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A30 world news
Dialuna 14 Juni 2021

Nicaragua arrests 3 more opposition leaders in crackdown

(AP) — The government Nicaragua’s National Police
of Nicaraguan President have arrested four opposition
Daniel Ortega arrested pre-candidates this month.
three opposition leaders
Sunday, in what appears On June 8, they arrested pre-
to be widespread deten- candidate Félix Maradiaga, a
tions of anyone who might pre-candidate for the opposi-
challenge his rule. tion coalition Blue and White
National Unity, and Sebas-
The moves over the weekend tián Chamorro, a former di-
suggest Ortega has moved rector of the opposition co-
beyond arresting potential alition Civic Alliance.
opposition candidates in the
Nov. 7 elections, and has be- The previous week au-
gun arresting any prominent thorities detained Cristiana
member of the opposition. Chamorro, a cousin of Juan
Sebastián Chamorro, and Ar-
“It’s not just potential candi- turo Cruz Sequeira, a former
dates any more, it’s political ambassador to the United
leaders,” said former gen- States who was arrested Sat-
eral and Sandinista dissident urday under a controversial
Hugo Torres. “This is not a “treason” law passed in De-
transition to dictatorship, it is cember.
a dictatorship in every way.”
Ortega initially led Nicaragua
On Saturday, police arrested from 1979 to 1990 following
Tamara Dávila, who was ac- the Sandinista revolution that
tive in Unamos, a movement mass protests in 2018. coup-mongers, classify them Ortega has already arrest- ousted the dictator Anastasio
formed by former Sandini- as “traitors to the homeland” ed four potential opposi- Somoza. He returned to the
stas angered by Ortega’s au- On Sunday, police arrested and ban them from running tion candidates who might presidency in 2007 after three
tocratic ways, nepotism and another prominent ex-Sand- as candidates. have challenged his bid for a failed election attempts, and
perpetual re-elections. inista dissident, Dora María fourth consecutive term, and he won reelection in 2011.
Téllez, and another opposi- The punishes those “who now many Nicaragua oppo- He then sidestepped term
Police said they arrested tion leader, Ana Margarita lead or finance a coup ... en- sition leaders fear it is only limits to get himself reelected
Dávila on charges related to Vijil. courage foreign interference, a matter of time until police in 2016, and packed courts
a recently enacted law that ask for military intervention come for them, too. and government agencies
classifies as treason any sup- Tellez’s arrest is a major step: ... propose or plan econom- with allies. The Sandinista
port for sanctions against of- she was a leading Sandinista ic blockades, applaud and Torres said he has seen drones party controls the courts and
ficials in the Ortega regime; militant who led an assault champion the imposition of flying around his home in re- the legislature, and has stifled
the U.S. has slapped sanc- on the National Palace in sanctions against Nicaragua cent days, of the type used at universities and the Roman
tions on dozens of officials. 1978, taking Somoza’s con- or its citizens.” Tellez’s house. Catholic church.
gress hostage. Like many for-
ADVERTISEMENT mer guerrillas, she later split Those accused “will be trai- “This interview may be the Torres said Ortega has now
with Ortega. tors to the homeland, and last one I give,” Torres said. “I instituted a more suffocating
Davila is also a central figure for that reason may not run am here, waiting for them to dictatorship than Somoza,
in the opposition coalition Under a law passed in De- for public office.” Treason is come for me.” who faced opposition from
Blue and White Nationality cember, Ortega’s government punishable by prison terms the within the church, intel-
Unity, which was formed fol- has the power to unilaterally of up to 15 years. ADVERTISEMENT lectual circles and universi-
lowing Ortega’s repression of declare citizens “terrorists” or ties.

Saudi Arabia says hajj to be limited to 60,000 in kingdom

(AP) — Saudi Arabia announced Press Agency quoted the kingdom’s medical staff. spreading worldwide.
Saturday this year’s hajj pilgrim- Hajj and Umrah Ministry making the More recently, Saudi Arabia faced
age will be limited to no more announcement. It said this year’s hajj, Each year, up to 2 million Muslims danger from a different coronavirus,
than 60,000 people, all of them which will begin in mid-July, will be perform the hajj, a physically de- one that causes the Middle East re-
from within the kingdom, due limited to those ages 18 to 65. manding and often costly pilgrimage spiratory syndrome, or MERS. The
to the ongoing coronavirus pan- that draws the faithful from around kingdom increased its public health
demic. Those taking part must be vaccinated the world. The hajj, required of all measures during the hajj in 2012 and
as well, the ministry said. able-bodied Muslims to perform 2013, urging the sick and the elderly
The announcement by the king- once in their lifetime, is seen as a not to take part.
dom comes after it ran an incredibly “The kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which chance to wipe clean past sins and
pared-down pilgrimage last year over is honored to host pilgrims every bring about greater humility and uni- In recent years, Saudi officials also
the virus, but still allowed a small year, confirms that this arrangement ty among Muslims. instituted bans on pilgrims coming
number of the faithful to take part in comes out of its constant concern from countries affected by the Ebola
the annual ceremony. for the health, safety and security of The kingdom’s Al Saud ruling fam- virus.
pilgrims as well as the safety of their ily stakes its legitimacy in this oil-rich
A statement on the state-run Saudi countries,” the statement said. nation on overseeing and protecting Saudi Arabia had closed its borders
the hajj sites. Ensuring the hajj hap- for months to try and stop the spread
In last year’s hajj, as few as 1,000 peo- pens has been a priority for them. of the coronavirus. Since the start of
ple already residing in Saudi Arabia the pandemic, the kingdom has re-
were selected to take part in the hajj. Disease outbreaks have always been ported over 462,000 cases of the virus
Two-thirds were foreign residents a concern surrounding the hajj. Pil- with 7,500 deaths. It has administered
from among the 160 different nation- grims fought off a malaria outbreak some 15.4 million doses of coronavi-
alities that would have normally been in 632, cholera in 1821 killed an es- rus vaccines, according to the World
represented at the hajj. One-third timated 20,000, and another cholera Health Organization. The kingdom
were Saudi security personnel and outbreak in 1865 killed 15,000 before is home to over 30 million people.