The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative
Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other
shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org.
June 3, 2021

Nicaragua Police Arrest Opposition Leader and Likely Presidential Challenger Cristiana Chamorro
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In Nicaragua, police arrested opposition leader Cristiana Chamorro and
filed money laundering charges against her, in what critics say is an
attempt to block a challenge to President Daniel Ortega in November
elections. Cristiana Chamorro is the daughter of former President
Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, who herself defeated Ortega to become
president in 1990. In 2018, anti-government protests erupted in
Nicaragua demanding Daniel Ortega step down and release political
prisoners. Rights groups say police and pro-government militias killed
hundreds during the uprising. Ortega has also come under fire for
refusing to take public health measures to protect Nicaraguans from the
pandemic.


.