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Relations between the international locations have deteriorated lately with Washington imposing a slew of sanctions over the Nicaragua President’s crackdown on political opposition.
(Reuters)
Top United States diplomat Antony Blinken has spoken together with his Nicaraguan counterpart in a uncommon high-level change, a day after the Central American nation launched 222 detained regime critics and exiled them to the United States.
Ties between the international locations have sharply deteriorated lately with Washington imposing a slew of sanctions over leftist President Daniel Ortega’s crackdown on Nicaragua’s political opposition.
The 222 prisoners have been beforehand detained in a wave of repression that adopted 2018 anti-government protests demanding Ortega cede energy.
Secretary of State Blinken and Foreign Minister Denis Moncada mentioned the prisoners in addition to “the importance of constructive dialogue,” US State Department spokesperson Ned Price mentioned in a press release.
After weeks of behind-the-scenes talks with Washington, Ortega’s authorities allowed the detainees to board a chartered flight to Washington.
Price beforehand mentioned everybody within the group had consented to journey to the United States, besides two who selected to remain in Nicaragua.
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No guarantees from Ortega
US officers mentioned they might permit the previous prisoners to remain for a minimum of two years and would supply medical and authorized assist.
A court docket official in Nicaragua’s capital Managua had mentioned the prisoners have been “deported” and referred to as them “traitors to the homeland.”
Nicaragua’s legislature has moved to strip the dissidents of their citizenship, which should be voted on this 12 months to change into regulation.
Spain has provided them citizenship.
The United States on Thursday welcomed the discharge of the dissidents however mentioned the transfer was made unilaterally with none guarantees from Ortega.
Ortega has denied the mass launch was the results of negotiations with the United States.
READ MORE: EU declares Nicaragua’s envoy ‘persona non grata’ amid hovering tensions
Source: AFP
Source: www.trtworld.com
