Nicaragua to release 2,000 prisoners to honor Sandinismo founder

Nicaraguan Vice President Rosario Murillo announced that 2,000 common prisoners with final sentences will be released on May 8. The release commemorates the 50th anniversary of the death of Carlos Fonseca Amador, a founder of the Sandinista movement. The released individuals will transition to a family coexistence regime based on good conduct.

According to the Ministry of the Interior, this move will bring the total number of common prisoners released this year to 9,900. This follows several previous waves of releases in September, July, May, April, and February, often tied to national holidays or religious observances. The government reports that 55,164 common prisoners have been released under the family coexistence regime over the last decade, with a recidivism rate of 7.18%.

These early releases of convicts have faced criticism from feminist organizations, which argue that such decisions have contributed to an increase in femicides and general crime rates in the country.