A group of Nicaraguans living in the US has accused Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court.
The complaint also targets Ortega’s wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, and a group of officials, said one of the plaintiffs, human rights activist Nora Sandigo.
Because Nicaragua does not recognise the ICC and cannot be tried as a state, Ortega and the others were sued as individuals, Sandigo told the private news channel 100% Noticias.
The plaintiffs hold Ortega responsible for the deaths of hundreds of government opponents since protests erupted against a social security reform in April.
Meanwhile, Nicaragua’s government said that the economic damages from protests against President Ortega between April and July amounted to almost $1bn and that some 120,000 jobs were lost during the period.
The transportation sector faced losses of $525mn, the tourism industry lost $231mn the public sector $205mn, for a total of $961mn, Nicaragua’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
“The people of Nicaragua were subjected to an attempted coup by political groups disguised as non-governmental organisations, associated with organised crime and financed from abroad,” the statement said.
Nicaragua has been roiled by unrest since demonstrations began against planned welfare cuts by Ortega’s government in April, which then spiralled into a wider protest against him.
The crackdown on protesters has sparked widespread international condemnation.
Ortega’s supporters said the protests have been orchestrated by his opponents to remove the former Marxist guerrilla from power. Local human rights groups said more than 300 people have been killed in the protests.
Ortega’s government disputes those figures and said around 200 people have died. Nicaragua’s gross domestic product is forecast to contract 4% in 2018, in part due to the protests, according to estimates from the International Monetary Fund.
Human rights organisation Amnesty International has said it documented at least six “possible extrajudicial executions” in Nicaragua during a government crackdown on the protests.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights’ latest findings indicate that 325 people have been killed during the protests, including 21 police officers.
The plaintiffs hold Ortega responsible for the deaths of hundreds of government opponents since protests erupted against a social security reform in April
