Havana Times

Water Becomes a Symbol of Struggle in Nicaragua

#SolidaridadNoEsDelito (“SolidarityIsNotaCrime”)

Artwork by the cartoonist PxMolina, where he plays with symbols of water bottles, the national flag and the name of the country. PxMolina / Niu

Social networks users have viralize illustrations and artworks as a show of solidarity with 16 activists arrested for bringing water to mother in strike.

By Niu – Confidencial

HAVANA TIMES – A new symbol of struggle was born in the immediacy of social networks. These are water bottles, which for the self-organized movement represents solidarity and resistance. It emerged as a result of the imprisonment of 16 activists on the night of November 14, after they attempted to bring water to people who the day before started a hunger strike inside the San Miguel church in Masaya.

The group of mothers of political prisoners, accompanied by Fr. Edwin Roman, were surrounded by the National Police for 9 days with basic services interrupted. During those days new demonstrations have appeared in Nicaragua.

[Editor’s Note: the women, the priest, and other persons accompanying them, were finally evacuated out of the church by the Red Cross on Friday, November 22nd.]

The 16 solidarity activists who tried to provide water were presented 72 hours later by the Police. The Prosecutor’s Office accuses them of arms trafficking. Indignation in social networks exploded through dozens of illustrations and artworks—some created in anonymity—that have given another meaning to solidarity.

In Niu we share some of the ones we find on the internet.

The front page of the newspaper La Prensa on Thursday, November 21, was a water bottle. The daily denounced the siege that on that day had turned a week old.

 

Graphic designer Juan R. Mon shared the illustration of a water bottle with the shield of Nicaragua and the colors of the flag.
Another illustration of Juan R. Mon where he communicates about freedom.
Three members of the alternative media “Hora Cero” (Zero Hour) were arrested for passing water bottles to the mothers on strike. Hansel Quintero, José Medina and Atahualpa Quintero have been accused of arms trafficking by the Prosecutor’s Office. Hora Cero shared this artwork on networks, where they demand the release of their colleagues.
They planted freedom out of solidarity.  An anonymous illustration.
“Solidarity is not a crime.”  This was one of the first illustrations that was disseminated in all social networks. We do not know its author, but it went viral in a question of minutes.
“Water is life, not a synonym for jail.  Solidarity is not a crime.”  Some illustrations emphasize the word “agua” (water), charging it with the meaning of struggle.
“Giving water is not a crime. Repressing, kidnapping and killing is.”  Artwork by unknown author.
Fotografía de Jorge Mejía.