US trade office begins investigation into human rights abuses in Nicaragua | Human Rights Issues

The government office in the United States in charge of shaping foreign trade policies has announced that it will launch an investigation into the Nicaraguan government for “persistent attacks on labor rights, human rights and the rule of law”.

On Tuesday, the Office of the United States Trade Representative explained that it had received “numerous credible reports” that the Nicaraguan government had engaged in “repressive” actions, including political-related arrests and extrajudicial killings.

“Actions like this increase the exploitation of workers and reduce economic growth and trade opportunities,” reads the office’s press release.

The United States trade representative is a cabinet-level position in the US, working directly under the president. As of 2021, Katherine Tai has served in roles under President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

In a press conference on Tuesday, Tai said it was the intention of the outgoing administration to ensure a “worker-oriented exchange policy”.

“Unfortunately, many reports suggest that the Government of Nicaragua is engaging in repressive actions that harm workers and the Nicaraguan people, undermine fair competition, and destabilize our region,” Tai said.

His decision to investigate the Nicaraguan government was timed to coincide with International Human Rights Day, a day established by the United Nations to raise awareness.

Under the Trade Act of 1974, US trade representatives can open investigations into policies that could harm trade with a country.

It was the latest in a series of US actions against the government of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, whose wife, former Vice President Rosario Murillo, recently became another president.

The US has already punished many Nicaraguan officials and judges for human rights abuses, including confiscating non-citizens and their property to silence them.

The leader of the 1979 Nicaraguan revolution, Ortega has long been opposed to the US. He helped overthrow a US-backed dictator during the revolution, and his first term as president, from 1979 to 1990, faced armed opposition from US-backed right-wing militias.

When Ortega returned to the presidency in 2007, he continued to control much of the Nicaraguan government.

Just last month, his allies in the National Assembly gave initial approval to a constitutional amendment that would give Ortega and Murillo greater powers in almost all government agencies, including the regional and municipal levels.

It also extended presidential terms to six years and increased government control of the media and the Catholic Church to prevent “foreign” influence. Ortega has long accused the US and other international institutions such as the Catholic Church of fueling disagreements with his leadership.

Still, domestic and international critics have warned of violence and repression under the Ortega government.

Just this week, a human rights organization called the Nicaragua Never Again Human Rights Collective, based in neighboring Costa Rica, released a report on the abuses of the regime’s critics.

It found that at least 229 political prisoners have faced “crimes against humanity” while in government custody since 2018.

That year, protests erupted against the government’s plan to raise taxes and cut social security benefits, and the government responded with a crackdown.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights estimates that around 2,090 people have been arrested in the five years since the protests began. More than 355 died.

The Nicaragua Never Again Human Rights Collective found that at least 183 men and 46 women were abused by the government, including beatings, rape and death threats against themselves or their loved ones.

Other types of alleged abuse noted in the report include electric shocks, long periods of isolation and the forced removal of teeth and nails.