Exiled Nicaraguans Express Solidarity with Venezuelans

We, the undersigned, are Nicaraguan political exiles in various countries around the world who, in light of the events that occurred in Venezuela before, during, and after July 28, feel the moral and political obligation to state our position on the matter.

In the wake of the massive and well-documented electoral victory of Edmundo Gonzalez and Nicolas Maduro’s refusal, along with his regime, to acknowledge their defeat, the Venezuelan people are waging a brave and painful struggle to assert their will for change expressed at the ballot box. For this reason, we reject the repression directed against citizen protests and the regime’s attempts to falsify the election results. Furthermore, we demand respect for human rights, freedom, and the personal integrity of the people and opposition leadership.

In our view, what is happening in Venezuela does not represent ideological or political contradictions between the left and the right. Rather, it is a confrontation between authoritarianism and democracy, a historical situation where an authoritarian regime denies the most basic rights, and the Venezuelan people choose a path of democratic principles, which must be respected by everyone, both within and outside Venezuela.

In this context, we condemn violence as a solution to the conflict and express our firm support for the civic struggle of the Venezuelan people.

Throughout our tumultuous history, the peoples of Venezuela and Nicaragua have been united by shared desires for freedom, justice, and democracy. Today, more than ever, these indelible ties are more relevant, as both peoples face oppressive regimes determined to stay in power at any cost.

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We reaffirm our solidarity with the people of Venezuela and their aspirations to build a country where the rule of law, freedom, peace, social justice, and harmony prevail, without vengeance or exclusions. We are convinced that the triumph of their cause will strengthen democracy in Latin America, a democracy that we should all defend in solidarity, after so many sacrifices endured by generations of Latin Americans.

We have no doubt that our shared dreams will come to fruition sooner rather than later.

Signed by:

• Gioconda Belli. Poet. Denationalized.
• Dora Maria Tellez. Former guerrilla commander. Historian, former prisoner, and denationalized.
• Víctor Hugo Tinoco. Former Deputy Foreign Minister. Former political prisoner. Denationalized.
• Monica Baltodano. Former guerrilla commander. Social Scientist. Denationalized.
• Ernesto Medina. Former rector of UNAN Leon. Denationalized.
• Sofía Montenegro. Journalist and Feminist. Denationalized.
• Hector Mairena. Lawyer. Denationalized.
• Haydee Castillo. Social Scientist. Human rights defender. Denationalized.
• Adrian Meza Soza. University Professor.
• Enrique Saenz. Economist. Denationalized.
• Patricia Orozco. Journalist. Denationalized.
• Carlos Fernando Chamorro. Journalist. Director of Confidencial and denationalized.
• Berta Valle. Nicaraguan Communicator, denationalized by the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship.
• Amaru Ruiz Aleman. Environmentalist. Denationalized. President of Fundación del Río.
• Wilfredo Miranda Aburto. Journalist. Denationalized by the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship.
• Edipcia Dubón. Former Nicaraguan deputy, denationalized by the Ortega-Murillo regime.
• Roberto Samcam Ruiz. Denationalized Nicaraguan in exile in Costa Rica.
• Juan Carlos Gutierrez Soto. Sociologist, denationalized by the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship.
• Eliseo Fabio Nuñez Morales. Nicaraguan Democratic Coalition.
• Irlanda Jerez. Dentist. Former political prisoner. Stateless.
• Danilo Saravia. Academic, University of Costa Rica.
• Julio Lopez Campos. Political Scientist. Denationalized by the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship.
• Melvin Antonio Peralta Centeno. Activist.
• Oscar Rene Vargas. Sociologist and Economist.
• Rafael Solis. Former magistrate of the Supreme Court of Justice.
• Alexis Peralta Espinoza.
• Silvia Nadine Gutiérrez.
• Arturo McFields Yescas. Former Nicaraguan ambassador to the OAS.
• Juan Diego Barberena. Lawyer in exile.
• Azahálea Solís Roman. Denationalized by the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship.
• Ana Quiros Víquez.
• Donald Alvarenga.
• Irving Larios.
• Julio Ricardo Hernández. Independent consultant.
• Elvira Cuadra. Sociologist and security expert.
• Yader Morazán.
• Ligia Gómez.

This article was published in Spanish in Confidencial and translated by Havana Times. To get the most relevant news from our English coverage delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe to The Dispatch.