US calls for 'dialogue' in rare direct contact with Nicaragua

Relations between the countries have deteriorated in recent years with Washington imposing a slew of sanctions over the Nicaragua President's crackdown on political opposition.

Secretary of State Blinken and Foreign Minister Denis Moncada spoke about Nicaragua's release of 222 detained regime critics, which the US says were released following negotiations between the countries.
Reuters

Secretary of State Blinken and Foreign Minister Denis Moncada spoke about Nicaragua's release of 222 detained regime critics, which the US says were released following negotiations between the countries.

Top United States diplomat Antony Blinken has spoken with his Nicaraguan counterpart in a rare high-level exchange, a day after the Central American nation released 222 detained regime critics and exiled them to the United States.

Ties between the countries have sharply deteriorated in recent years with Washington imposing a slew of sanctions over leftist President Daniel Ortega's crackdown on Nicaragua's political opposition.

The 222 prisoners were previously detained in a wave of repression that followed 2018 anti-government protests demanding Ortega cede power.

Secretary of State Blinken and Foreign Minister Denis Moncada discussed the prisoners as well as "the importance of constructive dialogue," US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.

After weeks of behind-the-scenes talks with Washington, Ortega's government allowed the detainees to board a chartered flight to Washington.

Price previously said everyone in the group had consented to travel to the United States, except two who chose to stay in Nicaragua.

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No promises from Ortega

US officials said they would allow the former prisoners to stay for at least two years and would provide medical and legal support.

A court official in Nicaragua's capital Managua had said the prisoners were "deported" and called them "traitors to the homeland."

Nicaragua's legislature has moved to strip the dissidents of their citizenship, which must be voted on this year to become law.

Spain has offered them citizenship.

The United States on Thursday welcomed the release of the dissidents but said the move was made unilaterally without any promises from Ortega.

Ortega has denied the mass release was the result of negotiations with the United States.

READ MORE: EU declares Nicaragua's envoy 'persona non grata' amid soaring tensions

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