NGO demands information on retired military officer who resisted arrest with gunfire in Nicaragua

A human rights NGO is demanding answers from the Nicaraguan government regarding the whereabouts of retired military officer Eddie Moisés González Valdivia. The Colectivo de Derechos Humanos para la Memoria Histórica de Nicaragua is questioning the government of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo about González, who was detained two years ago amid a violent confrontation.

The NGO stated that the 66-year-old retired officer was "arbitrarily" arrested after reporting the capture of his sister, journalist Nohelia González. Since his detention, his family remains unaware of his location or medical condition. González, a father of three, faces charges including attempted homicide, illegal use of restricted weapons, improper use of military uniforms, and property damage.

According to the prosecution, police and armed civilians raided González's home on July 14, 2024, following an anonymous tip that he possessed war rifles, ammunition, and explosives. Prior to the raid, González, a former Sandinista guerrilla, engineer, and professor, posted on Facebook that police were attempting to enter his home with violence and that "there is only one way out."

Local media and witnesses reported that the retired major resisted arrest with gunfire, injuring a police officer and a civilian. González himself was wounded and taken to a medical center in Estelí. He has been a vocal critic of Ortega's government, frequently denouncing the president on social media. Both the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights have granted him precautionary measures, recognizing his critical and urgent situation.