Central America
Nicaragua opposition leader flees to Costa Rica to avoid detention
AFP
The head of Nicaragua’s opposition party Citizens Alliance for Liberty said Tuesday she had left the country for Costa Rica, fearing she would be added to the list of rival politicians arrested by President Daniel Ortega’s government.
“Nobody is safe anymore,” said Carmella Rogers, also known as Kitty Monterrey, in a televised interview with Telenoticias in Costa Rica — her first public appearance in several days.
“(Staying) didn’t make sense, they were going to take me to jail or they were going to deport me.”
Last week, officials canceled the CxL head’s national identity card and passport.
“I’ve been in hiding since Friday,” Monterrey said. “I was looking for a way out that had to be gradual to get here in a safe way. It was difficult and I’m tired, but here I am.”
The 71-year-old’s exile comes after her right-wing party on Friday was disqualified from standing in November’s election by the electoral court, which is dominated by the ruling party.
The party’s vice-presidential candidate Berenice Quezada had been placed under house arrest that week.
With three months to go before the country’s elections, Nicaragua’s government has detained 32 opposition politicians that they accused of treason.
Among them are seven potential candidates who could run against Ortega, who is seeking a fourth consecutive term.
The 75-year-old former guerilla first took office in 2007 as part of the left-wing Sandinista National Liberation Front.
His government faces sanctions from the United States and the European Union, which accuse him of humans rights violations and the repression of opposition figures, which began with anti-government protests in 2018.
Ortega accuses the opposition of trying to overthrow him with the support of the United States.
Despite her presence in Costa Rica, Monterrey, who has an American father and Nicaraguan mother, said: “I am never going to stop being Nicaraguan. I am going to continue to fight for Nicaragua, this does not end here.”
She will seek to legalize her stay in Costa Rica under her US citizenship.
“I think I will stay in Costa Rica if possible,” she said. “I want to be close to my country.”
Monterrey’s opponents blame her for blocking efforts by Nicaragua’s opposition parties and other social forces to mount a unified fight against Ortega.
“It’s not that we are divided, it’s that there have been different opinions,” said Monterrey, who has said the CxL is best-suited to lead the charge.
Even though it was clear the government “was committing fraud, we had to continue doing the impossible within the civic route,” she said.
Central America
Honduras’ China–Taiwan Future Hinges on Sunday’s Presidential Election
The future of Honduras’ diplomatic relations with China—or a possible reestablishment of ties with Taiwan—will hinge on the results of the presidential election taking place this Sunday, November 30. The ruling left-wing party is seeking to remain in power, while conservative parties aim to return to government.
If the ruling party’s candidate, Rixi Moncada of the Liberty and Refoundation (Libre) Party, secures victory, Honduras is expected to deepen its relationship with China. The country established formal diplomatic ties with Beijing in March 2023, cutting relations with Taiwan entirely under President Xiomara Castro.
However, the bilateral trade relationship with China has not yielded the expected benefits. Economic Development Minister Fredis Cerrato acknowledged that negotiating with Beijing has proven challenging. “We are proceeding with caution,” he said, referring to ongoing efforts to secure better conditions for Honduran exporters and business owners, who are demanding greater speed in technical agreements.
With Castro’s term ending in just two months, the long-anticipated free trade agreement with China has yet to be finalized. Despite this, Chinese companies have already secured multimillion-dollar contracts in infrastructure projects across the country, particularly in the energy sector.
Central America
Trump Pardons Former Honduran President Hernández and Warns of Aid Cuts Ahead of Election
On Friday, President Donald Trump granted a pardon to former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández — who was convicted on drug trafficking charges — and threatened to cut U.S. aid to the Central American nation if his preferred candidate loses Sunday’s presidential election.
Trump announced the pardon for Hernández, who is currently serving a 45-year prison sentence in the United States, through a post on social media.
In the same message, the former U.S. president voiced his support for Nasry Asfura, the candidate representing Hernández’s right-wing party in the Honduran elections.
“If he doesn’t win, the United States will not waste any more money, because the wrong leader can only bring catastrophic results to a country, no matter which one it is,” Trump wrote on his platform Truth Social.
Asfura, a 67-year-old construction magnate and former mayor of Honduras’s capital, is competing in a tight race against attorney Rixi Moncada of the ruling leftist Libre party and television host Salvador Nasralla of the right-leaning Liberal Party.
Central America
Washington calls for oversight as Honduras faces allegations of electoral interference
The United States government urged members of the Organization of American States (OAS) on Tuesday to support a transparent electoral process in Honduras, free from intimidation, interference, or fraud, just days before the general elections scheduled for this Sunday.
The call was made by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau during an extraordinary session of the OAS Permanent Council. The meeting was convened at the request of the United States in response to reports of irregularities marking the final stretch of Honduras’ electoral process. Landau expressed concern over the situation in the country, warning that Honduras is facing an institutional crisis. “I fear that Honduras faces an uncertain future. Therefore, I urge you to use your collective voice to warn Honduran officials about the consequences of interfering in the electoral process,” he stated.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump reaffirmed its support for electoral integrity and called on Hondurans to exercise their right to vote. “We hear you and we stand with you. Go out and vote on November 30 to be part of the democratic future of this country,” Landau said in Spanish during his remarks.
In response, Honduras’ ambassador to the OAS, Roberto Quesada, rejected the allegations and said there is no evidence of election-related crimes. “We are surprised that a Permanent Council meeting was called when no crime has been committed,” the diplomat said, dismissing reports of repression against journalists. “These narratives are invented because, as we know, fake news runs wild on the internet,” he added.
The session was also requested by Argentina, Ecuador, and Paraguay, whose governments expressed concern over the direction of the Honduran elections.
The process has been questioned due to the actions of the Public Ministry and the Armed Forces, both accused of interfering in matters under the exclusive authority of the National Electoral Council (CNE). The Attorney General’s Office has opened investigations into senior electoral officials, while the military has been accused of improperly intervening in civilian affairs.
Marlon Ochoa, a CNE councilor, maintained that despite the pressure, “general elections will be held despite the conspiracy that has been attempted against the electoral process,” and confirmed that all logistical materials are ready.
Colombia’s ambassador, Luis Vargas, announced that his country will provide “accompaniment” during the election, while Argentina’s representative, Carlos Bernardo, stressed that “there is no room for rigged electoral processes” in the region.
The main presidential contenders are Rixi Moncada of the Libre party, Salvador Nasralla of the Liberal Party, and Nasry Asfura of the National Party.
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