Nicaragua human rights concerns raised at OAS

Rosa María Payá, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights rapporteur for Nicaragua, warned the Organization of American States (OAS) Permanent Council about the risk of ‘civil death’ facing Nicaraguans. This phenomenon involves being erased from official records, losing property, and becoming stateless as a consequence of criticizing the authoritarian regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.

The report highlights ongoing human rights violations, including forced disappearances of elderly bishops. The OAS was also informed of Ortega’s decision to cease calling for elections to prevent political opponents from gaining power. The United States has called for urgent collective action, stating that the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship represents a threat to regional stability. Many Nicaraguans have already faced judicial systems without guarantees, leading to exile and loss of citizenship.