No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsLatin AmericaNicargua's ex-diplomat sentenced to eight years in prison

Nicargua’s ex-diplomat sentenced to eight years in prison

Edgar Parrales, a 79-year-old former priest and former Nicaraguan ambassador to the OAS, was sentenced Thursday to eight years in prison, in one of the trials against opponents of Daniel Ortega’s government, a humanitarian organization reported.

“Judge Nadia Tardencilla sentenced Edgar Parrales to eight years in prison for the crimes of undermining national integrity and cybercrime,” the independent Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights (Cenidh), which accompanies the judicial processes against opponents, indicated on Twitter. The authorities do not usually report such cases.

In her sentence, the judge decided to keep Parrales under house arrest, which was established in his favor last February due to the deterioration of his health in prison, where he spent three months. “His health condition is worrisome,” warned Cenidh.

Parrales, once an ally of Ortega in the leftist Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), was one of six priests, along with fellow writer Ernesto Cardenal (who died in 2020), sanctioned by Pope John Paul II in the 1980s for holding public office, which was considered incompatible.

Parrales distanced himself from Sandinismo in the 1990s and became a critic of Ortega’s administration after protests erupted against the 2018 government, whose repression left 355 dead, according to humanitarian groups.

The trial against Parrales was held behind closed doors at the Managua police’s Dirección de Auxilio Judicial (DAJ) prison, known as El Chipote, where on April 26 he was found guilty of the crimes charged.

“I am innocent,” declared Parrales, who accused Ortega of being “responsible” for the “tragedy” that Nicaragua is experiencing, according to Cenidh.

The former diplomat is one of 46 opponents, including seven former presidential hopefuls, who were arrested last year in the run-up to the November elections, in which Ortega won a fourth consecutive term in office since 2007.

Most of the opponents are being held in the DAJ, where they suffer mistreatment and terrible prison conditions, according to their relatives.

On February 1, the trials against the opponents began. Most of them have already received sentences ranging from eight to 13 years in prison for undermining national integrity, among other offenses.

Ortega accuses the imprisoned opponents of plotting an alleged coup d’état, with support from Washington. The United States does not recognize the Ortega government, considering that it was reelected under fraudulent conditions.

Trending Now

Venezuelan Migrants Describe Torture After Deportation to El Salvador

“You’re going to rot in here. You’ll spend 300 years in prison.” That’s what Maikel Olivera says guards repeatedly told him during his four-month...

Can Costa Rica’s Blue Zone Preserve Its Longevity Legacy?

The Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica is recognized worldwide as one of the five blue zones, where people live beyond the age of 90...

Venezuela Accuses El Salvador of Torturing Deported Migrants From U.S.

Sexual abuse, daily beatings, rotten food: The government of Nicolás Maduro on Monday denounced “torture” against Venezuelan migrants sent by the United States to...

Keylor Navas Joins Pumas UNAM in Major Liga MX Transfer

Keylor Navas has agreed to become the new goalkeeper for Pumas UNAM, marking one of the biggest signings in recent Liga MX history. The...

Costa Rica Tops Latin America in Attracting Foreign Millionaires

Costa Rica is a country that attracts millionaires. Projections indicate that by the end of 2025, a total of 350 foreign millionaires will have...

Costa Rica Rescues Endangered Amphibians and Turtles in Store Bust

The Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ), through its Specialized Section Against Environmental Crimes, carried out an operation at a store in Vázquez de Coronado, San...
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