Ortega seen using Nicaragua talks with opposition to buy time, retain power

A new report suggests leftist Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega is more interested in “buying time and staving off further sanctions” than in genuine reconciliation with the opposition, despite the regime’s recent release of a number of prominent political prisoners.

“President Ortega agreed to resume talks almost certainly in order to preserve his rule at a moment of acute economic and political weakness,” the report from the International Crisis Group think tank concluded. “Much of his negotiating strategy has been to stretch talks as much as possible and exhaust the opposition.”

The Crisis Group survey suggested that opposition parties need to “fine-tune their demands” going into the next round of negotiations and encouraged international support of those challenging Mr. Ortega’s authoritarian rule.

“Foreign powers and multilateral organizations should continue exerting pressure on the government,” the report stated. “They should prepare to impose further sanctions if the government fails to meet its commitments and progress in the talks lapse.”

Crisis Group officials based their research on interviews in the first half of 2019. Interviewees included Nicaraguans from various private and public sector organizations, religious groups, academia and human rights experts. Interviews also included victims’ groups, security, and Nicaraguan exiles in Costa Rica. Government officials declined to meet with the researchers.

The report commended Mr. Ortega’s administration for releasing many of the prisoners swept up after a string of large and often violent anti-government protests broke out last year. The two sides have struggled in direct talks since then to find a political accommodation.

“The release of most political prisoners before the 18 June deadline suggests [Mr. Ortega] is committed to a negotiated path out of the crisis,” the think tank said.

A third round of negotiations has not been scheduled with two major issues still unresolved: electoral reform and justice for the victims of last year’s protests. The Crisis Group reported that electoral reform “seems realistic” but justice for victims “will be harder to reach.”