The U.S. government is concerned by the injustice and lack of transparency on display in the trials of political prisoners in Nicaragua. “We remain committed to supporting the people of Nicaragua by fighting corruption and promoting democracy, the rule of law, and accountability,” said State Department spokesperson Ned Price in a statement.
This is why the United States has added the following nine Nicaraguan government officials to its Corrupt and Undemocratic Actors list, which generally makes the listed individuals ineligible for visas and admission to the United States.
Cairo Melvin Amador, current Vice President of the Supreme Electoral Council, or CSE, Lumberto Ignacio Campbell Hooker, current CSE member, and Brenda Isabel Rocha Chacon, current CSE President, were added to the list for subverting the November 2021 national election by disqualifying opposition parties and candidates on spurious grounds.
Edwin Ramon Castro Rivera, member of the Nicaraguan National Assembly since 1997, was added for ensuring Ortega-Murillo loyalists won all magistrate positions in the CSE and ensuring the passage of legislation that was used to exclude opposition candidates and parties and harass and jail political opponents.
Karen Vanessa Chavarria Morales, current judge in the ninth district in Managua, was added for abusing her authority and subverting legal processes to act against political opponents of the Ortega-Murillo regime and disqualify opposition candidates from the November 2021 election.
Walmaro Antonio Gutierrez Mercado, current member of the Nicaraguan National Assembly, Carlos Wilfredo Navarro Moreira, current member of the Nicaraguan National Assembly, and Gustavo Eduardo Porras Cortes, current President of the Nicaraguan National Assembly were all added for giving the Ortega-Murillo regime the tools to conduct its brazen assault on democracy by stacking the Supreme Electoral Council with members loyal to Ortega.
Maria Haydee Osuna Ruiz, current member of the Nicaraguan National Assembly, was singled out for conspiring with the Ortega-Murillo regime to subvert the November 2021 Nicaraguan national elections by signing a spurious complaint that served as pretext for the government to disqualify the last legitimate opposition party and hound its leader into exile.
“We are standing with the people of Nicaragua,” said spokesperson Price, “as they strive to restore democratic institutions, select their leaders in free and fair elections, and create the futures they desire for themselves and their families.”
