Argentine Judge Issues Arrest Order for Ortega and Murillo
as well as a summons for them to testify
In addition to the dictatorial couple, about a dozen other individuals responsible for serious human rights violations are summoned to testify.
HAVANA TIMES – Argentine federal judge Ariel Lijo has ordered the questioning and international arrest of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo for their potential responsibility in serious human rights violations in Nicaragua, according to Argentine lawyer Dario Richarte.
“After almost two and a half years of investigation, the judge has just issued the summons for questioning and the arrest order with an international capture request for Daniel Ortega, Rosario Murillo, and about a dozen other individuals responsible for serious human rights violations,” Richarte stated on his social media.
“A bit of light amidst so much darkness! A bit of justice for so many victims,” said Richarte.
Two years ago, Richarte, a professor of International Criminal Law and Human Rights at the University of Buenos Aires, began an investigation into crimes against humanity in Nicaragua following a proposal from a group of his students.
“This was something unplanned. We did it pro bono, and we continue doing it this way. It is truly moving to see the help from faculty members and university students who have committed themselves to this cause. When we started, we knew little, and it was already enough. And believe me, over these two years, we haven’t ceased to be shocked and horrified by what this dictatorship in Nicaragua is doing,” the Argentine attorney recounted.
The trial against Ortega, his wife, and 30 other officials of the Nicaraguan regime is being handled by an Argentine criminal judge under the principle of “universal jurisdiction.” Since the initial complaint filed in August 2022, nine additional submissions of evidence have been made, including testimony from victims, expert witnesses, and confidential witnesses.
A Precedent in International Criminal Justice
Judge Lijo’s resolution sets a precedent in international criminal justice and increases global awareness of the situation in Nicaragua. The ruling “aims to isolate the dictators and involve the international community, especially the nations of the Americas, in the defense of democracy,” Richarte told Infobae.
According to the Argentine media outlet, “the international arrest warrant against Ortega and Murillo represents a new diplomatic challenge for the Nicaraguan regime and increases pressure on multilateral organizations and regional governments to take concrete measures in response to the allegations.”
In an interview with the program Esta Noche in September 2024, Richarte explained that, under Argentine law, Ortega and Murillo cannot be tried and convicted in absentia. However, in this investigation, “Argentine justice is collecting evidence.”
“The investigation has reached a point where all these individuals are being charged with the grave crimes they are committing. All the evidence gathered in Argentina will be invaluable in the future, as it can be incorporated into any criminal process through international cooperation, whether when Nicaragua regains its democracy or when an international tribunal decides to prosecute those responsible for the dictatorship,” Richarte said.
The case remains open, and the plaintiffs hope the ruling will help advance justice for the victims and towards the restoration of democracy in Nicaragua.
First published in Spanish by Confidencial and translated and posted in English by Havana Times.