Nicaragua detains 60 for Maduro capture praise, rights group says
Nicaragua detains 60 for Maduro capture praise, rights group says
Rights watchdog reports about 60 people detained in Nicaragua for celebrating Maduro's capture; 49 still held without status info, nine released.
Authorities in Nicaragua have arrested at least 60 people for reportedly celebrating or expressing support for the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, according to a rights watchdog group and local media. The group said 49 remained in detention on Friday without information about their legal status, nine had been released, and three others were temporarily detained. Maduro was captured by U.S. military personnel in Caracas on January 3 and transported to New York to face trial on drug and weapons charges. The arrests are said to have followed a state of alert declared by Vice-President Rosario Murillo, which included neighborhood surveillance and monitoring on social media, signaling a broader crackdown on expressions of support for the U.S.-led operation.
The human rights organization Blue and White Monitoring, which tracks abuses in Nicaragua, framed the arrests as arbitrary and warned that a judicial process was not clearly involved in many of the cases. Local newspapers cited by supporters of the government described the measures as a response to online posts and public demonstrations in favor of Maduro’s removal from office. The situation underscores tensions in Nicaragua’s political climate, where authorities have long faced criticism over due process and freedom of expression, especially in cases tied to regional geopolitics surrounding Venezuela.
Analysts say the development could widen concerns about political freedoms in the region, as authorities appear to act quickly against perceived sympathetic activity toward Maduro. Rights groups have urged transparency regarding detainees’ legal status and access to legal counsel. As the Venezuelan drama continues to unfold abroad, Nicaragua’s actions prompt questions about the balance between security measures and fundamental rights, and whether the arrests will lead to formal charges or further detentions without due process.
