Nicaraguan exiles ask Petro to sue Ortega's regime for statelessness at ICJ

Exiled Nicaraguan writer Gioconda Belli and a group of compatriots, many stripped of their nationality, have called on Colombian President Gustavo Petro to spearhead a complaint against Nicaragua for statelessness at the International Court of Justice (CIJ).

In a letter to Petro, the exiles argued that progressive Latin American and Caribbean governments could strengthen their stance on international law and human rights by jointly pursuing accountability for Nicaragua at the CIJ. They cited the 1961 Convention to Reduce Cases of Statelessness.

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the democratic left's flags on respect for international law and human rights would be strengthened if progressive governments in Latin America and the Caribbean took joint action within the framework of the CIJ to demand accountability from the Nicaraguan State regarding its obligations under the 1961 Convention to Reduce Cases of Statelessness.

"To date, 452 Nicaraguans have been arbitrarily and illegally stripped of our nationality," the letter stated. It detailed the cases of 222 political prisoners exiled to the United States in February 2023, who were subsequently deprived of their nationality and assets. Another 94 Nicaraguans, along with Bishop Rolando Álvarez, were denationalized six days later. In September 2024, 135 Nicaraguans were exiled to Guatemala and stripped of their nationality, bringing the total to 452.

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To date, 452 Nicaraguans have been arbitrarily and illegally stripped of our nationality.

The Nicaraguan opposition also urged Petro to condemn Ortega's regime at the Organization of American States (OAS) General Assembly in Panama from June 20-22. They specifically cited the death of indigenous leader and deputy Brooklyn Rivera Brayan while in state custody, describing his case as "abominable" and a continuation of "forced disappearance followed by reappearance as corpses."

The signatories, who identify as victims of repression under Ortega and Rosario Murillo, expressed confidence that progressive governments would push for a strong resolution at the OAS General Assembly. This resolution would confirm the condemnation adopted by the Permanent Council and declare the illegitimacy of the current regime.

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It is abominable that the fatal practice of forced disappearance of citizens, followed by their reappearance as corpses, continues to be applied with impunity.