Nicaraguan Protests Met with Police Violence

A series of massive protests took place in Nicaragua over the last week in response to the creation of the Grand Interoceanic Canal and the recent presidential elections. According to local newspaper La Prensa, clashes with riot police have resulted in one death and dozens injured, detained, or disappeared.

At their heart, these protests center on the need for electoral reform and the environmental and social concerns posed by the planned construction of the canal. Nicaragua has long desired a canal of its own in order to take part in the extremely lucrative trade currently monopolized by Panama but never had the funds to execute the project. In recent years, Nicaragua and a prominent Chinese investor, Wang Jing, have come to a controversial agreement for the financing of what is referred to as the Grand Interoceanic Canal.

Scientists question the viability of the canal, which is estimated to be more than three times as long and twice as deep as the Panama Canal. Environmental activists oppose the destruction of 170 miles of Nicaragua’s diverse, tropical ecosystems and the threats to water sources posed by the construction of the megaproject. Social movements, especially among peasants and farmers surrounding the proposed area of construction, argue against the expropriation of their lands and their displacement.

On the political side, many Nicaraguan citizens have dissented against government corruption and cried foul when the country’s Supreme Court determined that Violeta Granera, the vice-presidential candidate of one of the opposition parties, could not run in the general elections in early November, one of the many actions taken this year by the government to curtail opposition parties’ success. Following President Ortega’s re-election to power, demands for electoral reform and, specifically, the assurance of free and fair elections became a cornerstone of political and social movements across the country.

Clashes occurred between protesters and riot-police when the protester’s entered into the country’s capital, Managua, after demonstrators claimed the police set up roadblocks to prevent their entry. The violence has drawn international attention to the situation. As human rights groups have called for greater oversight of the protests, Luis Almagro, the secretary general of the Organization of American States, met with Nicaraguan authorities and opposition on December 1 to discuss citizens’ rights to protest and illegal acts committed by the police.