Nicaraguan Pastor Weeps, ‘Our Government Is Killing Us,’ As Civil War Fears Loom In Midst Of Protests
Nicaragua has been embroiled in very violent protests for three months, as the number of casualties increases each week. The official death toll is over 300, although many believe the actual number is much higher.
Recently, Rev. Cesar Augusto Gutierrez went on a radio show after his church was riddled with bullets from police and paramilitary forces, reported the Wall Street Journal. He wept as he pleaded for international help, saying that “The government is killing us.”
If you were to ask the Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega about whether his government is killing their own people, he would tell you no. The official story is that protesters are turning violent, thus sparking deadly use of force by police.
However, if you were to ask a protester, they would tell you that the police and paramilitary forces are using lethal force on peaceful protests. Because of this, protests turn violent and end in chaos and death.
And as the Rev. Gutierrez poignantly said, “They can’t keep governing over a pile of the dead.”
For the protesters on the streets, calling for the end of Ortega’s presidency is worth potentially losing their life. As the tensions escalate, many also worry about an impending civil war.
And in the meantime, nobody is safe, not even the Catholic Church, which was working to mediate between the two parties. Over 10 churches have been attacked or defiled, as clergy have also been assaulted.
State-sponsored violence in Nicaragua is undeniable. Ortega’s propaganda fools no one and changes nothing. 350+ dead at the hands of the regime. The US calls on the Ortega government to end the violence NOW and hold early elections—the world is watching! https://t.co/jvNCznmfE5
— Vice President Mike Pence Archived (@VP45) July 24, 2018
In fact, Ortega delivered a speech denouncing churches that support opposition to his rule. Gutierrez proclaimed that “I dare say that all priests, or practically all, fear for their lives.”
The protests have been going strong since March. Although it first began as a protest over new pension reform laws, it quickly became apparent that many Nicaraguans were unhappy with the ruling regime.
In the months since, Ortega has taken back most of the land that protesters claimed. The president is also persecuting protesters with harsher charges than ever before in a bid to silence dissent.
'World is Watching,' Pence Warns Nicaragua https://t.co/gsHY3K2ILe pic.twitter.com/hPQOz692Yh
— Voice of America (@VOANews) July 24, 2018
The attacks on churches and clergy appear to be a concerted effort by mobs of armed people, leaving many Nicaraguans vulnerable and fearful for their lives.
International rights groups are condemning the Nicaraguan government for the bloody protests, reported Al-Jazeera. However, there has been no global call for sanctions against Nicaragua.
For example, the U.S. claimed it was considering sanctions among other plans of actions against Ortega in May, but nothing concrete has been put in place. At the time, a senior official said that “We’re watching this with laser focus because we need to ensure that, the people have called for dialogue, the government participates; the people have called for investigations, the government does that; the military has said we’re staying out of that, they continue to do so,” according to McClatchy DC.
