Nicaragua's Bold Exit from UN Human Rights Council

Nicaragua announced its withdrawal from the UN Human Rights Council, citing sovereignty against a report condemning President Ortega's regime for human rights abuses. Labeling the accusations as slander, Vice President Murillo dismissed them as part of an international conspiracy. The 2018 protests saw a violent crackdown, leaving over 350 dead.

Nicaragua announced its decision to withdraw from the United Nations Human Rights Council on Thursday. This move follows a UN report urging the international community to address alleged human rights violations by President Daniel Ortega's government. Vice President Rosario Murillo described the withdrawal as both sovereign and irrevocable, emphasizing Nicaragua's intent to disengage from all activities associated with the Human Rights Council and its satellite mechanisms.

The UN report, published Wednesday, accuses Ortega and Murillo, who holds dual roles of vice president and co-president, of converting Nicaragua into an authoritarian state devoid of independent institutions. UN experts advocated for legal actions against Nicaragua, highlighting patterns of human rights abuses consistent with crimes against humanity. Murillo sharply criticized the report, denouncing its findings as fabrications and slander.

In past instances, Ortega's government has dismissed similar accusations from the UN and the Organization of American States as parts of an international conspiracy against its administration. The fallout from the 2018 anti-government protests, wherein a harsh crackdown led to the deaths of over 350 individuals, continues to draw heavy scrutiny. The recent UN findings contradict previous denials by the Nicaraguan army regarding its involvement in the crackdown.