translated from Spanish: Nicaragua: Government and opposition announced restart of dialogue

MANAGUA (AP) – the Government of Daniel Ortega and the opposition civic Alliance announced Wednesday the resumption of dialogue, blocked since Sunday, and the commitment of the Executive’s release at a new group of political prisoners, whose number was not specified. In a statement, reported by the Government and confirmed by the Alliance _pero that unlike the previous does not carry the signature of those who the suscriben_, indicated that the talks will return on Thursday and that “there is awareness and agreement on the set of the” members of the Bureau that Friday March 15 of the current year there will be the release of a significant core of people “.” We leave evidence that openness, respect and trust are still a common sign of anyone at the table participate”, adds the note. The civic Alliance left the talks on Monday, twelve days after started, and said that he would not return to the table until the Government made a gesture of goodwill, as for example a new release of prisoners. According to the latest release, both parties, together with Waldemar Sommertag nuncio and the Special Envoy of the Organization of American States, Luis Angel Rosadilla, held meetings Monday and Tuesday in which the Alliance pledged to resume the dialogue if There was a commitment to effective liberation of people who remain detained following protests started almost a year ago. Businessmen, politicians, students and delegates from civil society, including the College Coalition make up the Alliance. “Leaders of this, which brings together a dozen bus student, showed on Wednesday its rejection of the resumption of the dialogue, although they made clear that they will not abandon the opposition.” Does not support number 6 of the negotiation (…) press release because it does not meet strong samples chosen”to the Government by the civic Alliance since last weekend as a condition to resume the dialogue, indicates the read statement by the University on Wednesday night. These samples include the immediate release of all political prisoners, the restoration of freedoms and cessation of harassment to family members of detainees. The crisis erupted in April 2018 with a student protest that grew after the violent action of the police and the paramilitaries. The situation left at least 325 dead and 2,000 wounded, according to the Inter-American Commission on human rights. The Government acknowledged 198 dead, while other non-governmental organizations raise the figure to 545.Pero apart from the dead and prisoners, which the opposition estimated at close to 770, repression in the country and denounced by various agencies International has done that more than 50,000 Nicaraguans have fled abroad. One of the last was Alex Vanegas, known as “the Marathon” by running in the streets in protest against the Government. His son Byron Vanegas said Wednesday to The Associated Press that his father, a popular character from the protests that erupted nearly a year ago in Nicaragua, “decided to leave the country because already I couldn’t stand the siege and the harassment” of the Government and went to Costa Rica.Vanegas , 62, was arrested several times for running in the streets of Managua, and on 2 November he was sent to prison permanently. After nearly four months left on probation on 27 February along with other 111 political prisoners. According to the authorities, those released are not allowed to leave their homes and much less leave the country. Byron Vanegas said that his father escaped “by the border somewhere” with Costa Rica.
There are at least 52,000 Nicaraguan refugees fleeing violence and persecution, according to the Inter-American Commission of human rights in Costa Rica.

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Original source in Spanish