Press Release: Central American University (UCA). Managua, Nicaragua. May 30, 2018

A friend messaged me the press release from the Central American University (UCA), in regards to the “events” that unfolded on May 30, 2018, in Managua Nicaragua. This day marks the 43rd of protests against the Ortega dictatorship. The “event” involved the Ortega paramilitary shooting at the people who participated in the Marcha por las Madres. This march was held to commemorate Mother’s Day with the mothers of the 85+ victims that have been killed during the protests that began in Nicaragua on April 18.

May 30 is Mother’s Day in Nicaragua. Mother’s Day is a national holiday. Unlike other countries, like the United States, which holds Mother’s Day on a Sunday (something like the second Sunday of May?), Nicaragua has a fixed date. Everyone gets a half day off to go celebrate with their mom, and it is such a big deal that we even call May “el mes de la madre” (Mother’s Month).

Today, Nicaraguans marched in solidarity with those mothers. Their children were murdered by the Ortega dictatorship, either for protesting against the regime, or for being sent in to repress protests. They are dead, and there is no difference in our grief for such an unnecessary carnage.

Press release follows:

“The Universidad Centroamericana (UCA) reports that today, Wednesday, May 30, around 4:30 pm [local time], government strike forces attacked the unarmed population that was taking part in a civic march headed towards the main gate of our institution.

The attacks happened in the vicinity of said gate, and in the vicinity of the National Engineering University (UNI). In support of the people, our security guards opened the gates, in order for the protesters to come in and take refuge inside our campus. More than 5 thousand people were able to enter the campus, fleeing the attacks. However, others fled in different directions. Volunteers tended to a great number of wounded immediately. Ambulances were procured to transport all wounded to medical centers for attention.

After 8:30 pm, volunteers and drivers employed by the UCA had managed to evacuate most of the refugees, taking them to different areas of the capital (Managua). At the time of this publication, we continue to do so. In spite of gunfire, the people taking refuge on campus did not wish to remain inside, as the university had received threats of further attacks.

The UCA stands by the people in their just fight. The UCA denounces this attack as criminal, and demands that the authorities cease repression that relies on the use of paramilitary forces to assassinate with impunity immediately, as these forces act with full support of the current lack of government [desgobierno… I can’t quite translate it, but the gist is that there is a state of anomie, where the government fails to fulfill its obligations and fails to act].

We call on human rights organizations, both local and international, so that they take notice of this situation that gravely impacts the live of Nicaraguan citizens. We call on these organizations to deploy protective mechanisms for the protection of human rights, such as the Interamerican System of Human Rights and the United Nations.

We call on the international community to show their solidarity with the Nicaraguan people and to bring forth urgent measures that will help solve this crisis, which has reached the level of a massacre against a defenseless population.

Managua, May 30, 2018”

Original text follows