In the spotlight: in Nicaragua, conviction of Cristiana Chamorro

Nicaraguan opponent Cristiana Chamorro, here during a press conference after the imprisonment of two of her former employees, on May 31, 2021 in Managua.

© Inti Ocon / AFP

Text by: Christophe Paget Follow

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Eight years in prison for the “pre-candidate”, title 

Confidencial

 : the journalist had not even had time to present herself for the presidential election last November: she had been arrested in June.

The judge, according to the newspaper, was " 

faithful to the script established for the political trials in Nicaragua

 ", following the sentence requested by the Public Ministry. 

Trinchera de la noticia

recalls that Christiana Chamorro is “ 

the daughter of Nicaraguan hero and murdered journalist Pedro Joaquin Chamorro Cardenal, who opposed dictator Somoza, and former President Violeta Barrios de Chamorro 

”.

And that she was 

the figure of the opposition who had the best chance of winning the last presidential election

 ".

She was sentenced, details

Confidencial

, to five years in prison for money laundering and three years for embezzlement.  

Christiana Chamorro is not the only one to have been sentenced: the members of the Violeta Barrios de Chamorro foundation, an NGO for the defense of freedom of the press and expression of which she was the president, " 

were given sentences ranging from 7 to 13 years in prison

 ", headlines 

La Prensa

, which notes that " 

according to the defense lawyers this trial, like all those directed against all political prisoners, was done behind closed doors, and was marked by very many irregularities

 .

The newspaper points out that several of the witnesses presented by the prosecutors " 

asserted that the suspects were innocent, during the few seconds granted to them 

".

Families of prisoners of conscience and human rights defenders demand their release, because they are innocent,

 ” writes 

Confidencial

.

Families who also denounce the poor state of health of the prisoners: symptoms of Covid, worsening of chronic diseases and new diseases, it is to be read in 

La Prensa

In Colombia, towards a recount of the ballots of the senatorials of March 13 

“ 

For a week

 ”, explains 

El Espectador

, “ 

the Electoral Authority has been in the eye of the storm

 ”: first there was the breakdown of the voting system, then inconsistencies in the first count – many then spoke fraud;

today the head of the Electoral Authority announces that he will request a general recount of the votes.

This is the alternative found by the government and the electoral authority to overcome all the questions

 ", analyzes 

El Tiempo

, who speaks of a " 

proposal without equivalent in the recent history of the country

 ", a supported proposal, notes 

week

, by President Ivan Duque himself.

The candidate of the Electoral Pact Gustavo Petro, left-wing presidential candidate, in five weeks, announces for his part that he will no longer participate in any debate until " 

the transparency of the vote is guaranteed

 ", that is to read in 

Semana

The newspaper

 also reproduces the reaction of center-right candidate Sergio Fajardo: “

It is precisely at this moment that we must debate

 ”.

Gustavo Petro is in the lead with 37% of voting intentions, Sergio Fajardo is at 10% according to 

La Vanguardia

Inauguration of Felipe Angeles Airport in Mexico 

“ 

A party for guests, supporters of President Obrador and the curious

 ,” headlines 

Jornada

El Universal

 reproduces photos of the Head of State in the control tower and in the terminal.

About twenty flights were scheduled for Monday, the first was greeted by water jets, as is customary notes 

Excelsior

Milenio

 wonders if the new airport “ 

is the most modern in the world

 ”.

In any case, its control tower takes up pre-Hispanic symbols, to represent a “macuahuitl”, an Aztec weapon resembling a saber, with obsidian edges on the sides – a volcanic glass. 

Beyond aesthetics and modernity, 

Excelsior

 believes that the construction was not very transparent, " 

while the objective was to fight corruption linked to Mexico City International Airport" .

 Felipe Angeles Airport, built on more than 3,800 hectares compared to 609 for Mexico City Airport, cost 54.6% more than expected, " 

a bottomless pit for the federal budget 

", even if the financing would be at 90% private and would have cost “only” 1.3 billion dollars to the State. 

Milenio

 wonders if we have to do with “ 

a presidential whim or a solution 

”.

The editorialist notes in any case that the airport, built in record time, solves the problems of saturation.  

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