At worst, the regime of Daniel Ortega seeks support in Russia

Special for Infobe- from Managua.The regime of Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua seeks a strategic reconciliation with Russia, at which time most of the world has turned to its side or whipped it for dictatorial behavior that has shown it to be in power.

In the past two months, the Nicaraguan government has imprisoned 31 opposition leaders, Often on “treason” charges, among them Seven people have expressed a desire to run for the presidency to face Daniel Ortega In the general election on November 7.

The United States, Canada and the European Union have imposed restrictions on the release of political prisoners and the imposition of conditions on free and open elections in November. In the same sense, and as part of a general outcry that isolated the Ortega regime, they uttered The resolution against Nicaragua received the support of only two of the 26 countries that voted against the Organization of American States (OAS) – Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Bolivia – and Honduras, Mexico, Argentina, Belize and Dominica.

Outside the American system, the Nicaraguan regime It has only found the unconditional support of Cuba, Venezuela and Russia. The latter country has again played a leading role in the region since the 1980s, which was not the end of the Cold War.

“Ordega is dragging Nicaragua into a dangerous geopolitical game that aims to be a bridge against the United States, which the American establishment will never accept.”, Analyzes Nicaraguan sociologist Oscar Rene Vargas. “His aim is to make America’s control so shaky and collapse by repeating the strategy of the eighties of the twentieth century.”

These eight recent events set the tone for Nicaraguan good relations with Russia and raised some warnings in the United States:

Representation in Russia. July 17 to 21, Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada Colindras paid an official visit to Russia, accompanied by two sons of President Daniel Ortega, Rafael and Larano Ordega Murillo, and Nicaraguan Finance Minister Evan Agosta. The tour includes talks with Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergei Lavrov.

Visit from Abkhazia. On the same day that the Nicaraguan delegation arrived in Moscow, A delegation from Abkhazia, led by its Foreign Minister Gov. Durr, was arriving in Managua. Nicaragua is one of the six countries in the world recognizing the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Two small states that split from Georgia in 2008 with Russian military support. On July 19, the Foreign Minister of Abkhazia was the chief guest at the 42nd anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution.

Crimean delegation. Crimea is another disputed area, this time between Russia and Ukraine. Russia rules Crimea without the approval of Ukraine or the United Nations. On June 29, a delegation from the Crimea, led by Vice President Jorge Muradov, arrived in Nicaragua to welcome Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo’s son, Loreno Ortega. Presidential Adviser on Investment, Trade and International Cooperation.

Purchase of weapons. On June 24, it was reported that the Nicaraguan regime had sought Russia’s support in the “military-technical sector”, according to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigi, released by Sputnik. Russian aid will focus on “providing the most modern weapons and preparing the army for the most complex situations.” “Historically, we have developed contacts with Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela and other countries.

Science-Health Cooperation. From May to the present, Nicaragua has received 300,000 doses of Sputnik V vaccine Against Govt-19. At a meeting on July 19, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called on the Nicaraguan delegation to prepare Russian vaccines against Kovit-19 in laboratories in Nicaragua. “We are analyzing the demand for Russia to produce an anticoagulant vaccine in Nicaragua, and I think the matter will be clarified soon,” Lavrov said.

Political support. At the same conference on July 19, Russian Foreign Minister Nicaraguan made clear his country’s political support for the regime. “We stand united in defending Nicaragua’s independence and sovereignty. We, like any other state, categorically reject any attempt to interfere in that country’s internal affairs,” he said. A few days ago, Maria Jazarova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, defended the Ordega government in the face of calls from organizations and countries to hold democratic elections. “As the general election in that state approaches and is scheduled for November 7, a powerful wave of external pressure is mounting on President Daniel Ortega’s legitimate government.The diplomat said.

Russian presence. On April 19, the Russian plane landed in Managua with at least 40 Russian government officials.The Nicaraguan daily La Brenza announced. The plane came from Venezuela and was known to have been intercepted by the Colombian Air Force (FAC) as it crossed Colombian airspace and entered a different zone than the authorized aircraft. Nicaraguan newspaper source did not explain the purpose of the group of Russians arriving at Managua airport. “This is an official plane, it landed yesterday, with more than 40 passengers, all Russians. It came from Russia. Remember there is a police training or instruction center for Russians here,” he said.

Entertainment Center. At a press conference on July 19, Foreign Minister Lavrov also confirmed the presence of a Russian training center in Nicaragua. “In Nicaragua, the training center of the Siberian law firm is successfully operating under the auspices of the Russian Ministry of Interior, where staff from Central American and Caribbean law enforcement agencies are trained, ”said the Russian Foreign Minister.

“Recent events will point us to strategy The Ortega-Murillo regime will discover Russia’s geopolitical umbrella Break the increasingly reduced international diplomatic siege, “said sociologist Vargas.

The United States is concerned about this compliance. In a presentation before the United States Congress in March 2021, Craig Fowler, Commander of the United States Southern Command, warned that Nicaragua was maintaining close ties with Russia, with its focus on military, education, donations and repatriation. Humanitarian assistance. “This is a strategy to subdue the Nicaraguan government and counter US regional motives,” the admiral said.

These days the Senate and the US Congress are discussing the Recorn Bill, which calls for reports from the government of President Joe Biden on Russia’s influence in Nicaragua. The bill states at one point that “this is a report on the sale of Russian military equipment to Nicaragua and that it should reconsider possible sanctions under the Anti-American Act under the CAATSA Act.”

The initiative was approved by the Congressional Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday, July 28, as the next stage: the approval of the full meeting of Congress as part of the process of becoming law.

“With the recent statements of the Russian Defense Minister about the escalation of his military ties with the Ortega regime, we should all be alarmed that we have in the past added $ 80 million in tanks and $ 10 million in sales of Russian weapons. Defender Bianca Jagger warned: “I think Ortega is trying to take advantage of a Cold War situation.”

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