A panel of United Nations human rights experts pressed the international community on Thursday to take action against Nicaragua’s leaders, Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, for what they described as systematic violations amounting to crimes against humanity. The experts presented their findings for the first time to the UN General Assembly, highlighting a pattern of repression that has gripped the country since 2018.
The Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua, an independent body created by the UN Human Rights Council, outlined severe abuses in their report. They accused the Ortega-Murillo administration of extrajudicial executions, forced disappearances, and torture.
These acts, the experts said, stemmed from the government’s response to widespread protests in 2018, which left around 300 people dead. Nicaraguan officials have long dismissed those demonstrations as a U.S.-backed coup attempt, but the experts painted a different picture: a deliberate campaign to crush opposition and consolidate power.
Jan-Michael Simon, who leads the group, pointed to the stripping of nationality and property from critics as part of a broader strategy to silence dissent. He noted that the repression now extends beyond Nicaragua’s borders, with exiles facing threats abroad. “The government has created a system of persecution that tracks its citizens even outside the country,” Simon stated during the presentation.
Fellow expert Ariela Peralta echoed the call for accountability, urging member states to pursue legal actions, prosecutions, and targeted sanctions. “We cannot stand by as witnesses,” she said. The report also referenced the June killing of retired Major Roberto Samcam in Costa Rica, a vocal opponent living in exile. The experts suggested possible involvement by Nicaraguan authorities or military elements, though investigations continue. Reed Brody, another panel member, added that exiles endure constant fear due to this transnational reach.
The document gained support from the European Union and several Latin American nations, including Chile, Brazil, and Mexico. It recommended bringing Nicaragua before the International Court of Justice to address the violations. This push comes amid growing isolation for the Ortega regime, which has tightened control over media, civil society, and political rivals since returning to power in 2007.
Nicaragua’s representative to the Assembly, Eleane Pichardo, rejected the findings outright. Backed by allies such as Venezuela, Cuba, North Korea, China, Iran, and Russia, she argued the report lacked legitimacy and served as a pretext for aggression against her country. The session exposed sharp divisions, with critics accusing the government of building a machinery of fear that stifles any form of opposition.
In a related development, the United States indicated it is considering tariffs of up to 100% on Nicaraguan goods in response to the human rights situation. This potential economic measure adds pressure on Managua, where opposition sources report internal challenges for the 79-year-old Ortega, a former guerrilla leader who also governed in the 1980s. Rumors of health issues have surfaced, prompting Murillo, 74, to lead what observers describe as a purge to secure succession within their inner circle.
The experts’ report builds on previous investigations, documenting over 120 cases of enforced disappearances and ongoing abuses against civilians, including students and children targeted for political reasons. They warned that without intervention, the cycle of repression will persist, holding the population hostage.
As the Assembly debates next steps, the call for justice resonates across borders, particularly in neighboring Costa Rica, home to many Nicaraguan exiles. The findings underscore the need for concrete measures to protect human rights and prevent further atrocities in the region.
This presentation marks a pivotal moment, as the experts urge the world to move from observation to enforcement, holding those in power responsible for the suffering inflicted on Nicaraguans at home and abroad.
