Chile Offers Nationality to All “Stateless” Nicaraguans
ons in 2018 in Nicaragua. Photo: Confidencial
Argentina says it is willing to also give citizenship to those who apply for it after being banished by Ortega
HAVANA TIMES – The Government of Chile offered this Tuesday, February 21, Chilean nationality to the 317 Nicaraguan citizens who were declared “stateless” by the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.
“Given the recent decision of the State of Nicaragua to deprive more than three hundred Nicaraguans of their nationality and political rights, identified as political opponents, the Government of Chile will carry out the necessary legal means to offer them due international protection. This will allow them to reside in the country and obtain Chilean nationality according to the constitutional and legal norms that regulate it”, indicated the Foreign Ministry of the South American country.
The Chilean Foreign Ministry pointed out that the Government “makes this alternative available to those who have been unjustly expatriated from Nicaragua and voluntarily decide to take it.”
“The history of our country has taught us that the defense of democracy and human rights, and international solidarity among peoples, transcends political conjunctures and are part of essential civilizing standards for life in society,” states the press release.
They specify that the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, the Interior and Public Security, have instructions from President Gabriel Boric “to take the corresponding measures in order to implement this decision.”
Argentina is also willing to give citizenship to “stateless”
The Argentine Government affirmed this Tuesday that it is also in a position to grant Argentine citizenship to any of the Nicaraguans who have been deprived of their nationality by the Ortega Administration.
The statement made by Foreign Minister, Santiago Cafiero, was in response to the statement by the Nicaraguan writer and Cervantes Literature Prize winner Sergio Ramírez, who indicated that if Argentina offered nationality, he would become Argentine.
“If Ramírez asks for Argentine citizenship, we will give it to him,” Cafiero told Con Vos radio.
The Argentine foreign minister added that “to him and to all those who are suffering from what is happening in Nicaragua.”
The official explained that “the procedure” is “personal”, so although Argentina is willing to grant citizenship to the affected Nicaraguans, they “have to request it.”
Ramírez told the Clarín newspaper that Argentina had not responded to the letter in which a group of intellectuals and political leaders urged the international community on February 17 “to speak out and assume an active role in all actions that can lead to ending the abuses and violations of human rights committed by the Ortega-Murillo regime”.
Ramirez added that the government of Alberto Fernandez did not respond to a letter the day before whereby Argentine intellectuals gathered in “The discussion table on human rights, democracy and society” requested that Argentine citizenship be granted to 317 banished Nicaraguans.
The presidential spokesperson, Gabriela Cerruti, reaffirmed this Tuesday on her Twitter account that “the Argentine government is willing to grant Argentine citizenship” to Ramírez and Belli and “all those who are suffering from what is happening in Nicaragua.”
Spain already made the same offer
The Government of Spain extended the offer to grant Spanish nationality to all the Nicaraguan citizens who were declared “stateless” by the regime, including human rights defender Vilma Núñez; the writers Sergio Ramírez and Gioconda Belli; and the director of CONFIDENCIAL and Esta Semana, Carlos Fernando Chamorro, and his wife Desiree Elizondo.
The proposal of the Spanish Government is extended “to any citizen of Nicaragua who in the future may be left stateless due to the decisions” of the Ortega executive.