Nicaraguan Diaspora in Los Angeles Commemorate April Uprising
From Los Angeles, the Nicaraguan diaspora raised its voice on Sunday, April 13, to commemorate the 7th anniversary of the April Uprising. With banners, whistles, and traditional huipiles, they demanded freedom for Nicaragua, justice for the victims, and support for migrants in exile.
HAVANA TIMES – The Nicaraguan diaspora in Los Angeles, California, gathered for an emotional march to commemorate the seventh anniversary of the April, 2018 uprising and to raise their voices against the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.
The march was marked by demonstrators carrying signs with messages related to Nicaragua’s liberation.
Some women proudly wore their typical huipiles, while other participants blew whistles, creating an atmosphere of protest and resistance along the avenue.
Participants emphasized the importance of exercising their right to free expression on behalf of those in Nicaragua who face repression and silencing.
The demonstrators expressed solidarity with Nicaraguans living under what they described as “a great prison,” and reaffirmed their determination to continue fighting for the country’s freedom.
“We are exercising our rights on behalf of those who have no voice—on behalf of all Nicaraguans who live in a great prison that is Nicaragua—so that they can raise their voices,” said Felix Maradiaga, former political prisoner, exile, and president of the Fundacion Libertad.
He added that the march is another way of expressing defiance: “Despite exile, banishment, and confiscation, they haven’t been able to break our spirit, and we will not rest until we see Nicaragua free,” Maradiaga declared.
According to Maradiaga, the march aimed to uphold the right to memory and truth, as well as to raise concern about the vulnerable migration status many Nicaraguans face in exile.
“We want to respectfully express our concern for the vulnerable members of the Nicaraguan community due to our migration status. While the root cause is Nicaragua, we must not forget those Nicaraguans caught in immigration limbo. We stand united as a community because repression in Nicaragua is constant. There are Nicaraguans who would return voluntarily, but the regime would not allow it. Ortega and Murillo treat our country as if it were their private estate, and they are preventing many Nicaraguans from even boarding a plane,” Maradiaga denounced.
The former political prisoner also called on President Donald Trump’s administration to give special attention to the situation of Nicaraguans, and he expressed gratitude to senators and other figures who have helped bring visibility to the crisis in Nicaragua.
Alex Bravo, originally from Masaya, also participated in the march. He sent a message of hope to his fellow compatriots, urging them not to lose faith and to continue the fight for Nicaragua’s freedom.
“Don’t lose hope—we are exercising our rights in a free country, which isn’t possible in Nicaragua. We’re practicing for our return to Nicaragua… Yes, we can! They will go, and they will never return,” said Bravo.
Meanwhile, Doña Flor Ramírez, an iconic figure in the Nicaraguan marches, now marches in the United States.
Medardo Mairena, a leader of the Peasant Movement, who also joined the march along with other exiled farmers, reaffirmed their commitment to continue fighting for Nicaragua’s freedom.
“We are here even though the dictatorship has tried to silence us. From the Peasant Movement, we continue encouraging the people of Nicaragua. We will not give up. We will press on until we achieve our people’s freedom. We cannot forget the victims whose lives were cowardly taken by the dictatorship, those still resisting in prison and those of us resisting in exile. We are organizing because April belongs to everyone,” Mairena affirmed.
Among the demonstrators, there were calls for the release of Douglas Gamaliel Perez Centeno, who was extradited from Costa Rica to Nicaragua. They demanded his freedom and the freedom of all political prisoners, expressing concern that they may be suffering torture.
First published in Spanish by 100% Noticias and translated and posted in English by Havana Times.