High Commissioner’s Oral Update on Nicaragua: UK statement

Thank you Mr President,

The UK welcomes the update from the High Commissioner.

The elections on 7 November were neither free nor fair. The steps taken by President Ortega and Vice President Murillo to prevent free and fair elections in Nicaragua were a clear abuse of power involving systematic violations of human rights. Steps taken by the regime to silence opposition leaders denied Nicaraguans their right to vote for a candidate of their choosing. With opposition figures detained, including potential presidential candidates, and a crackdown on fundamental rights and freedoms, November’s elections lacked any credibility.

Following the 7 November elections, the UK imposed sanctions against 8 senior Nicaraguan individuals, including the country’s Vice-President. These entail travel bans and asset freezes on those people particularly responsible for undermining Nicaragua’s democratic principles and institutions, commissioning serious human rights violations and repressing civil society.

This increasing authoritarianism must end. The rule of law and the fundamental rights of the Nicaraguan people must be respected. The UK will continue to work with its partners to encourage and support a peaceful and democratic future for Nicaragua.

The statement delivered earlier by Chile on behalf of 54 countries called on the Nicaraguan government to: release all political prisoners; end arbitrary detentions and the repression of independent media; allow the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to return and to cooperate fully with the UN system; to establish a meaningful, inclusive and transparent national dialogue; and to fulfil its obligations under international law. We support all of these calls.

Thank you.