Nicaragua – Five Dead In Spreading Anti-Government Protests (Video)

The central American nation of Nicaragua has seen three days of protests against the left-wing government in which 5 people died so far whilst violence is rapidly spreading across the nation.

Ms Lisseth Guido, a spokeswoman for the Red Cross of Nicaragua commentated on the violence: “We’re not sure what happened. It’s unclear. We don’t know whose side the victims were on, whether they were in favour or opposed.”

<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">RECAP OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED. KEEP FIGHTING <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOSnicaragua?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOSnicaragua</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOSINSS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOSINSS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Nicaragua?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Nicaragua</a> <a href="https://t.co/dfH36LlsZd">pic.twitter.com/dfH36LlsZd</a></p>&mdash; Juventud Rebelde Nicaragua (@juventudfalange) <a href="https://twitter.com/juventudfalange/status/987413471859011584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2018</a></blockquote>

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The Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) government stated on Wednesday that they would apply an additional 5% levy on pensions and make both employees and workers pay for additional contributions to keep the national social security system payable. Ever since then, violent protests against the government sprung up.

<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BURN DOWN ALL THESE SATANIC COMMUNIST SYMBOLS. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOSNicaragua?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOSNicaragua</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOSINSS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOSINSS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nicaragua?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nicaragua</a> <a href="https://t.co/SDJb5LMPVp">pic.twitter.com/SDJb5LMPVp</a></p>&mdash; Juventud Rebelde Nicaragua (@juventudfalange) <a href="https://twitter.com/juventudfalange/status/987473963008880640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2018</a></blockquote>

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The Vice-President, Rosario Murillo, defended her husband’s decision, President Daniel Ortega, and stated in an address that Nicaragua had not yet raised the pension age and workers would still receive their one-month Christmas bonus.

The Ortega family has been accused by the US of rigging the 2016 election. They were joined in their criticism by independent election observers from the EU.

Mr Ortega has always enjoyed large support from the country’s poor who count for more than 35% of the population but recent reforms to the social program have seen his support slip.

Protests were organised both in the capital Managua and the city of León, which soon turned violent as the government responded with counter-marches. At one of the organized protest, members of the Sandinista Youth could be seen violently confronting peaceful protesters as the police watched on and let the fights spread all over the Masaya Highway.

Three television stations that had been reporting on the protests have since seen their feed cut. Meanwhile Nicaragua’s neighbours are voicing their concern about what is happening. Costa Rica’s Foreign Policy Chief, Mr Christian Guillermet said: “It’s always important to maintain social peace and in that sense we don’t believe infringing on freedom of expression is conducive.”

Source:

https://brasil.elpais.com/brasil/2018/04/20/internacional/1524205768_663638.html