Human Rights
Spain grants citizenship to 14 Nicaraguan dissidents exiled by Ortega regime
This group is part of the 222 Nicaraguan politicians, journalists, human rights defenders and lawyers who were released from prison on February 9 and expelled to the United States by the Ortega dictatorship
May 15, 2023 9:10am
Updated: May 15, 2023 9:10am
The Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, announced on Thursday that Spain granted citizenship to 14 of the 316 Nicaraguan dissidents who were stripped of their nationality by the Ortega regime last February.
Albares shared the news through a tweet, where he stressed that Spain is a home for defenders of democracy and freedom. He also mentioned that the Council of Ministers has granted Spanish nationality to these first 14 beneficiaries and noted that there will be more in the future.
España es hogar de los defensores de la democracia y la libertad.
— José Manuel Albares (@jmalbares) May 11, 2023
En Washington me he reunido con nicaragüenses a quienes España ofreció la nacionalidad tras haber sido despojados de la suya. Hoy el #CMin ha concedido la nacionalidad española a 14 de ellos. Seguirán más. pic.twitter.com/RjvON8td8N
Among the opponents who have obtained Spanish nationality are prominent leaders such as Juan Sebastián Chamorro, a former presidential candidate, José Antonio Peraza, a political leader, Alex Hernández, an activist, Oscar René Vargas, a sociologist, and Hugo Rodríguez, a lawyer. All of them were prisoners of conscience and were exiled by the Nicaraguan regime.
This group is part of the 222 Nicaraguan politicians, journalists, human rights defenders and lawyers who were released on Feb. 9, and expelled to the U.S. by the Ortega dictatorship, which also withdrew their nationality and canceled their retirement pensions.
Another 94 opponents were effectively canceled and exiled later.
The granting of Spanish nationality is not only a safe haven for dissidents, but also a sanctuary that allows them to rebuild their lives while continuing their fight for democracy and human rights.
In addition to Spain, other countries such as Chile, Argentina, Colombia and Mexico have offered citizenship to Nicaraguans affected by the Ortega regime's repression.
The political crisis in Nicaragua has caused an escalation of violence since 2018, with repression and human rights abuses by the Ortega regime. Human rights organizations have registered numerous victims, including hundreds of dead civilians, thousands of wounded and tens of thousands of exiles in search of safety and justice.
