The United States has renewed its call for the unconditional release of all political prisoners in Nicaragua, directed by President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo, after the government freed dozens of detainees amid international pressure. US officials labelled the Ortega‑Murillo administration an “illegitimate” regime and demanded that no political prisoners remain under detention, house arrest, or facing new charges.
On January 10, the Nicaraguan government announced it had released “dozens” of inmates from its national penitentiary system, a move that came just a day after the United States explicitly called for the liberation of more than 60 political prisoners detained in the country. The releases coincided with the 19th anniversary of Ortega’s extended time in power but were widely interpreted as a response to external diplomatic pressure.
Despite the government’s announcement, local opposition groups reported that at least 24 political prisoners were freed on January 10, including activists and critics of the Sandinista executive. Many of those released were placed under house arrest, with ongoing reporting requirements and other restrictions that limit their freedom of movement and expression. Critics and human rights organisations argue that these conditions fall short of genuine freedom, as former detainees still face surveillance, mobility limits, and barriers to civil participation.
The US Department of State’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs used its social media platforms to demand the unconditional release of political prisoners “without exceptions, without house arrest, without new detentions,” calling the continued repression a core barrier to freedom in Nicaragua. The US Embassy in Managua reinforced this position, noting that despite recent releases, more than 60 people remain “unjustly detained or missing,” including religious workers and the elderly.
Opposition figures and human rights activists interpret the releases as a diplomatic gesture rather than a structural shift in policy. They emphasise that genuine reform would require ending arbitrary detentions, restoring civil liberties, and ensuring that people are not held for expressing dissenting opinions.
The current situation in Nicaragua reflects ongoing concerns about the erosion of democratic freedoms and human rights under the Ortega‑Murillo government. Amnesty campaigners and international observers have repeatedly highlighted the use of detention and judicial pressure against critics, journalists, and political opponents. The US demand for full unconditional release underscores the broader international call for respect for civil and political rights in the country.
