April: Our Second Anniversary of the Uprising

April represents Nicaragua’s greatest civil struggle, and although we are apparently not active, Nicaragua will soon be free.

By Victoria Obando* (Confidencial)

HAVANA TIMES – The flame we lit in April 2018 seems to be going out, when thousands and thousands of Nicaraguans came out to protest the multiple human rights abuses that had been  committed in our country since the government of The Sandinista National Liberation Front took power again in 2007.

It seems like we aren’t doing anything and are forgetting about the struggles lived in the trenches during the resistance.

It seems that mothers are not mourning their sons and husbands murdered in the universities and barricades. It seems that all political prisoners have overcome the various psychological traumas that we suffered during our kidnapping at “La Modelo” prison.

It seems we do not feel pain from any machete-slash or gunshot that our campesinos and Miskito communities are affected by; communities which also demand and require respect for their land rights.

It seems that we do not feel the anguish and hunger that many Nicaraguan families are going through in the face of the serious economic crisis that our country is experiencing; where many of them eat only one meal a day and of very poor nutritional quality.

It seems that the poor quality of education that is being given to our children and adolescents in schools goes unnoticed.

Likewise it seems that we have forgotten the multiple international lawsuits filed against this government, that has not only committed crimes against humanity, but has also dismantled all the institutions that were working to promote democracy in our country.

It even seems that we do not feel the cold that our exiled go through, and the humiliation they must endure to get some warmth and a piece of bread.

Do they, the Ortega supporters, think that we are animals they can abuse, and it is now simply over?

No sir, no way. To you who reads this, and to them who also might read it, I want to say that we are more alive than ever. At least I feel like the Masaya volcano, after its activity has been noticed by the whole country. I am latent, in expectation of everything that is happening around me.

I find myself, and we find ourselves interconnected, all those who suffered and were mistreated, all those who were affected directly or indirectly, even if we are still crying our sorrows and wallowing in rage from so much pain, we remain in constant innovation, day by day, coming up with new strategies and methods that reflect our demand for respect of all our human rights.

We are still crying for Alvaro Conrado as if he passed yesterday, and on my sleepless nights I still think of Eddie Montes, whom I saw in agony and cannot remove the image of his pale lips and his blood spilled all over number sixteen and seventeen cells at “La Modelo”.

We remain organized in our “Reflection Group”, in which learning from Ricardo Baltodano’s experience is a pleasure for me, and the brave and strong character and actions of Roger Espinoza gives me strength, as well as Edwin Carcache’s tenacity, who from his exile does not cease to inspire us. 

April is and will be an image and an example of Nicaragua’s greatest civil struggle, and even if we seem not to be active, we are more present than ever. Nicaragua will soon be free.

*College student. Human and LGTBIQ rights activist.