19 de junio 2021
AA
Share
Dear Friends,
I’ve been outside Nicaragua since the second of this month. There’re no PET scans in Nicaragua, and it’s an exam I’m supposed to do annually for my cancer problem. I’m still suffering the ravages that chemotherapy wreaks on our organisms. From here, far away, I learned of the imprisonment of my daughter Ana Maria Vigil and my granddaughter, Tamara Davila.
As of this moment, we don’t know how they’re doing. No one has been allowed to see them – not even their lawyer. For all intents and purposes, while we’re not allowed to see them, they’re legally considered “Missing Persons”. The authorities are also not allowing anyone from outside to send solid food, only hygiene supplies, water, and crackers.
As you can imagine, my anguish is enormous. From those who were previously political prisoners, we’ve heard about psychological tortures and even rapes, sometimes complete isolation, and terrible jail conditions.
But I’ve entrusted them to the merciful hands of God, the Father, and to the angels that I’m sure accompany them: Fernando Cardenal, Miguel, my husband; Irving and Sadie, Tamara’s father and mother, and, of course, to Saint [Oscar] Romero. This has provided me great peace.
I know their motivations have always come out of love. Love for the rest of the political prisoners. Love of freedom and justice in Nicaragua. Values that we’ve all tried to follow and to influence, even though I know we’re also human beings with all our defects.
Like the rest of those arrested, they’ve both raised their voices to denounce injustices, and to claim their rights. All in peaceful resistance. Without violence. That resistance is carried out by showing your face, not hiding, risking yourself, as those who’ve been chosen to follow that non-violent road have always done. It consoles me that they haven’t been indifferent to the pain of those who suffer. They’ve decided to be the voice of those who aren’t listened to, those who don’t count. Those that society has cast out.
In my family, Ana Margarita especially was strongly influenced by Fernando Cardenal, who gave her all the love of a father. She uses the alias “Flor” [Flower], because he used to call her my Flower of Beauty. She was also influenced by the unshakable ethics and love of her father.
Tamara was born from the love of two warriors of exceptional bravery and integrity. None of those that Ana Margarita and Tamara descended from, allowed themselves to grow drunk on power. That’s the most common evil among those who wield power, as small as it may be. That’s my pride, and the source I draw strength from.
May the love and the message of Jesus continue being the road to follow. He didn’t hide either, and always showed his face for humanity. He was convicted, although he did no wrong.
I ask for your prayers and your solidarity, by letting our reality be known. It’s [a reality] that’s always eclipsed by news of larger and more powerful countries.
This article was originally published in Spanish in Confidencial and translated by Havana Times
