More Nicaraguan Paramilitary Sworn-in as “Voluntary Police”
“The coup promoters better not dare to seed hate in our department, because they’ll encounter the volunteer police, warned Chinandega’s FSLN political secretary.
HAVANA TIMES – The regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo continues promoting the presence of hooded paramilitary through the swearing in of new “voluntary police” in the Nicaraguan department of Chinandega. According to official reports there were thousands of new members, but they didn’t offer an exact number.
As with the previous ceremony held in Leon and other parts of the country, the institution withheld specific data on the new volunteer police recruits, reserving it for Vice President Rosario Murillo’s midday discourse. Recent statistics put the current number of volunteer police at over 7,500.
Hooded figures with a few uncovered faces
The Chinandega event had one novelty: images posted on local media showed one of the participants with their face uncovered – holding a cellphone in one hand, with their hood draped across their left arm, a symbol that has been the object of fierce criticism in the last few days.
Other photos showed the new police more relaxed, some with their faces partially uncovered, in contrast with the uniform appearance expected in this type of ceremony.
Jose Manuel Espinoza, departmental political secretary of the Chinandega Sandinista Front gave the principal speech. The city’s mayor, Aura Lila Padilla was present, but did not speak.
“The coup promoters better not dare to try seeding hate in our department, because they’re going to come up against the National Police, the Interior Ministry and the volunteer police. They better not dare to try and destabilize our country, because they’re going to encounter the absolute force of our volunteer police and the Nicaraguan people in defending the peace,” Espinoza stressed. “And we’ll continue being an iron fist to eliminate any intention on the part of the coup promoters.”
The swearing-in itself was directed by the National Police Chief Francisco Javier Diaz, who presented the new recruits and reaffirmed their loyalty and obedience to the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.
Criticism from the opposition and human rights advocates
The implementation of this program began with the swearing-in of 1,400 hooded paramilitary in Esteli, and was rapidly extended to the other departments of the country. It has generated strong criticism from the opposition and from human rights organizations, who warn that this action strengthens the regime’s control and heightens the atmosphere of fear and repression among the population.
Yadar Morazan, who formerly worked for Nicaragua’s Judicial Branch, denounced the presence of state employees and former members of the National Police among the new volunteer police.
Dora Maria Tellez, former Sandinista guerrilla leader, called the swearing-in of hooded police a sign of the regime’s weakness.
In the field of human rights, the Nicaragua Nunca Mas Human Rights Collective expressed their concern. Juan Carlos Arce, the Collective’s lawyer, called on the population to identify these new volunteer police so they can be held responsible in case of human rights violations.
In an interview with Lucia Pineda Ubau of 100% Noticias, Arce declared: “There’s no doubt that Ortega is seeking to install a third armed force to intimidate the people.”
Arce also emphasized that this group is operating outside any legal framework and thus constitutes an “illegal and arbitrary body” which lacks legitimacy and transparency. In his view, although the cost of maintaining these forces isn’t known, the population will end up financing them.