(UPDATED) Mothers’ Day in Nicaragua begins with Stealthy Excarcerations

May 30, 2019

Nicaragua

The Ortega-Murillo government has excarcerated fifty political prisoners, in a symbolic move intended to mark Mothers’ Day.

The excarcerated prisoners were taken to their homes, using vehicles belonging to the penitentiary system, as is customary.

On Monday, the Ortega-Murillo negotiation team announced that there were “exactly 142 [political prisoners] left to excarcerate.” The press release also characterized excarcerations as demonstrating the government’s “generosity and absolute commitment to family.”

Ortega-Murillo Statement on Political Prisoners.

The Alianza Cívica challenged the Ortega-Murillo government’s prisoner tally as undercounting the number of prisoners by 91. In a letter to Laure Schneeberger, who represents the ICRC in Nicaragua, the Alianza requested an official update of the ICRC’s list, which both sides agreed to use.

“To date, there are 233 political prisoners being held in various detention or penitentiary centers run by the State,” according to the Alianza. Additionally, there are 102 people who have been reported as “captured”, but whose whereabouts are unknown.

“The Government of the Republic of Nicaragua must provide information about them.”

So far, the following political prisoners have been excarcerated today.

Franklin Sequeira (Carazo)

Harry Valverde (Carazo)

Oscar Danilo Lanzas (Sébaco)

In addition, Julio Montenegro, of the CPDH, confirmed ten more names, mostly from Sébaco.

Journalist Marcos Medina, of Radio Corporación, verified that Juan José González López was also excarcerated.

As excarcerations were underway, MIGOB published the official list of the prisoners, whom are described as “people who were detained for crimes against common security and public peace.” MIGOB added that excarcerations were a unilateral decision of the government, and that the International Committee of the Red Cross was at hand, as observers.”

  1. Rodrigo Jose Evertz Núñez
  2. Félix José Picado Castro
  3. José Iván González Irías
  4. Omar Adonis Mairena Valle
  5. Humberto Cecilio Hernández Hernández
  6. José Mauricio Úbeda Mercado
  7. Jimmy Jeyller Rodríguez Méndez
  8. Eddy José Gutiérrez Valle
  9. Asisclo Torrez Larios
  10. Jorge Luis Zeledón López
  11. Douglas Antonio Picado Guido
  12. Franklin Javier Olivas
  13. Modesto José Machado Urbina
  14. Misael de Jesús Escorcia Rugama
  15. Michael Alexander Valle Hernández
  16. Julio César Alvarado Rizo
  17. Freddy José Vega Arancibia
  18. Guillermo José Rodríguez Tinoco
  19. Mauricio Eliezer Castillo Cabrera
  20. Oscar Danilo Mendoza Lanzas
  21. Hugo Ríos Castillo
  22. Alfonzo José Morazán Castillo
  23. Adolfo José Lozano
  24. Adolfo Ramón Lozano Rivas
  25. Orlando Francisco Madriz Contreras
  26. Paulino José Lozano Rivas
  27. Marcial Eduardo González Martínez
  28. José Moisés Jiménez Ferrufino
  29. Jorge Luis López Mendoza
  30. Alexander Antonio Cruz
  31. Everth Antonio Rivas Gomez
  32. Camelia Rafael Aráuz Aráuz
  33. Franklin Jerónimo Lampin López
  34. Sergio Gutiérrez Pavón
  35. Juan José González López
  36. Cesar Antonio Ruiz Méndez
  37. Julio Francisco Alvarado Chavala
  38. Lester Alexander Ramírez Martínez
  39. Harry Jonathan Valverde Ortiz
  40. Francisco Javier Hernández Velásquez
  41. José Bayardo Mendieta
  42. Franklin Ernesto Sequeira Galán
  43. Josué Santiago Rojas Álvarez
  44. Bismarck Antonio Navarro Gómez
  45. Miguel Ángel Sequeira Morales
  46. Bismarck José Contreras Herrera
  47. Nelson Ariel Mairena Castillo
  48. Jessy Geovany Morales Casco
  49. Gerald Marcelino Zelaya Hernández
  50. Deyling Alonzo Hernández González.

Adonis Mairena received a hero’s welcome in Jinotega.

Alfonso Morazán, a retired military man, was also excarcerated today. His son Yader Morazán stated that there is no family to greet him, “because all of his sons had to go into exile.”

Excarcerations do not equal freedom, as all of these prisoners continue under house arrest.

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