US secures the release of 135 Nicaraguan political prisoners

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — The U.S. government announced Thursday that it secured the release of 135 Nicaraguan political prisoners, who have arrived in Guatemala where they will apply for entry to the United States or other countries.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in a statement that they were released on humanitarian grounds.

“No one should be put in jail for peacefully exercising their fundamental rights of free expression, association, and practicing their religion,” Sullivan said.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Eric Jacobstein, speaking with reporters, said that the Nicaraguan government received nothing in exchange for the prisoners’ release and the negotiation signaled no change in U.S. policy toward the government of President Daniel Ortega.

“Though the pressure itself has been consistent, the planning and execution of this release was rapid, and we’ve worked quickly to facilitate the travel of these individuals and really ensure their safety at every step of the journey,” Jacobstein said, adding that Nicaragua continues to “unjustly” detain people.

Asked if there were some prisoners Nicaragua was willing to release, but who refused to leave, he declined to comment.

Jacobstein, who greeted the Nicaraguans in Guatemala, said “these are individuals, some of whom have been victims of torture… who’ve had an extremely difficult time, we did find them generally in very good health and spirits.”

One thing that struck the U.S. diplomat about some of his conversations with the prisoners was the “true pettiness and cruelty” of Ortega’s government for imprisoning people for no justifiable reason.

Among the Nicaraguans released were 13 members of a Texas-based religious charity,