Central America
Nicaragua and China upgrade relations to strategic partnership
December 20 |
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega held a telephone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday where they agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a strategic partnership, on the second anniversary of the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Recognizing that the strategic nature of bilateral relations has been highlighted on a daily basis, both parties agreed to elevate binational relations to the level of Strategic Partnership.
For Daniel Ortega and Xi Jinping, the decision to elevate relations corresponds to the common interests of both countries and their peoples and favors the development and prosperity of Nicaragua and China.
According to a joint communiqué, Daniel Ortega and Xi Jinping appreciated the rapid development of Sino-Nicaraguan ties since the reestablishment of diplomatic relations, and exchanged views on regional and international issues of common interest.
Both heads of state recognized the progress achieved in areas such as mutual political trust, practical and supportive cooperation in various areas and collaboration in multilateral forums over the past two years.
Elsewhere in the text, the Nicaraguan government expressed its support for the one China principle and reiterated that Beijing is the only legitimate government representing all of China.
The Nicaraguan side resolutely opposes Taiwan independence in all its manifestations, and reaffirmed its commitment not to maintain any kind of official contact with Taiwan, and also affirmed its support for all efforts of the Chinese Government to materialize the reunification of the country.
For its part, China affirmed its support for the Nicaraguan people to sovereignly choose the path of development in accordance with their own conditions, also supports the independence, sovereignty, self-determination, security and development interests of Nicaragua.
The Chinese side communicated its rejection of foreign interference in Nicaragua’s internal affairs.
In this regard, Xi Jinping’s government recognized that under the presidency of Daniel Ortega, the Central American country has achieved notable successes in defending independence, maintaining stability, developing the economy and improving the welfare of the people.
Beijing is confident that the current Nicaraguan government will achieve new successes in nation building and the Nicaraguan people will have a better life. The Chinese side will continue to provide support and assistance within its reach for Nicaragua’s economic and social development.
In another point of the communiqué, Nicaragua and China valued the signing of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries and will promote its early entry into force.
The parties will take full advantage of mechanisms such as the Joint Economic-Commercial Commission and platforms such as the China-Nicaragua FTA, to expand the volume and raise the level of binational trade.
Central America
El Salvador to host World Cup qualifiers vs. Guatemala and Panama at Estadio Cuscatlán
El Salvador’s national football team will host its final round World Cup qualifying matches against Guatemala and Panama at Estadio Cuscatlán, the honorary president of the National Sports Institute (INDES), Yamil Bukele, announced Thursday via a statement on his X account.
The official explained that this decision comes after the American rock band Guns N’ Roses, originally scheduled to perform at Estadio Cuscatlán on Saturday, October 4, will now hold their concert at Estadio Jorge “El Mágico” González. This change allows both of La Selecta’s qualifying matches to be played at the “Coloso de Monserrat.”
“After a series of efforts and in response to popular demand, we are pleased to announce that our senior national team’s CONCACAF World Cup qualifying matches next October (Oct. 10 vs. Panama and Oct. 14 vs. Guatemala) will take place at Estadio Cuscatlán,” the statement reads.
Bukele also thanked the event promoters and the band for agreeing to the stadium change. “We sincerely thank Guns N’ Roses and StarTicket for agreeing to move the concert originally scheduled for October 4 at Estadio Cuscatlán,” the statement adds.
Additionally, Bukele expressed gratitude to the FESFUT Regularization Commission for their efforts with CONCACAF to make this possible, and he urged fans to stay tuned to official channels to purchase tickets and support La Selecta in their World Cup qualifying campaign.
Central America
Honduran president Xiomara Castro suspends activities due to influenza
Honduran President Xiomara Castro announced on Thursday that she has “temporarily” suspended her public activities due to a severe influenza virus.
“A strong influenza virus requires me to rest, trusting that I will be fully recovered for the grand celebration of our National Independence Day” next Monday, Castro stated on the social media platform X.
The president had planned to participate in several inaugurations across the northern, central, and eastern regions of the country throughout the week. She added that “these events will be rescheduled for new dates.”
Central America
Nicaragua’s government expels bishops, priests, and nuns in religious persecution
At least 261 religious figures, including the president of the Nicaraguan Episcopal Conference, Carlos Enrique Herrera, have been expelled as part of the persecution by Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo’s regime against the Catholic Church, reported the NGO Colectivo Nicaragua Nunca Más in its report Faith Under Fire.
The report details that among those expelled are bishops Silvio Báez, Rolando Álvarez, Isidoro Mora, as well as the Apostolic Nuncio in Managua, Waldemar Stanislaw Sommertag, along with approximately 140 priests, over 90 nuns, ten seminarians, and three deacons from different dioceses in the country.
“Since the expulsion of Nuncio Sommertag in March 2022, relations between Nicaragua and the Vatican have significantly deteriorated,” the NGO noted.
The report also documents the closure of 5,609 non-profit organizations, of which 1,294 were religious, including churches, universities, schools, clinics, and humanitarian organizations. Most of these had their assets confiscated by the Sandinista government. Additionally, the telecommunications regulator TELCOR shut down 54 media outlets, including 22 religious radio stations and TV channels.
Repression has extended to other religious denominations, with forced disappearances and criminalization of evangelical pastors, control over temples, media censorship, fiscal pressure, property confiscation, and the cancellation of legal status for the Moravian Church. Pastor Rudy Palacios remains in detention as part of this pattern of persecution.
The NGO emphasized that churches, especially the Catholic Church, played a key role in the 2018 national dialogue, denouncing abuses and providing refuge to injured protesters, which fueled the government’s hostility.
In 2023, Pope Francis described Ortega’s regime as a “blatant dictatorship”, to which the Nicaraguan president responded by dissolving the Society of Jesus and labeling the Church as a “mafia” and “anti-democratic.”
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