Mensaje del Presidente Daniel Ortega a las familias nicaragüenses
Mensaje del Presidente-Comandante Daniel
al Pueblo nicaragüense
9 de Febrero del 2023
Buenas tardes, Querid@s Herman@s nicaragüenses, Queridas Hermanas nicaragüenses, Queridas Familias de esta Nicaragua Bendita y Siempre Libre.
En esta ocasión nos hemos convocado aquí en este sitio de tantos Eventos Históricos, en este Centro de Convenciones Olof Palme, que viniendo aquí sería de izquierda a derecha, de izquierda a derecha tenemos, nosotros venimos de izquierda a izquierda; aquí tenemos al General de Ejército Julio César Avilés Castillo, al Mayor General Bayardo Rodríguez, al Mayor General Marvin Corrales.
A continuación está el Canciller de la República, General en Retiro, porque también fue Guerrillero, Denis y sus Hermanos, allá en el Norte, el Compañero Denis Moncada; la Fiscal de la República, Compañera Ana Julia Guido; está el Compañero Marvin Aguilar, Vicepresidente de la Corte Suprema de Justicia; estamos dándole un tiempo a Alba Luz, que tenía que hacer todavía algunos trabajos que tienen que ver con los temas de los cuales vamos a hablar; la Compañera Arlette Marenco, Vicecanciller de la República, y el Compañero Michael Campbell, de la Cancillería de la Republica, trabaja en Asesoría, y ella trabaja en diferentes actividades.
Aquí está la Compañera Rosario Murillo, Co-Presidenta de la República, en verdad así es, ¡és Co-Presidenta de la República! En la Constitución tendremos que hacer algunas Reformas… Doctor Porras, tendremos que hacer algunas Reformas para que quede establecido el principio de la Co-Presidencia.
El Primer Comisionado General de la Policía Nacional, Francisco Díaz; el Comisionado General Horacio Rocha, Asesor, con toda su experiencia, Asesor de la Presidencia para acompañar las labores de la Policía; el Comisionado General Zhukov Serrano, encargado del trabajo de Inteligencia de la Policía Nacional.
El Presidente de la Asamblea Nacional, Compañero Doctor Gustavo Porras. La Asamblea Nacional es nuestro Poder, que tiene que cumplir desde lo que es la Juramentación de las Autoridades; la Asamblea juramenta al Presidente, a la Vicepresidenta, a los Diputados, a las Diputadas, a todos los Compañeros y Compañeras que ocupan Cargos de Dirección y que son nombrados por la Asamblea y luego juramentados en la Asamblea Nacional.
Nuestra Querida Hermana, la Profesora Loria Dixon, ella es la Secretaria de la Asamblea Nacional, tenemos una Secretaria extraordinaria. Yo me encontré con Loria la primera vez allá en la Costa, allá nos encontramos, en Bilwi fue, en Bilwi nos encontramos, allí la descubrí a ella, era Maestra, y miren dónde está ahora, al frente del Mayor Poder del Estado, la Máxima Autoridad del Estado nicaragüense, que es la Asamblea Nacional.
También se encuentra la Compañera Arlin Alonso, de la Asamblea Nacional, Arlin Alonso es de Chinandega.
Luego está del Ministerio de Gobernación, la Compañera, incansable en el trabajo, María Amelia; el Compañero, incansable también en el trabajo, Luis Cañas; y la Compañera Carla Salinas. O sea, esta es la Dirección de Gobernación, 2 Compañeras y un Compañero, que tienen una carga de trabajo las 24 horas, día y noche tienen una carga de trabajo en Gobernación.
Este día, Querid@s Herman@s nicaragüenses, Queridas Familias, se produjo un hecho que yo llamaría sorprendente, porque ustedes tienen que recordar que ya en varias ocasiones, en diferentes Actos Públicos yo venía planteando que toda esta gente que estaba en prisión, que estaba detenida por atentar contra la Soberanía, contra la Paz, contra el Pueblo nicaragüense, como todos ellos eran agentes de Potencias extranjeras, en ese momento yo hablaba en general y en otra ocasión hablé en particular también, que se los llevaran les decía, ¿por qué no se los llevan? En otra ocasión desafiamos al Gobierno norteamericano que tanto nos ha vilipendiado, nos ha acusado de tener “presos políticos”.
Y luego que en el Congreso de los Estados Unidos, asaltaron al Congreso ciudadanos norteamericanos del Partido Republicano, no iban armados como sí andaban armados los terroristas aquí en Abril, asesinando, quemando, destruyendo. No iban armados, todos vimos las escenas cuando entraron al Congreso, la Policía no hizo mayor resistencia para que entraran. Y ahí hubo 2 fallecidos, ahí hubo un rifi-rafa entre ellos y hubo 2 muertos. Y fueron miles los que entraron al Congreso, pero hubo 2 muertos, y claro, mucha destrucción.
Luego vino la persecución y a esos sí los acusaron de estar atentando contra la Seguridad de la gran Nación norteamericana, de estar atentando contra la Democracia de la gran Nación norteamericana. Y empezó la captura. Y ahí en los Estados Unidos en estos momentos, hoy, cuando no queda un solo terrorista en prisión aquí en Nicaragua, allá en los Estados Unidos hay más de 1,200 de los que asaltaron el Congreso que son calificados de terroristas, son acusados y algunos de ellos ya han sido condenados a 20, 30 años de prisión.
Y antier que estaba por salir el Embajador de los Estados Unidos, iba a los Estados Unidos el Embajador en los días anteriores, hace pocos días, sí; entonces me dice Rosario, ¿y por qué no le decimos al Embajador que se lleven ya a todos estos terroristas? Decile vos, le digo yo, tal vez lo escuchan allá. Realmente no se me ocurría a mí, porque no se trataba de negociar nada, ¡esto debe quedar bien claro!
Ya el traidor de Sergio Ramírez está haciendo sus análisis y dice que hicimos mal, que teníamos que haberlos sacado en poquitos, a cambio de… Habla de una negociación. Entonces, que si los hemos negociado, bueno, te voy a dar 20 ahora y vos me das tal cosa, te doy otros 20 y ahora me das… o sea, como un mercenario, como lo ha sido él, un mercenario. ¡No! Este es un problema de Principios para nosotros. Sabemos lo que es la esencia, el pensamiento de toda esta gente, que a final de cuentas son víctimas de la política imperialista, son víctimas, y que los utilizan, los financian, los arman… ¡Cuántas historias no tenemos! Y luego los mandan a buscar cómo destruir la Paz, la Estabilidad de un País, como la que venía gozando Nicaragua hasta el año 2018.
Y fue una operación donde hubo financiamiento, ahí tenemos documentación de las Embajadas, Embajadas europeas, Embajadores europeos ahí con su firma y letra, ahí en los documentos, donde están conspirando; de la misma Embajada norteamericana, de la Embajadora Laura, cuando estaba la Embajadora Laura Dogu. Tenemos esas pruebas.
Bueno, Rosario llamó al Embajador y le planteó, yo no esperaba una respuesta positiva, no se me ocurría una respuesta positiva realmente, además qué se habrán imaginado ellos: ¿qué nos irán a pedir? ¿Nos irán a pedir que les levantemos las sanciones? ¡No, no estamos pidiendo que nos levanten las sanciones! ¡No estamos pidiendo nada a cambio! Es un asunto de Honor, de Dignidad, de Patriotismo, y de que se lleven a sus mercenarios, que se los lleven, como se llevaron a sus mercenarios después de la invasión en Cuba. Allí fueron más de 1,000 los mercenarios capturados, y luego se los mandó Fidel para allá.
Bueno, la respuesta del Embajador fue que, como iba para Estados Unidos iba a consultar con sus Autoridades Superiores. Bueno, una respuesta, dije yo, que todavía no nos confirma nada, simplemente una respuesta razonable: Voy a consultar.
Luego vino caminando esto con una velocidad vertiginosa, cuando preguntan que a cuántos vamos a soltar… ¡A todos! Y nos preguntan en particular por una sola persona, ¿y también a Álvarez, al Obispo, a Álvarez? ¡También! No queremos que quede ningún rastro de lo que son los mercenarios del Imperio aquí en nuestro País.
Luego nos piden que enviemos la lista y allí las carreras de los Compañeros del Poder Judicial, de la Fiscalía, de Gobernación; bueno, fue un trabajo intenso, teníamos horas, porque ya en ese momento ellos respondían que estaban dispuestos a llevárselos a todos en un solo vuelo. Y ya nos daban fecha, que era el día 9, que el día 9 estaría entrando el avión, o sea hoy estaría entrando el avión aquí a Managua, pero para no que crear expectativas habíamos quedado en que, silencio, no podíamos empezar a hablar de que ya se había producido este hecho, porque luego no se producía, quedábamos en ridículo.
Entonces, cumplieron ellos y cumplimos nosotros lógicamente, hay que reconocer que fue tomado en serio por parte de ellos, como lo tomamos muy seriamente nosotros. Y cuando llegaron a preguntar ¿qué interés teníamos nosotros? ¡Ninguno! Que se los lleven, eso es todo. O sea, no se trataba de negociar. ¡Aquí no ha habido ninguna negociación! Esto debe quedar claro. Porque la Soberanía del País, la Dignidad de la Patria, no se negocia, ¡no se negocia!
Y preparamos las listas, se prepararon las listas, aquí tengo la lista original que se les envió; en esta lista original iban en total, de todo el País, iban en total 228. Esa es la lista que nosotros teníamos de toda esta gente que había participado en actos contra la Soberanía, contra la Paz, contra el Pueblo nicaragüense… 228. O sea, no excluimos a nadie.
En esta lista original, aquí tengo la lista original, aquí están las firmas de los Magistrados que firmaron: El Tribunal de Apelaciones, Sala Penal 1, esto lo firmó el Tribunal ayer 8 de Febrero a las 5 y 45 minutos de la tarde. Y se les envió la lista, y todo aquello era corriendo porque ya estaba anunciado que venía el avión. Y en esta lista, aquí está, en el número 92, Rolando José Álvarez Lagos, Cédula 001-271166-0061F, aquí está el nombre, Rolando José Álvarez Lagos, ¡el número 92, Rolando José Álvarez Lagos! No se le excluyó de la lista, ahí iba.
Bueno, ellos recibieron esta lista y luego nos comunicaron, todo esto en caliente ya, porque a esa hora estábamos haciendo planes con la Policía para trasladar a todos estos prisioneros que se encontraban en diferentes lugares, desde las prisiones de San Carlos, allí habían golpistas; en Chinandega, en León, en todos los Departamentos del País habían, en unos habían más, en otros habían menos, y el grueso estaba lógicamente aquí, en lo que es la Cárcel de Tipitapa que se conoció como la Cárcel Modelo, y en Auxilio Judicial, allí está el grueso.
Pero era un Operativo que había que hacerlo con mucha disciplina, con mucha organización, evitar un accidente, porque se traía a estos prisioneros que ellos no sabían para dónde iban; ellos especulaban, y pensaban que los traían a La Modelo a los que estaban afuera, a los de La Modelo que los llevaban quién sabe adónde. Es decir, a ellos se les estaba trasladando para concentrarlos en puntos donde luego se pudiesen trasladar a la Fuerza Aérea donde se estacionaría el avión; y lógicamente una coordinación con el Ejército directamente, con el General Avilés que estuvo con los Compañeros ahí asegurando las condiciones también.
Y la primera respuesta que nos dieron ante esta lista, esta lista que era la lista original realmente con 228, entonces vienen y nos responden, que de la lista ellos no aceptan a 4 prisioneros que están por todos estos delitos: A uno que se llama Eliseo de Jesús Castro Baltodano; a otro que se llama Walner Antonio Ruiz Rivera; a otro que se llama José Manuel Urbina Lara, bastante conocido, creo, José Manuel Urbina Lara; y a otro que se llama Jaime Enrique Navarrete Blandón.
Dijeron que ellos no podían, no nos dieron razones, no les íbamos a pedir razones, y lo que nos dijeron es que, como ellos estaban ya cuestionando la lista, y partimos del principio de que la lista que les habíamos entregado esa es la que ellos iban a trasladar, pensaron que nosotros íbamos a pelear… ¡No los quieren, no los quieren! Bueno, ¡qué mal te paga quien te usó! ¡Qué mal te paga quien decía que te quería y te financiaba! No los quisieron, ni a Eliseo, ni a Walner, ni a José Manuel Urbina Lara, ni a Jaime Enrique Navarrete.
Luego, cuando ya empieza el proceso, ya en la pista de la Fuerza Aérea donde está el avión, iban entrando uno por uno, una operación realmente extraordinaria, con una gran coordinación, una gran disciplina. Y ellos mismos también estuvieron muy ordenados, no hicieron alboroto, no entraron en gritos, todos entrando, subiendo las gradas del avión, bueno, quizás estaban sorprendidos, pero lógicamente no iban a dejar de subir las gradas del avión.
Entonces van subiendo las gradas del avión y hubieron dos que se negaron a subir las gradas del avión: Uno de ellos, Fanor Alejandro Ramos, que por lo que sabemos entendemos por qué. Este Fanor Alejandro Ramos de 50 años de edad está en el Penal de Tipitapa condenado a 8 años por almacenamiento de droga, 369 kilos de cocaína, al momento de la captura se le ocupó una pistola marca Glock. Había andado en el 2018 ahí acompañando a los golpistas; estaba a la orden del Juez Tercero del Distrito Penal y tiene 3 años y 1 mes en prisión.
Entonces, ¿por qué no aceptó? Seguramente tuvo temor que ya estando en los Estados Unidos y con ese récord allí le abrieran proceso, lo investigaran, le encontraran conexiones ahí con la narcoactividad de los Estados Unidos y terminara con cadena perpetua, o en la silla eléctrica, o con la pena de muerte. Entonces él prefirió no montarse en el avión.
El otro que no quiso montarse en el avión, como él decía, fue Álvarez. Pero antes de eso hubo otro que no lo aceptó la Embajada, este se llama, no sé si ya lo había mencionado el nombre aquí, Eliseo de Jesús Castro Baltodano, pero vamos a explicar un poco por qué tal vez no se lo quisieron llevar. Este era miembro de una banda delincuencial denominada “Crosti”, que anduvieron fabricando bombas y armas artesanales; lo siguieron haciendo en el año 2019, después del 2018 continuaron en esas actividades terroristas.
Claro, él en el año 2006, fíjense, mucho antes de Abril, el 6 de Febrero de 2006 había sido deportado de Estados Unidos después de haber cumplido una condena de 8 años y 3 meses por agresiones contra Mujeres… ¡8 años! ¡Qué iba a querer regresar! Entonces este tampoco quiso regresar y tampoco lo quería la Embajada porque lo tenían con ese fichaje.
Ahora vamos a hablar del personaje Álvarez. Bueno, cuando él está haciendo la fila, ya llega a las gradas del avión, a la entrada ya para que pase, entonces empieza a decir que él no se va, que primero tendría que hablar con los Obispos, reunirse con los Obispos, y exige una reunión con los Obispos. ¡Una cosa absurda! Si lo que hay es una decisión del Estado nicaragüense, que no la puede cuestionar él como nicaragüense, no la puede cuestionar.
¿Cuántos Sacerdotes, cuántos Curas, cuántos Obispos, cuántos Cardenales han sido juzgados y están siendo juzgados y metidos en las cárceles en el Mundo? En Estados Unidos, en Canadá, en Europa, son escándalos pavorosos por todos los crímenes que cometen Sacerdotes, Obispos, Cardenales, sí, y hay una guerra intestina donde incluso agreden al Papa, algunos de ellos lo insultan, lo agreden. Pero a nadie se le ocurre decir en los Estados Unidos: Ve, quiero hablar con los Obispos porque me quieren echar preso. Y los meten presos, los juzgan y luego los condenan, y son casos que están ahí por todos lados.
Yo no sé qué piensa este señor, que frente a una decisión del Estado nicaragüense viene y dice que él no acata una Resolución de un Tribunal de Justicia del Estado nicaragüense que lo está mandando a irse del País; dice que no acata y que quiere reunirse con los Obispos. Y como ya estaban en el avión varios Sacerdotes, ya habían pasado, tranquilamente habían subido, ya están en Estados Unidos, entonces dice que para poder él irse que le llamen a todos los Sacerdotes, porque él tendría que hablar con ellos, que se bajen del avión para que hablen con él y que lleguen los Obispos también para hablar con él.
Total que no podíamos, porque eso sí no lo permitían,
en el acuerdo no permitían las Autoridades norteamericanas montar a la
fuerza al que no quisiera irse a los Estados Unidos, no podíamos montarlo a la
fuerza. Si fuese una deportación, no hay problema, porque,
¿qué le hace el Estado nicaragüense? Sencillamente, si
aquel no quiere montarse en el avión, se le monta en el avión, se le pone las
esposas y va así adonde tiene que llegar. Pero como ellos explicaron que no
podían aceptar al que no quisiera, y como el señor este no quiso, entonces,
¡vuelta para atrás!
A él se le había tratado de una manera increíble, como a ningún prisionero en la historia de este País. Yo estuve 7 años y un mes preso y nunca conocí la historia de un prisionero que lo hubiesen tratado de esa manera como se trataba a este Señor.
Bueno, ahora está en la Cárcel Modelo, lógico, si él es un hombre común y corriente, “el hábito no hace al monje”, bien lo sabemos, bien lo sabemos que “el hábito no hace al monje”. Ahí lo que tenemos son comportamientos de soberbia de quien se considera ya el jefe de la Iglesia de Nicaragua, el líder de la Iglesia Latinoamericana, y debe pensar en optar a ocupar el cargo de Su Santidad el Papa. ¡Sí, está desquiciado, está desquiciado!
Pero bueno, eso tendrán que determinarlo ya, uno, las Autoridades Judiciales que están lógicamente a fondo con el caso de este señor, y las Autoridades Médicas que tendrán que atenderlo, porque ahora que llegó a La Modelo, llegó que era un energúmeno; o sea, no tiene el coraje, no puede tener el coraje de Cristo, que aguantó los azotes y soportó la crucifixión… ¡No, no acepta ni siquiera que lo metan en una celda donde hay centenares de presos!
Yo conozco bien esas celdas, viví en esas celdas más de 7 años, las conozco bien y no es para morirse, la celda es una celda, y, ya, se acabó.
Ah, pero como se le tenía en su casa, se le hacían comidas especiales todos los días, llegaban los Médicos dos veces al día, llegaban las hermanas a cocinarle, ¡y en una mansión! No es que vivía en una “Casita para el Pueblo”, no es que vivía en una casita como en la que vive el Cardenal Brenes ahí en Altagracia, no, esa es una casa humilde. Esa una mansión, vive en una mansión, y ahí vive toda la Familia, cada una tiene su mansión; entonces está irritado porque ahora sí está en la prisión, sí está en la cárcel.
Este es el caso de este señor que sencillamente se negó a acatar, o sea, es la rabia de no acatar la decisión de las Autoridades nicaragüenses, del Estado nicaragüense, porque él de buena gana se va a Miami, se va a juntar allá con Báez, a despotricar con Báez y compañía; pero como es el Estado nicaragüense el que le está ordenando la deportación, entonces ahí la rabia de él, la rabia, la furia, y bueno, él lo decidió, ahí está guardando prisión.
Luego, 11 reos que estaban en Auxilio Judicial, 11 en total, todos ellos Religiosos, Sacerdotes, 11: Benito Enrique Martínez Gamboa, Sacerdote, no hizo alboroto y se montó en el avión, y ahora está en Estados Unidos; Raúl Antonio Vega Gonzáles, Diácono, también se montó en el avión; Sadiel Antonio Eugarrios Cano, Sacerdote, también se montó en el avión; Ramiro Reynaldo Tijerino Chávez, también se montó en el avión, Sacerdote; Oscar Danilo Benavidez Dávila, Sacerdote, también se montó en el avión; Sergio José Cárdenas Flores, un Religioso Laico, también se montó en el avión; José Luis Díaz Cruz, Sacerdote, también se montó en el avión; Melkin Antonio Centeno Sequeira, Seminarista, también se montó en el avión; Darvin Esteyling Leiva Mendoza, Seminarista, también se montó en el avión; Manuel Antonio Obando Cortedano, Religioso Laico, también se montó en el avión; y Wilberto Artola Mejía, Laico, también se montó en el avión.
O sea, 11, entre Sacerdotes, Religiosos y Laicos Comunitarios, todos ellos se montaron en el avión, se fueron en el avión.
¿Cuáles son los únicos Sacerdotes que quedan detenidos en el País? Bueno, uno, Álvarez, no quiso acatar lo que manda la Ley, lo que manda el Estado nicaragüense.
Luego están dos Sacerdotes que están detenidos, uno, de Boaco, que tiene acusaciones por violación a niña de 13 años, él es boaqueño, lo acusó la Familia de la niña, ahí lo acusaron, no tiene nada de política, simplemente es un delito común, y está en el Sistema Penitenciario de Tipitapa, en el “Jorge Navarro”. El otro Sacerdote que está detenido es de Nandaime, el delito de él son lesiones y violencia física y psicológica, ustedes creo que recuerdan este caso del que apareció con el machete, eso fue algo público, no es nada de política, simplemente ahí salió con el machete agrediendo, peleando con una mujer, entonces está detenido.
Son los únicos que están detenidos, estos dos por delitos comunes; y el otro por terrorista, el Obispo, por terrorista.
De esta manera queremos aclarar bien cómo acontecieron estos hechos que llevaron a poner en los Estados Unidos a 222 de los que llamaban “presos políticos”. Ya están allá en el aeropuerto, ya los recibieron en el aeropuerto, un aeropuerto allá en los Estados Unidos, ya los están atendiendo y están muy contentos, vi unas tomas por la televisión colombiana, pasaron unas tomas ahí de ellos.
Bueno, esto no es más que un Mensaje para la Paz, para la Estabilidad, para que el Pueblo nicaragüense esté convencido que todo lo que hacemos es para asegurar la Paz.
Y de parte del Gobierno de los Estados Unidos, como les decía, no hemos pedido absolutamente nada, ¡nada! Esto no es un trueque, esto no es un “te doy esto y me das aquello”… ¡No! Esto es un asunto Principio, de Dignidad, y que lo que hace es confirmar que están retornando a un País que es el que los ha utilizado, sus Gobernantes, no el Pueblo norteamericano, sus Gobernantes los han utilizado para sembrar el terror, la muerte, la destrucción, aquí en Nicaragua.
Eso es lo que queda bien claro, fíjense, esa es la lección que tenemos que aprender l@s nicaragüenses, y darle Gracias a Dios, claro que le damos Gracias a Dios, porque yo realmente no creía, escuchaba ahí que la Rosario se estaba comunicando y que decían esto, decían lo otro, ahora hay que quitar a este, que ya todo estaba listo; pero yo le decía: Mientras no vea el avión aquí, mientras no esté el avión aquí no podemos pensar que ya…
Y Gracias a Dios se produjo el Milagro, porque este Pueblo, el Pueblo del Cacique Diriangén, el Pueblo de Andrés de Castro y de José Dolores Estrada, el Pueblo de Benjamín Zeledón, el Pueblo del General Sandino, el Pueblo de Carlos, el Pueblo de Tomás, el Pueblo del Padre Miguel d´Escoto que estaría cumpliendo 90 años de edad, el Pueblo de tantos Héroes y Mártires, donde se ha logrado ir cultivando y logrando que florezca continuamente, a pesar de que han habido embestidas, han habido embestidas buscando cómo barrer con la Dignidad, con el Heroísmo del Pueblo nicaragüense.
Este Pueblo, Gracias a Dios, tiene la Fortaleza de librar las más grandes Batallas, enfrentar los mayores desafíos, y alcanzar la Paz, como esa Paz que hemos logrado reconquistar después de Abril, esta Paz de la que estamos gozando ahora, y que ahora que salieron los golpistas, los mercenarios, bueno, respiramos más Paz aquí en Nicaragua… ¡Gracias a Dios! ¡Y que Viva Nicaragua, Bendita y Siempre Libre!
Message from President Comandante Daniel
to the Nicaraguan People
February 9th 2023
Good afternoon, beloved Nicaraguan brothers, beloved Nicaraguan sisters, beloved families of this blessed and always free Nicaragua.
On this occasion we have convened here at this place, site of so many Historical Events, at this Olof Palme Convention Center, that going from left to right, from left to right we have, or going from left to left; here we have Army General Julio César Avilés Castillo, Major General Bayardo Rodríguez, Major General Marvin Corrales.
Then there’s the Chancellor of the Republic, a General in retirement, because he was also a guerrilla fighter, Denis and his brothers, there in the north of the country, compañero Denis Moncada; the Public Prosecutor of the Republic, compañera Ana Julia Guido; there’s compañero Marvin Aguilar, Vice President of the Supreme Court of Justice; we are giving a bit of time to Alba Luz, who still had to do some work relating to the issues we are about to address; compañera Arlette Marenco, Vice-Chancellor of the Republic, and compañero Michael Campbell, of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic, who works as an advisor, and in various activities.
Here is compañera Rosario Murillo, co-President of the Republic, in truth that’s right, she is co-President of the Republic! We will have to make some reforms to the Constitution… Doctor Porras, we will have to make some Reforms so that the principle of co-Presidency is established.
First General Commissioner of the National Police, Francisco Díaz; General Commissioner Horacio Rocha, advisor, with all his experience, advisor to the Presidency accompanying the work of the Police; General Commissioner Zhukov Serrano, in charge of the intelligence work of the National Police.
President of the National Assembly, compañero Doctor Gustavo Porras. The National Assembly is our power of State, which has to carry out the swearing in of the country’s authorities; the Assembly takes the oath of the President, the Vice President, the Deputies, the Deputies and all the compañeros and compañeras who hold institutional Positions and who are appointed by the Assembly and then are sworn in by the National Assembly.
Our beloved sister, Professor Loria Dixon, she is the Secretary of the National Assembly, we have an extraordinary Secretary. I met Loria first over on the Caribbean Coast, we met there, it was in Bilwi, we met in Bilwi, I encountered her there where she was a teacher, and look where she is now, at the head of the greatest power of the State, the Highest Authority of the Nicaraguan State, which is the National Assembly.There’s also Compañera Arlin Alonso, from the National Assembly, Arlin Alonso is from Chinandega.
Then from the Ministry of the Interior, a compañera, a tireless worker, María Amelia; compañero, also a tireless worker, Luis Cañas; and the compañero Carla Salinas. That is to say, this is the Directorate of the Interior Ministry, two compañeras and one compañero, who have a 24-hour workload, day and night they have their workload in the Interior Ministry.
On this day, beloved Nicaraguan brothers and sisters, beloved families, an event occurred that I would call surprising, because you have to remember that already on several occasions, in different Public Events I had been saying that all these people who were in prison, who were detained for attacking Sovereignty, acting against Peace, against the Nicaraguan People, since they were all agents of foreign powers, at that time I was speaking in general and on another occasion I spoke in particular too, that they should be sent abroad, I asked, “why don’t they take them in?” On another occasion we challenged the US government that has vilified us so much, accusing us of having “political prisoners”.
But after the Congress of the United States was stormed by US citizens of the Republican Party, who were not armed as the terrorists were armed, here in April 2018, murdering, burning, destroying. They were not armed, we all saw the scenes when they entered the Congress, the police did not put up much resistance to stop them from entering. And there were 2 dead, there was a brawl among them and there were two killed. But there were thousands who entered the Congress, and there were two killed, but of course, a lot of destruction.
Then came the persecution and those people were accused of attacking the security of the great US Nation, of being attacking the democracy of the great US Nation. And the arrests began. And there in the United States right now, today, when there is not a single terrorist left in prison here in Nicaragua, there in the United States there are more than 1,200 of those who assaulted Congress who are classified as terrorists, are indicted and some of them have already been sentenced to 20, 30 years in prison.
And before the Ambassador of the United States was about to leave in recent days, the Ambassador was going to the United States a few days ago, yes; so Rosario suggested to me, why don’t we tell the Ambassador to take all these terrorists away now? Go ahead tell him, I said to her, maybe they’ll listen to you. It really was far from my mind, because it wasn’t about negotiating anything, this should be made very clear!
Already the traitor Sergio Ramirez is making his analysis and saying that we made a mistake, that we should have released a few at a time, in exchange for… he talks about a negotiation. For example, if we have negotiated them, along the lines of, I’m going to give you 20 now and you give me so-and-so, or I give you another 20 and now you offer me… that is, talking like a mercenary, which he has been, a mercenary. No! This is a matter of principle for us.
We know what their essence is, what the thinking is of all these people, who after all are victims of imperialist policy, they are victims, of those who use them, finance them, give them weapons… How many such stories do we not have! And then they send them to work out how to destroy the Peace, the stability of a country, as Nicaragua had been enjoying up until 2018.
And it was an operation where there was funding, on that we have documentation from the embassies, European embassies, European ambassadors, with their signature and handwriting, there in those documents, where they are shown to be conspiring; from the US embassy itself, from ambassador Laura, when ambassador Laura Dogu was there. We have that evidence.
Well, Rosario called the Ambassador and asked him. I didn’t expect a positive response, I didn’t really think there would be a positive response, given what have they may have imagined: “what are they going to ask us? Are they going to ask us to lift the sanctions on them?” No, we are not asking for the sanctions to be lifted! We are not asking for anything in return! This is a matter of Honor, of Dignity, of Patriotism, that they take their mercenaries, that they take them back, as they took back their mercenaries after the invasion in Cuba. There were more than 1,000 mercenaries captured there, and Fidel sent them back.
Well, the ambassador’s response was that, since he was traveling to the United States, he was going to consult with his superiors. Well, a reply, that I said still doesn’t confirm anything for us, but a reasonable answer: “I’m going to consult.”
Then the matter took off with dizzying speed, when they asked how many we might be going to release… All of them! And they asked us in particular about one person, whether this included Alvarez too, the Bishop Alvarez? Him too! We want not trace of the Empire’s mercenaries here in our Country to remain.
Then they asked us to send a list and that meant a race by our compañeras and compañeros in the Judiciary, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Interior Ministry; indeed, it was an intense job, we had just hours, because already at that moment they replied that they were willing to take them all on a single flight. And they already gave us a date, which was the 9th, that the plane would arrive on the 9th, that is, today, the plane was to arrive here in Managua, but in order not to create expectations we decided on silence, since we could not start discussing this event as if it had already happened, because if then it did not take place, we would look ridiculous.
Then came the persecution and those people were accused of attacking the security of the great US Nation, of being attacking the democracy of the great US Nation. And the arrests began. And there in the United States right now, today, when there is not a single terrorist left in prison here in Nicaragua, there in the United States there are more than 1,200 of those who assaulted Congress who are classified as terrorists, are indicted and some of them have already been sentenced to 20, 30 years in prison.
And before the Ambassador of the United States was about to leave in recent days, the Ambassador was going to the United States a few days ago, yes; so Rosario suggested to me, why don’t we tell the Ambassador to take all these terrorists away now? Go ahead tell him, I said to her, maybe they’ll listen to you. It really was far from my mind, because it wasn’t about negotiating anything, this should be made very clear!
Already the traitor Sergio Ramirez is making his analysis and saying that we made a mistake, that we should have released a few at a time, in exchange for… he talks about a negotiation. For example, if we have negotiated them, along the lines of, I’m going to give you 20 now and you give me so-and-so, or I give you another 20 and now you offer me… that is, talking like a mercenary, which he has been, a mercenary. No! This is a matter of principle for us.
We know what their essence is, what the thinking is of all these people, who after all are victims of imperialist policy, they are victims, of those who use them, finance them, give them weapons… How many such stories do we not have! And then they send them to work out how to destroy the Peace, the stability of a country, as Nicaragua had been enjoying up until 2018.
And it was an operation where there was funding, on that we have documentation from the embassies, European embassies, European ambassadors, with their signature and handwriting, there in those documents, where they are shown to be conspiring; from the US embassy itself, from ambassador Laura, when ambassador Laura Dogu was there. We have that evidence.
Well, Rosario called the Ambassador and asked him. I didn’t expect a positive response, I didn’t really think there would be a positive response, given what have they may have imagined: “what are they going to ask us? Are they going to ask us to lift the sanctions on them?” No, we are not asking for the sanctions to be lifted! We are not asking for anything in return! This is a matter of Honor, of Dignity, of Patriotism, that they take their mercenaries, that they take them back, as they took back their mercenaries after the invasion in Cuba. There were more than 1,000 mercenaries captured there, and Fidel sent them back.
Well, the ambassador’s response was that, since he was traveling to the United States, he was going to consult with his superiors. Well, a reply, that I said still doesn’t confirm anything for us, but a reasonable answer: “I’m going to consult.”
Then the matter took off with dizzying speed, when they asked how many we might be going to release… All of them! And they asked us in particular about one person, whether this included Alvarez too, the Bishop Alvarez? Him too! We want not trace of the Empire’s mercenaries here in our Country to remain.
Then they asked us to send a list and that meant a race by our compañeras and compañeros in the Judiciary, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Interior Ministry; indeed, it was an intense job, we had just hours, because already at that moment they replied that they were willing to take them all on a single flight. And they already gave us a date, which was the 9th, that the plane would arrive on the 9th, that is, today, the plane was to arrive here in Managua, but in order not to create expectations we decided on silence, since we could not start discussing this event as if it had already happened, because if then it did not take place, we would look ridiculous.
So, they complied and, naturally, we complied and it must be recognized that this matter was taken seriously by them, as we too took it very seriously. And when they us what we hope to get out of it? Nothing! Let them all be taken away, that’s all. I mean, it wasn’t about negotiating. There has been no negotiation here! This should be made clear. Because the country’s Sovereignty, the Nation’s Dignity, is not up for negotiation, it is simply not negotiated!
And we made ready the lists, the lists were prepared, here I have the original list that was sent to them; in this original list they were in total, from all over the country, they were in total 228. That is the list we had of all these people who had participated in acts against Sovereignty, against Peace, against the Nicaraguan people… 228. I mean to say, we excluded no one.
In this original list, I have here the original list, here are the signatures of the judges who signed it: The Tribunal of Appeal’s First Criminal Court, this was signed by the Court yesterday, February 8th at 5.45pm. And this list was sent to them, and everything was in motion because it had already been announced that the plane was on its way. And in this list, here he is, at number 92, Rolando José Álvarez Lagos, ID number 001-271166-0061F, here is his name, Rolando José Álvarez Lagos, number 92, Rolando José Álvarez Lagos! He wasn’t excluded from the list, there he is.
Well, they received this list and then they communicated back to us, all this in a hurry, because at the time we were making plans with the police to transfer all the prisoners who were in different places, from the prisons of San Carlos, there were coup plotters there; in Chinandega, in León, in all the country’s departments, in some there were more, in others there were fewer, and of them of course were here, in the Tipitapa Prison that was known as the Model Prison, and in the Judicial Auxiliary facility, that’s where most of them were.
And it was an operation that had to be carried out with great discipline, with a lot of organization, to avoid any accidents, because the prisoners that were being brought did not know where they were going; they may have speculated, and those from the departments may have wondered whether they were being brought to the Model Prison, while those in the Model Prison may have thought they were being taken who knows where. That is to say, they were being transferred to gather them at points from where they could then be transferred to the Air Force base where the plane for them would be parked; and of course there was direct coordination with the Army, with General Aviles who with his compañeros was also ensuring the necessary conditions.
And the first response they gave us to this list, this list that was the original list really with 228 names, they come along and reply to us, that from the list they do not accept four of the prisoners who are there for their crimes: One named Eliseo de Jesús Castro Baltodano; another named Walner Antonio Ruiz Rivera; another named José Manuel Urbina Lara, quite well-known, I think, José Manuel Urbina Lara; and another named Jaime Enrique Navarrete Blandón.
The US said they couldn’t take them, they didn’t give us reasons and we weren’t going to ask them for reasons, but what they told us was that, since they were already processing the list, while we started from the principle that the list we had given them was the one of the people they were going to take, and they thought that we were going to argue.. But if they don’t want them, then they don’t want them! You see, how badly you get paid by the ones who used you! How badly you are recompensed by the ones who said they cared about you and funded you! They didn’t want them, neither Eliseo, nor Walner, nor José Manuel Urbina Lara, nor Jaime Enrique Navarrete.
So then, when the process was already under way, already there on the Air Force runway where the plane is, they entered it one by one, a really extraordinary operation, carried out with great coordination, great discipline. And the people themselves were also very orderly, they made no fuss, they didn’t make a scene, everyone entered, climbing the steps to the plane, well, maybe they were surprised, but of course they were not going to stop getting on to the plane.
So they go up the steps of the plane and there were two who refused to go: One of them, Fanor Alejandro Ramos, who from what we can tell we understand why. This 50-year-old Fanor Alejandro Ramos is in the Tipitapa Prison sentenced to 8 years for storing drugs, 369 kilos of cocaine, at the time of his arrest he was found to have a Glock pistol. He was there in 2018 accompanying the coup promoters; he was held under of the Third Criminal District Court and has served 3 years and 1 month in prison. So why didn’t he accept? No doubt he was afraid that once in the United States and with his record they would open proceedings against him, investigate him, find connections with drug activity in the United States and he would end up with life imprisonment, or in the electric chair, or even with the death penalty. So he preferred not to get on the plane.
The other one who refused to get on the plane, as he himself stated, was Álvarez. But before loooking at that there was another person the Embassy did not accept, this one is called, I do not know if his name has already been mentioned here, Eliseo de Jesús Castro Baltodano, and let’s explain a little why maybe they did not want to take him. He was a member of a criminal gang called “Crosti”, who made bombs and home made weapons; and they continued to do so in 2019, after 2018 they continued those terrorist activities.
Of course, in 2006, you see, long before April 2018, on February 6, 2006 he had been deported from the United States after having served a sentence of 8 years and 3 months for assaults on women… 8 years! Why would anyone want him back! He didn’t want to go back either and, for their part, the Embassy didn’t want him because they knew his record.
Now let’s talk about this individual, Alvarez. Well, when he is standing in line, he had already arrives at the steps up to the plane, or at the entrance for him to get on, and then he started to say that he would not leave, that he needed to talk to the Bishops first, meet with the Bishops, and he demanded a meeting with the Bishops. Something absurd! If there has been a decision of the Nicaraguan State, which he as a Nicaraguan cannot question, he cannot question it.
How many Priests, how many Priests, how many Bishops, how many Cardinals have been tried and are being tried and imprisoned in the World? In the United States, in Canada, in Europe, there are terrible scandals because of all the crimes committed by Priests, Bishops, Cardinals, yes, and there is an internecine war where they even attack the Pope, some of them insult him, attack him. But it doesn’t occur to anyone in the United States to say: “Wait, I want to talk to the Bishops because they want to throw me in prison”. And they do put them in prison, they try them, then they convict them, and there are cases like that everywhere.
I do not know what this gentleman is thinking, that faced with a decision of the Nicaraguan State he comes along and says that he refuses to comply with a Resolution of a Court of Justice of the Nicaraguan State, ordering him to leave the country. He says that he refuses to comply and wants a meeting with the Bishops. Furthermore, since several priests were already on the plane, they had already been passed, they had quietly got on and they are now in the United States, he says that in order for him to leave, all those priests should be called back, because he needed to talk to them, and they should get off the plane so they can talk to him and also the Bishops should arrive to talk to him.
In sum, we could not, because the other side did not allow for that, in the agreement the US authorities did not allow us to forcibly put anyone on the plane who did not want to leave for the United States, so we could not make him get on by force. If it were a deportation, there is no problem, because what would the Nicaraguan State do to him? Quite simply, if he doesn’t want to get on the plane, he gets put on the plane, gets handcuffed and goes where he is sent. But since the US side explained they could not accept anyone who did not want to go, and since this gentleman did not want to go, then, back as you were!
He had been treated in an incredible way, like no prisoner in the history of this country. I was imprisoned for seven years and one month and I have never known the story of a prisoner who had been treated in the way this man was treated.
Well, now he is in the Model Prison, of course, since he is an ordinary man, “the habit doesn’t make the monk”, as well we know, we know very well that “the habit doesn’t make the monk”. What we have here is the arrogant behavior of someone who already considers himself the head of the Church in Nicaragua, a leader of the Church in Latin America, and maybe he even thinks about his chances of occupying the position of His Holiness the Pope. Indeed, he’s crazy, out of his mind!
But in any case, that will have to be worked out now, to begin with, the judicial authorities who are of course well informed of this man’s case, and the medical authorities who will have to take care him, because now that he has arrived at the Model prison, ha has behaved like a man possessed; that is to say, he hasn’t the courage, nor can he have the courage of Christ, who endured scourging and crucifixion… No, he can’t even accept being put in a prison where there are hundreds of other prisoners!
I know those cells well, I lived in those cells for more than 7 years, I know them well and it’s nothing fatal, prison is prison, and that’s that.
Ah, but since he was under house arrest, special meals were made for him every day, the doctors came twice a day, the nuns came to cook for him, and it was a mansion! It’s not that he lived in a small public housing project, it’s not that he lived in a regular house like the one Cardinal Brenes lives in there in Altagracia, no, that’s a humble house. His was a mansion, he lived in a mansion, and his whole family lives there, each one has their own mansion; so he’s irritated now because he’s in prison, in jail.
Such is the case of this man who simply refused to comply, that is, he is enraged and refusing to obey the decision of the Nicaraguan authorities, of the Nicaraguan State, because he could willingly go to Miami, go to join Silvio Baez there, and rant away along with Baez and company; but since it is the Nicaraguan state that ordered his deportation then he is enraged, overcome with rage, fury, and well, it was he who decided, and now there he is in prison.
Furthermore, eleven prisoners who were in the Judicial Auxiliary facility, eleven in total, all of them religious, priests, eleven: Benito Enrique Martínez Gamboa, a priest, made no fuss and got on the plane, and now he is in the United States; Raúl Antonio Vega Gonzales, a deacon, also got on the plane; Sadiel Antonio Eugarrios Cano, a priest, also got on the plane; Ramiro Reynaldo Tijerino Chávez, also got on the plane, a priest; Oscar Danilo Benavidez Dávila, a priest , also got on the plane; Sergio José Cárdenas Flores, a lay religious, also got on the plane; José Luis Díaz Cruz, a priest, also got on the plane; Melkin Antonio Centeno Sequeira, a seminarian, also got on the plane; Darvin Esteyling Leiva Mendoza, another seminarian, also got on the plane; Manuel Antonio Obando Cortedano, a lay religious, also got on the plane; and Wilberto Artola Mejía, a layman, also got on the plane.
That is, eleven people, including priests, religious and lay Community Members, all of them got on the plane, left on the plane.
Who are the only priests who are detained in the country? Well, one, Álvarez, who did not want to comply with what the law commands, what the Nicaraguan state commands.
Then there are two priests who are detained, one, from Boaco, accused of raping a 13-year-old girl, he is from Boaco, the girl’s family accused him, they accused him in that case and he has nothing to do with politics, it is simply a common crime, and he is in the “Jorge Navarro” penitentiary in Tipitapa. The other priest under arrest is from Nandaime for the crime of grievous bodily harm and psychological violence, I think you may all remember this case of the person who appeared with a machete, that was something publicly know, it’s nothing political, he just went out with the machete assaulting, fighting with a woman, for that he is under arrest.
They are the only ones who are detained, these two, for common crimes; and the other for terrorism, the Bishop, for being a terrorist.
In this way we want to make very clear the events leading to 222 of those people who were called “political prisoners” being sent to the United States. They are already there at the airport in the US, they have already been received at the airport, an airport there in the United States, they are already being taken care of and they are very happy, I saw some film on Colombian television, they took some footage there of them.
In fact, this is nothing more than a message for Peace, for Stability, so that the Nicaraguan people can be sure that everything we do is to ensure Peace.
And from the United States government, as I was telling you, we have asked for absolutely nothing, nothing! This is not a barter, this is not a case of “I give you this and you give me that”… No! This is a matter of Principle, of Dignity, and what it does is confirm that those people are returning to the country that used them, its rulers, not the US People, their rulers used them to sow terror, death, destruction, here in Nicaragua.
That is what is very clear, you see, and that is the lesson we Nicaraguans have to learn, and thank God, of course we thank God, because I really did not believe, though I heard that Rosario was in touch and that they were saying this, saying that, we just have to remove this one, that everything was ready; but I said: “As long as we don’t see the plane here, as long as the plane isn’t here we can’t think that it’s all over…
And thank God the miracle happened, because this People, the People of Cacique Diriangén, the People of Andrés Castro and José Dolores Estrada, the People of Benjamín Zeledón, the People of General Sandino, the People of Carlos Fonseca, the People of Tomás Borge, the People of Father Miguel d’Escoto who would be turning 90 now, this People of so many Heroes and Martyrs, where it has been possible to cultivate and continue to make this People flourish despite the fact that there have been attacks, attacks looking for how to sweep away the Dignity, the Heroism of Nicaragua’s people.
This People, thank God, has the strength to undertake the greatest Battles, face the greatest challenges, and achieve Peace, like th Peace we managed to reconquer after April 2018, this Peace that we are enjoying now, and now that the coup plotters have gone, the mercenaries, well, we can breathe with more Peace here in Nicaragua… Thank God! And Long live Nicaragua, Blessed and Always Free!