Nicaragua: Guterres deplores loss of life, attacks against Catholic Church

Deeply concerned about the continuing and intensifying violence in Nicaragua, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday deplored the loss of life in the protests and the attack against Catholic Church mediators in the National Dialogue.

“The Secretary-General recognizes the important mediation role of the Nicaraguan Catholic Bishops Conference, “said a statement issued by his Spokesperson.

Media reports from the region suggest that Nicaraguan bishops and clergy were attacked by armed groups on 9 July as protest in the Central American country continued.

The Secretary-General urged all parties to respect the role of the mediators, to refrain from the use of violence, and to fully commit to participating in the National Dialogue in order to de-escalate violence and find a peaceful solution to the current crisis.

In early July, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called on the Nicaraguan authorities to “take real steps” to prevent further loss of life in the country.