Concern over the fate of two French women arrested by police in Nicaragua

Two women, two French and one Nicaraguan citizen, were sought by a relative and arrested by Nicaraguan police on Tuesday (September 13), the Nicaraguan NGO Exiles in Costa Rica said.

Janine Harvillier Cuatra, 63, a Nicaraguan and French national, and her daughter Ana Alvarez Harvillier, 43, were arrested. Last Tuesday, according to a report by Nicaragua Nunca Mas (Nicaragua Never Again) working from neighboring Costa Rica.

Saturday, France’s foreign ministry said “Follow closely the situation in our two countries” and should “I have contacted the Nicaraguan authorities”. “ The Embassy is fully mobilized in conjunction with the Embassy in Costa Rica. A spokesman for the French ministry added.

Ana Alvarez Harvilleur’s husband Mr. The NGO also reported the arrest of Felix Rois. Nicaraguan authorities have not confirmed this information.

According to the NGO, police entered the house looking for Javier Alvarez, the husband and father of the two women. But he had already fled for reasons the NGO did not specify. According to the Nicaraguan Nunca Mass, the two women were arrested and taken away in retaliation.

200 opponents of the Ortega regime were jailed

In an interview broadcast Saturday by Nicaraguan Internet media in exile 100% Notifications, Mr. Javier Alvarez is currently in Costa Rica and expressed his anger and concern for his relatives. Mr. Alvarez expressed his opposition to the government of President Daniel Ortega but denied being a radical militant.

According to him, the authorities demanded that he give himself up in exchange for the release of his wife, daughter and son-in-law, who were imprisoned and he was held in El Chipot prison in Managua. “I’m not going back to Nicaragua… my life is in danger (…) especially because there’s an action against me and I don’t understand why”He declared.

At least 200 opponents and critics of President Daniel Ortega’s government are currently indicted and imprisoned in Nicaragua. “treason” and D’“Undermining the sovereignty of the country”According to human rights organizations and relatives of prisoners.

The 76-year-old former guerrilla, who has been in power since 2007, Mr. Ortega is accused by his opponents of instigating a coup attempt in 2018 with support from Washington. That year, Mr. Demonstrations calling for the resignation of Ortega and his wife and vice president, Rosario Murillo, were bloodily suppressed. According to international human rights organizations, the unrest killed more than 350 people, mostly protesters.

In November 2021, Mr. Ortega was re-elected for a fourth consecutive term On an absent ballot, all of his strongest opponents They have been arrested or deported.