No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeLatin AmericaNicaragua orders arrest of prominent writer

Nicaragua orders arrest of prominent writer

Nicaraguan prosecutors on Wednesday ordered the arrest of an award-winning novelist who used to be an aide to President Daniel Ortega, making him the latest perceived opponent to run afoul of the leftist government as elections draw near.

Sergio Ramirez, who in 2017 won the Premio Cervantes, the most prestigious literary award in the Spanish-speaking world, is accused of “incitement of hate” and “conspiracy” — charges that have already been used several times in the arrests of candidates set to run against Ortega in November’s election. 

Ramirez is also accused of receiving money from the Violeta Barrios Chamorro Foundation, which is accused of money laundering and undermining national sovereignty. 

Ramirez, who fell out with Ortega’s Sandinista National Liberation Front in 1995, was notified of the charges on Tuesday. 

He had left the country in June after appearing as a witness in the case against the Chamorro foundation. 

Ramirez is also accused of receiving money from the Luisa Mercado Foundation, a cultural organization that the prosecutor’s office has accused of trying to “destabilize” the country. 

The 78-year-old Ramirez had been an official in the Sandinista government that came to power in 1979 and was vice president under Ortega during his first term from 1985 to 1990. 

The Nicaraguan government has already accused some 34 political opponents, including seven presidential candidates, of plotting against the state in a law that was approved by parliament in December. 

Author of the celebrated novel “Divine Punishment,” Ramirez was also the winner of the Alfaguara Prize in  1998 for “Margarita, How Beautiful the Sea.”

With only two months to go until the presidential election in November, Nicaraguan judicial authorities have begun proceedings against 20 of those political opponents, including five presidential candidates, including Cristiana Chamorro, president of the Chamorro foundation, which is named for her mother.

The elder Chamorro beat Ortega in the 1990 presidential election before 75-year-old Ortega won a second term in 2007.

Trending Now

Costa Rica Issues Green Weather Alert as Heavy Rains Expected

The National Emergency Commission (CNE) has declared a green weather alert across Costa Rica due to the expected increase in rainfall over the coming...

Costa Rica President Confronts Calls to Strip Immunity

Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves denounced today an “attempted judicial coup” as he appeared before a congressional committee that must recommend to the full...

Costa Rica National Parks to Measure Tourism Impact

Costa Rica will now be able to measure the impact of tourism in its national parks, thanks to innovative environmental technology from The NeverRest...

Costa Rica Replaces One-Lane Bridges as Traffic and Population Grow

As the infrastructure of Costa Rica advances, with new four-lane highways and a series of bypasses around San José that avoid the narrow, congested...

Former Zoo to Become Costa Rica’s First Urban Natural Park

Simón Bolívar Park, in San José, will be the first space in the country to become an Urban Natural Park. The project, led by...

Costa Rica Marks National Parks Day with Free Entry This Sunday

As everyone knows by now, our country stands out for its strong focus on protecting the environment. It leads in conservation efforts, manages its...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica