Nicaragua Protest Icons Lead March of Exiles in Costa Rica

The march began Saturday in the La Merced park, a meeting point for Nicaraguans in San Jose, Costa Rica and culminated in the Plaza de la Democracia.

By Josue Garay for La Prensa

HAVANA TIMES – More than 400 Nicaraguans took part in a march in San Jose, Costa Rica, Sunday, led by marathon runner Alex Vanegas and street vendor Dona Coquito, both exiled recently due to their persecution by the Ortega regime.  

The march began around 10:00 in the morning at the La Merced park, a meeting place for Nicaraguans in San Jose, the capital, and culminated in the Plaza de la Democracia.

Since he arrived in Costa Rica earlier in March, the marathon runner and political ex-political prisoner, Alex Vanegas, has taken to the streets to run like he did in Nicaragua. He has also participated in sit ins and vigils.

Since his release from prison on February 27, Vanegas suffered the harassment by Ortega’s police forces, who were a permanent presence near his home. His son Byron Vanegas said that the exile of the marathon runner does not mean that he gives up.

Miriam del Socorro Matus, known as Dona Coquito, also went into exile in Costa Rica because of the siege of supporters of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) who came to her sales points to watch over her, besiege her and offend her, said her daughter Lisseth Vargas.

The march was self-convened but had the support of different organizations of exiled Nicaraguans. Both at the beginning and at the end of the activity, the national anthem was sung, as were representative songs of the civic resistance that began on April 18, 2018.