The Diplomat
Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares yesterday warned Daniel Ortega’s regime that its decision to prevent the return of the Spanish ambassador to Managua will not prevent Spain from continuing to demand democracy for Nicaragua.
In a joint appearance before journalists with his Estonian colleague, Eva-Maria Liimets, Albares responded to a question about the Nicaraguan government’s decision to recall its ambassador in Madrid, Carlos Midence, and explained, as The Diplomat had already reported, that it had been a consequence of the Managua authorities’ refusal to allow the return to the country of the Spanish ambassador, Mar Fernández-Palacios, who had been called for consultations in August last year.
The minister pointed out that what had happened was “yet another chapter” in the regime of Daniel Ortega, “who has been the object – he recalled – of global, moral and political sanctions, because his elections were a mockery of democracy and the Nicaraguan people, and he has real sanctions from the European Union”.
He added that he wanted to make it very clear that “if anyone believes that this measure is going to prevent Spain from demanding democracy in Nicaragua and the release of political prisoners, they are completely mistaken”.
Ambassador Carlos Midence left Spain yesterday, leaving the diplomatic representation of Nicaragua in the hands of the Minister Counsellor, Milagros Urbina, as Chargé d’Affaires.
