The United Nations has reported that human rights violations and persecution of the opposition have increased under President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo. Government crackdowns on all forms of opposition increased during nationwide riots in 2018 and have only increased since.

Ortega ran unopposed during last year's presidential election, and this was mainly because he jailed every single candidate who ran against him. His government also deposed local government officials not belonging to his party or allied with it, removing duly-elected mayors and replacing them with allies.

According to the Associated Press, a UN group comprised of human rights experts told the UN High Council on Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland that the Ortega government is continuing to increase its pressure on human rights defenders and forcing them to leave the country.

The group found that the government is not just going after the opposition party but also the free press, the Roman Catholic Church, and educational institutions. The Nicaraguan government infamously canceled the legal status of several private universities, including one of the country's most prestigious institutions that used to be run by the Jesuit order.

"We have observed the intentional and severe deprivation of economic and social rights, in particular the right to education and academic freedom," Jan-Michael Simon, chairman of the Human Rights expert group, told the UNHCR. "Today, the university sector of Nicaragua as a whole no longer has independent institutions. Nicaragua is being stripped of its intellectual capital and critical voices, leaving the country's prospects and development on hold."

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Daniel Ortega Specifically Targets Nicaragua's Top Educational Institution as a 'Center of Terrorism'

The UN expert report to the High Council of Human Rights came just a few weeks after Ortega confiscated one of Nicaragua's most vaunted educational institutions, the Central American University (UCA), which was run by Jesuit priests, which Pope Francis belongs to and furthers his feud with the Roman Catholic Church.

The Jesuits had their property and assets seized as the Nicaraguan government called the UCA a "center of terrorism" in the country. In addition to the UCA, the government also canceled the legal status of 26 other private universities all over the country.

"Many students are unable to carry on with their studies due to the lack of valid paperwork," Simon told the UNHCR. "Academic staff has been dismissed, had pension payments withheld, and have also been forced to leave their country."

Brazil Offers Sanctuary to Nicaraguans Fleeing Oppression From Daniel Ortega's Government

Nicaragua stripped its dissidents of citizenship, sending many to be exiled. In April, Brazil offered a sanctuary to those whose nationalities were removed under the Ortega regime.

According to AA, Brazil's Ambassador to the UN, Tovar da Silva Nunes, told the UNHCR that his country is available for hundreds of Nicaraguans who have had their nationality removed. He also expressed his concerns regarding the human rights violations committed under the Ortega-Murillo conjugal dictatorship.

"The Brazilian government also receives with extreme concern the decision of Nicaraguan authorities to determine the loss of nationality of more than 300 Nicaraguan citizens," said Nunes to the council. "Brazil stands ready to explore ways in which this situation can be constructively addressed in dialogue with the government of Nicaragua and all relevant actors."

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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