Nicaragua’s war on freedom of expression continues. 54 media outlets have been closed and 140 journalists have fled the country.
Photo: Julio VanniniIn Nicaragua, President
Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President
Rosario Murillo, are waging a war against press freedom and freedom of expression,
writes the Nicaraguan newspaper Confidencial.
According to the newspaper, the attack began as early as 2007, when Daniel Ortega returned to power, and the real crackdown on the media and civil society has been underway since 2018.
Already 54 media outlets have been closed: 31 radio stations, 15 TV channels and 8 print or digital publications. Some have had their licences refused by the government, others have been financially repressed and others have had their supplies raided and their tools confiscated.
Also Vikes partners in exile
According to Confidencial, 140 journalists have fled Nicaragua and eight are currently in prison. Among them are prominent journalists who are also politically active, such as
Cristiana Chamorro Barrios,
Miguel Mora and
Pedro Joaquín Chamorro Barrios.
Since 2018, a total of 1600 people have been randomly arrested and 900 political prisoners locked up in Nicaragua.
Vikes supports independent journalism in Nicaragua. Vikes’ partners have also been subjected to government harassment and persecution. Most of Vikes’ partners and their employees now work from exile.
