The Nicaraguan opposition Civic Alliance for Justice and Democracy called for a 24-hour strike on Friday to press for the release of hundreds of political prisoners and demand the resumption of dialogue with the government of Daniel Ortega, in the midst of a political crisis that left 320 dead since April.
Opponents called on the population to “join this national effort from their homes, except for those activities related to the preservation of life and basic services for the population.”
This is the third strike called by the Alliance since the protests against the Ortega government began on April 18th, which have been violently repressed.
At least 300 Nicaraguans were being prosecuted for their participation in the protests, of which 85 were accused of “terrorism,” denounced the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in a report published last week.
The Alliance reiterated in its statement that “dialogue is the only way” to overcome the crisis the country is experiencing.
The dialogue between the government and the opposition, mediated by the Catholic Church, has been interrupted since last June due to the government’s refusal to discuss the issue of democratization and the repression of the demonstrators.
The crisis has caused a flight of 1.022 billion dollars in bank deposits in Nicaragua, the second poorest country in the hemisphere, according to the agency Fitch.