MIAMI – The Argentine justice system this Monday ordered the international arrest of the ruler of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo, as well as a dozen of his collaborators, for the “systematic violation of human rights” in the Central American country.
Federal judge Ariel Lijo led the resolution, based on the principle of universal jurisdiction that enables Argentine courts to judge serious crimes regardless of where they were committed, reported the Infoabe news portal.
The complaint was initially presented in 2022, by lawyer Darío Richarte, together with a team from the University of Buenos Aires, since then it has been expanded on several occasions with new testimonies and evidence.
The crimes of which both dictators are accused include: “murder, serious deprivation of liberty, forced disappearance of people, torture, deportation or forced transfer of population and persecution of a group or community.”
The lawyer who filed the complaint, Dario Richarte, indicated that the judicial action “was expanded as the dictatorship committed new human rights violations.”
“Political persecution”
Likewise, Richarte described the measure as a “historic advance,” highlighting that the case was built with evidence, protected testimonies and international documentation. The complaint details violations that have occurred since 2018, such as the repression of civil protests and political persecution.
They also have an arrest warrant for “each of those responsible for the state, police, military and paramilitary structure, for crimes against humanity,” the lawyer pointed out.
The regime of Ortega and his wife “is perhaps the bloodiest dictatorship that has existed on the continent,” Richarte stated.
Although similar crimes were committed during the first Sandinista dictatorship (1979-1990), which Ortega also led.
This judicial decision reinforces diplomatic pressure on the Sandinista regime, while complainants and international organizations hope that the case will contribute to justice for the victims and the reestablishment of democracy in Nicaragua.
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