SAN JOSE: The US State Department on Saturday sanctioned 100 Nicaraguan municipal officials accused of participating in human rights violations for their roles in the closure of a popular university and jailing of a prominent bishop.
The government a year ago imprisoned Bishop Rolando Alvarez, a fierce critic of President Daniel Ortega who was sentenced to 26 years in jail. "We continue to call for the immediate and unconditional release of Bishop Alvarez in Nicaragua and an end to the systematic repression," added Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols on his social media accounts.Washington previously sanctioned top figures in Ortega's administration including Vice President Rosario Murillo, three of her children, senior government officials and police and army top brass.