Nicaragua sends 222 freed political opponents to U.S.

Nicaraguan authorities released 222 opponents of the regime of Daniel Ortega, including political leaders, students, activists, and priests, on Thursday.

The recently released opponents were then put on a plane and sent to Washington D.C., according to authorities, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said. The political prisoners will receive humanitarian parole, allowing them to stay in the country for up to two years, he added.

The U.S. government said the release was a “unilateral decision” that resulted from continued diplomatic efforts with the regime of Nicaraguan leader Daniel Ortega. 

“Whether this is a token of their demonstration that they’re ready to begin to change the human rights policies or not remains to be seen,” President Joe Biden said in an interview with Telemundo Noticias. “But the fact that they were released, we’re happy to receive them and I’m glad they’re out.”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken echoed Biden’s words by saying that it was a positive step to address the human rights abuses in the country. 

“The release of these individuals, one of whom is a U.S. citizen, by the government of Nicaragua marks a constructive step towards addressing human rights abuses in the country and opens the door to further dialogue between the United States and Nicaragua regarding issues of concern,” he said.

Ortega, however, denied that there were any negotiations with the U.S. on Thursday during a televised national address, according to The Associated Press.

“It wasn’t about negotiating anything. That has to be clear,” Ortega said. “We’re not asking that they lift the sanctions. We aren’t asking for anything in return.” Nicaragua’s president said the U.S. should “take their mercenaries.”

Ortega has systematically cracked down on political opponents and critics of the regime, claiming that they are plotting to overthrow him. Additionally, he has closed hundreds of NGOs and civil organizations.