says the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell;
in a press release.
The new American ambassador rejected
On Friday, Nicaraguan Vice-President Rosario Murillo, also the wife of President Daniel Ortega, warned that the new American ambassador Hugo Rodriguez "would not enter" Nicaragua, citing the attitude of "interference" of the American diplomat, also qualified "imperialist".
The Nicaraguan Ministry of Foreign Affairs points out that it warned Washington on July 28 that the appointment of Hugo Rodriguez as ambassador to Managua would not be accepted, because of his attitude of "significant interference, his disrespect, whose accreditation represented a offense,” after he called the Managua regime a “dictatorship” during his hearing before the US Senate during the nomination process.
US President Joe Biden on Saturday showed the "greatest confidence" in the ambassador-designate, while deciding, faced with the rejection of Managua, to keep current ambassador Kevin Sullivan in his post.
Vatican ambassador expelled in March
The Vatican's ambassador, Apostolic Nuncio Waldemar Sommertag, had already been expelled in March, a decision unprecedented in the world.
The Holy See then recalled "its participation as a witness and accompanist at the table of the national dialogue between the government and the political opposition, with a view to the reconciliation of the country and the release of political prisoners", in an attempt to find a way out of the crisis opened by demonstrations in 2018 to demand the resignation of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.
The crackdown left at least 355 dead, according to human rights organizations.
The Vatican ambassador has not since been replaced in Managua.
President Ortega again refused on Wednesday evening the outstretched hand of the pope, who called for dialogue, describing the Catholic Church as "perfect dictatorship, perfect tyranny".
Also in March, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) mission, Thomas Ess, was expelled without explanation.
The following month, the office of the Organization of American States (OAS) was closed and its representative asked to leave the country.
Already in December 2018, the delegation of the OAS Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) was expelled.