14 de octubre 2024
The vice-president and spokesperson of the regime, Rosario Murillo, announced the breaking of diplomatic relations between Nicaragua and Israel. This decision followed a declaration by the National Assembly, controlled by Ortega's regime, which called the Israeli government an "enemy of humanity" and urged dictator Daniel Ortega to cut diplomatic ties.
“Our president has instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to comply with the request from the national parliament and break off relations with the fascist and genocidal government of Israel,” Murillo said during her monologue this October 11, 2024.
After Murillo's speech, the regime indicated in a communiqué that “in permanent solidarity with the people and Government of Palestine, with the peoples who suffer martyrdom, destruction, and barbarism, and in strict adherence to international law and the conventions governing civilized relations between States and Governments of the world, the Government of the Republic of Nicaragua breaks off all diplomatic relations with the fascist Government of Israel”.
The request of the Nicaraguan legislators was made on the one-year anniversary of the war sustained by the government of Benjamin Netanyahu against Hamas, which has resulted in nearly 42,000 Palestinians being killed. They state that this conflict represents 'the most detestable atrocity of the 21st century and one of the worst in the history of humanity.'"
Support for Palestine
The Ortega regime states that the Israeli government, with the support of imperialist countries, aims to "extend its barbarism throughout the Middle East, endangering world peace and security."
"In the face of these atrocious, criminal, and cruel actions by the Israeli government against the Palestinian people, the National Assembly of Nicaragua respectfully requests that the Government of Reconciliation and National Unity consider breaking diplomatic relations with the genocidal and Zionist government of Benjamin Netanyahu," reads the declaration approved on Friday, October 11, 2024.
In January 2024, Nicaragua asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to join South Africa's lawsuit against Israel for the Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip.
Ortega-aligned legislators also reaffirmed the "historic bonds of brotherhood with the people of Palestine. We respect the Israeli people who are demanding an end to the massacre, barbarism, and crimes committed by the disastrous Zionist government and army."
"We reiterate our demand for the fulfillment of all United Nations resolutions for the creation of the State of Palestine, as a free, sovereign, independent, and self-determined state," they added.
Palestine celebrates Nicaragua's decision
The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) celebrated Nicaragua’s decision to break diplomatic relations with Israel over the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip, which has lasted for just over a year.
"We celebrate Nicaragua’s decision to break all diplomatic relations with Israel due to the continued slaughter and brutal destruction of the Palestinian people and the rest of the region’s peoples, as part of a massive genocidal war that has been ongoing for over a year," stated a communiqué from the PNA's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Other Latin American countries, like Bolivia and Colombia, have also severed ties with Israel due to the war in Gaza. Meanwhile, Brazil and Chile have not taken such drastic steps but have recalled their ambassadors.
The Palestinian Ministry viewed Nicaragua's decision as an "expression of Nicaragua's high responsibility as a member of the international community by taking concrete steps to stop the ongoing aggression against the Palestinian people" and expressed hope that this would serve as an example for other governments.
This article was published in Spanish in Confidencial and translated by our staff. To get the most relevant news from our English coverage delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe to The Dispatch.