This is a post, containing information from the Havana Times, sent to me by our beloved @cecicastor

jerrytsuseer (67)in #nicaragua • 5 years ago

[@cecicastor lives in Nicaragua, and has been communication sporadically
With me and @phoenixwren (perhaps others) in Discord DM.
Last Christmas she told me directly how there were NO CELEBRATIONS,
No lights, no parties, no CHURCH SERVICES, the people there are
Bullied into silence and cowed into submission.
This is an excerpt from the article, I know it is C&P but it is important
That this news get out to the world. In the USA, there is absolutely
NO NEWS COVERAGE of Nicaragua, Venezuela a bit here and there,
But ~~NOTHING~~ about Nicaragua. JES]
source

Freedom of expression and religion?

In the statements that Ortega made to Blumenthal and his companions who participated in the conversation held at the El Carmen presidential bunker, the Sandinista leader lied openly ensuring that there is total “freedom of expression and religious freedom” in Nicaragua.

“Here there is the most absolute religious freedom and there is the most absolute freedom of expression,” said Ortega, when journalists asked him why he invited the ultra-right-wing pastor Ralph Drollinger to the 40th anniversary of the Sandinista revolution, who appeared in Managua as the “bible teacher” of President Donald Trump.

“There is a report, which you should know, in which we are accused of not allowing expression here. The pastor (Drollinger) could have said anything there (in the Plaza), we did not tell him the speech he was going to deliver, just to say whatever he wanted,” said Ortega in reference to a report by the State Department on the persecution that the regime has unleashed against the Catholic church.

Currently, there is a state of exception in Nicaragua under which marches and demonstrations of any group except those who sympathize with the government are prohibited. In addition, the regime keeps Confidential and 100% News media confiscated, as well as practices systematic harassment of independent journalists.

However, Ortega said the interview he gave to Blumenthal was proof of freedom of expression in Nicaragua.

Ortega also lied when saying that he does not move in an armored car. An investigation by Confidencial showed in 2015 that the president bought an armored Mercedes Benz in which he is transported.

“I have suffered several attacks. But I have not used an armored car, rather when I visit other countries, they put us armored cars. My armored car is Christ, the people are the ones who take care of me,” said Ortega who is surrounded by an entire police contingent whenever he goes out in the streets with his armored Mercedes Benz.