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Vatican Envoy: Nicaraguan Government Says Talks 'Concluded'

Associated Press

   MANAGUA, NICARAGUA - The Vatican's diplomatic envoy to Nicaragua said
   Thursday he has received a letter from President Daniel Ortega's
   government apparently saying talks with the opposition on resolving the
   country's more than year-old political standoff are over.

   Apostolic Nuncio Waldemar Somertag told The Associated Press that this
   week's letter said the government's position is that the dialogue
   "concluded with the definitive absence of the other side."
   Somertag declined to share the letter's full contents, but said it was
   dated July 30 and addressed to the Vatican. He added that his
   understanding was a similar letter was sent to the Organization of
   American States. The nuncio and OAS representative Luis Rosadilla had
   served as witnesses and observers to the February-May negotiations.
   Asked if he interpreted the letter from Foreign Minister Denis Moncada
   as a definitive end to dialogue, Somertag said: "Regrettably, I have
   that impression. ... I would very much like to be wrong."
   There was no immediate comment from Ortega officials on the letter,
   which was also reported in Nicaraguan media.
   The Central American nation's crisis erupted in April 2018 with
   protests that grew to demand Ortega's exit from office and early
   elections, with demonstrators accusing him of consolidating power and
   ruling in an authoritarian manner.

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