Managua, Nicaragua, May 24, 2018 / 16:10 pm
Nicaragua's bishops urged president Daniel Ortega Tuesday to comply with a recommendation that he investigate April's violence in order to facilitate talks between the opposition and his government.
The Nicaraguan bishops' conference's May 22 letter encouraged Ortega to create "a mechanism of international investigation of the acts of violence which occurred, with guarantees of autonomy and independence to ensure the right to the truth and duly identify those responsible."
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights visited Nicaragua May 17-21 to document human rights violations in four cities and to issue recommendations.
The commission found that since protests began April 18, there were at least 76 deaths and 868 injured, the vast majority "in the context of the protests." Five of those injured "remain in the hospital in critical condition." In addition, "438 people were arrested, including students, civilians, men and women human rights advocates and journalists."