Solemn Act of Swearing in and Inauguration of the New Period of the People-President
10th January, 2022
Remarks by Doctor Gustavo Porras,
President of the National Assembly
To begin this Solemn Swearing in Session of the President and Vice-president of the Republic of Nicaragua, we ask Raquel Dixon Brautigam, First Secretary of the National Assembly, to confirm the Quorum of Law.
Remarks by Raquel Dixon Brautigam
Goodnight. Thank you Mr. President. There is a Quorum of Law for this Solemn Session.
Remarks by Doctor Gustavo Porras
Having confirmed the Quorum of Law for the Solemn Swearing in Session of the President and Vice President of the Republic of Nicaragua, the Session is hereby opened.
We give the floor to Comrade Dr. Wilfredo Navarro Moreira, Second Secretary of the National Assembly, to deliver the appropriate greetings.
Remarks by Congressman Wilfredo Navarro
From this Solemn Session of Swearing-in and Inauguration of the New Period of the People-President, we salute and welcome our Sisters and Brothers who accompany us in this Solemn Act:
From the Republic of Cuba, President Miguel Díaz-Canel and his Delegation.
From the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, President Nicolás Maduro Moros; First Combatant, Cilia Flores; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Comrade Félix Plasencia, Congressmen and women of the PSUV and his Delegation.
From the Central American Republic of Honduras, President Juan Orlando Hernández; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lisandro Rosales; and Ministers who are members of his Delegation.
From the People's Republic of China, the Special Envoy of President Xi Jinping, Vice President of the National Assembly of the People's Republic of China, Brother Cao Jianming, and his Delegation.
From the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Vice President for Economic Affairs, Brother Mohsen Rezaeí and the Members of his Delegation.
From the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Foreign Minister, Mohamed Salem Ould Salek and his Delegation.
To the Brothers and Sisters Representatives of the Solidarity of the People of the United States of North America, led by the Hero of Our American Brotherhood, Brian Wilson, and to the Activists and Volunteers of Peace and Faith who accompany him, among them: Daniel Kovalik, Professor of Human Rights, Author and Anti-imperialist Filmmaker; Margaret Kimberly, Executive Editor of “Black Agenda Report” - Black Alliance for Peace (BAP); Luci Murphy, Activist of the Solidarity Organization “Claudia Jones School of Political Education.”
To the Former Presidents: From Guatemala, Comrade Vinicio Cerezo; from El Salvador, Comandante Salvador Sánchez Cerén, and Mr. Mauricio Funes Cartagena.
To the former Foreign Minister of Ecuador, Comrade Ricardo Patiño.
To the Executive Secretary of ALBA, Comrade Sacha Llorenti.
We greet the Representatives designated by their Governments to salute this Inauguration: Russian Federation; Republic of India; Socialist Republic of Vietnam; People's Republic of Lao; Democratic People's Republic of Korea; Kingdom of Cambodia; Republic of Angola; Syrian Arab Republic; Republic of Turkey; Republic of Belarus; Republic of Malaysia, Republic of Yemen, Argentina, Bolivia, Republic of Korea, Japan, Libya, Mexico and Palestine.
We greet the Sisters and Brothers Representatives of Universities, Academies, Parties, Social Movements, Movements for Peace, Media, People and Brother Countries of Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, the Swiss Federation, Costa Rica, Ecuador, United States, France, Guatemala, Honduras, Italy, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico; Kingdom of Belgium, Kingdom of Spain, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Kingdom of Thailand, Dominican Republic, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
In this Solemn Session of Swearing-in and Inauguration of the New Period of Government of the People-President, the Authorities of the Powers of the State, the National Assembly, the Supreme Electoral Council, the Judiciary, the Attorney General of the Republic, the Public Prosecutor, the Ombudsman for Human Rights, the Superintendency of Banks, the Government Cabinet, Elected and Accredited Congressmen and women representing the entire Country.
The Highest Authorities of the Nicaraguan Army, the National Police, and all the State and Government Institutions of the Republic of Nicaragua, are also present.
We are also accompanied by the Family of the General of Free Men and Women, the Family of Comandante Carlos, and the Leaders of Universities, Academies, Political Parties, Social Movements and the Media of Sister Peoples and Countries.
Present today are the President and Vice-President Elect who will receive their Credentials from the Supreme Electoral Council, and will be sworn in together with our entire People, as Presidents and Vice Presidents of the Republic of Nicaragua.
To all of our Sisters and Brothers who visit us, welcome to our motherland and we receive you with a fraternal embrace. Thank you very much.
Remarks by Doctor Gustavo Porras
We invite the President of the Supreme Electoral Council, Comrade Brenda Rocha, to present credentials to the President and Vice President of the Republic.
Remarks by Magistrate Brenda Rocha
Good evening, God bless you. The Supreme Electoral Council of the Republic of Nicaragua, based on the powers conferred in Article 173 of the Political Constitution of the Republic of Nicaragua and in accordance with Articles 10 and 160 of Law Number 331, Electoral Law, and the Resolution of the Declaration of Elections, issued by this Electoral Power at 3 o'clock in the afternoon of 25th November, 2021, herby grants to Citizen Rosario María Murillo Zambrana, Elected Candidate of the Alliance of the Sandinista National Liberation Front, the Credential of Vice President of the Republic. This is stated in the Proclamation of Elections published in La Gaceta, Official Gazette, Number 219, of 26th November, 2021.
Given in the City of Managua on the sixth day of the month of January of the year 2022, and signed by the Magistrates of the Supreme Electoral Council.
The Supreme Electoral Council of the Republic of Nicaragua, based on the powers conferred in Article 173 of the Political Constitution of the Republic and in accordance with Articles 10 and 160 of Law Number 331, Electoral Law, and the Resolution of the Declaration of Elections issued by this Electoral Power at 3 o'clock in the afternoon on 25th November, 2021, herby grants Citizen José Daniel Ortega Saavedra, Elected Candidate of the Alliance of the Sandinista National Liberation Front, the Credential of President of the Republic. This is stated in the Proclamation of Elections published in La Gaceta, Official Gazette, Number 219 of 26th November, 2021.
Given in the City of Managua, on the 6th day of the month of January of the year 2022, and signed by the Magistrates of the Supreme Electoral Council.
Remarks by Doctor Gustavo Porras
We are now going to receive the Promise of Law, first by the Comrade Vice President, whom we ask to raise her right hand.
Before God, before the Motherland, before our Heroes and Martyrs, before the People and Families of our Blessed and Always Free Nicaragua: Do you solemnly swear to respect the Constitution, Laws, Rights and Freedoms, faithfully fulfilling the responsibilities and Duties that the Nicaraguan People have conferred upon you?
Remarks by Vice President Rosario Murillo
Yes, I swear, and may God accompany us!
Remarks by Doctor Gustavo Porras
If you know how to fulfill your duties before God, the Motherland and the People, may the Joy, Security and Prosperity of the Nicaraguan Families be your best Recognition, if not, may the Nicaraguan Motherland, her People and Families reclaim you. You are now in possession of this office.
Remarks by Vice President Rosario Murillo
Thank you.
Remarks by Doctor Gustavo Porras
We will now take the Promise of Law from Comandante Daniel Ortega, President of the Republic of Nicaragua. Raise your right hand Comandante.
Before God, before the Motherland, before our Heroes and Martyrs, before the People and Families of our Blessed and Always Free Nicaragua, do you solemnly swear to respect the Constitution, Laws, Rights and Freedoms, faithfully fulfilling the responsibilities and Duties that the Nicaraguan People have conferred upon you?
Remarks by Daniel
Yes, I swear!
Remarks by Doctor Gustavo Porras
If you know how to fulfill your duties before God, the Motherland and the People, may the Joy, Security and Prosperity of the Nicaraguan Families be your best Recognition, if not, may the Nicaraguan Motherland, her People and Families reclaim you. You are now in possession of this office.
We will impose the Presidential Band on Comandante Daniel Ortega Saavedra.
Comandante Daniel Ortega will swear in the Government Cabinet.
Remarks by Daniel
Dear Sisters and Brothers, Comrades of the Government Cabinet, on behalf of the Nicaraguan
Families, on behalf of the Working People, on behalf of the Mothers of Heroes and Martyrs, on behalf of all of your Dear Sisters and Brothers, I ask: Do you swear that you are going to lend all the strength of your Heart, all of your energies, all of your work, to fulfill your duties in favor of the Nicaraguan Families? Yes, We swear! If you do so, let the People and Families recognize it, if not let them reclaim you. Nicaraguan Ministers, Ministers and Officials of the Nicaraguan People, you have now been appointed.
Remarks by Daniel
(Comandante Daniel Referring to Magistrate Brenda Rocha) She is the President of the Supreme Electoral Council, let me introduce her. Her name is Brenda Rocha. Today she was condecorated, because the Yankee Empire once again attacked her… She who is a victim of the war that the Yankee Empire imposed upon Nicaragua in the 80´s.
She was then a 15-year-old girl; there in the Mines Region, in Bonanza, when the Counterrevolution, financed by the Yankee
Government, launched yet another attack of the many that they launched against different towns in our Country, trying to take them over and declare them “liberated territories,” and the Yankee troops intervened there. (Comandante Daniel asking Magistrate Brenda Rocha) And there, what did you do, what did you do when the attack occurred and you were only 15 years old back then?
Remarks by Brenda Rocha
I defended the Revolution, Comandante.
Remarks by Daniel
And she was gravely wounded in combat, a 15-year-old girl, and she lost her arm, but she did not lose her Soul, she did not lose her Conscience, she did not lose her Fighting Spirit, and her Love for Nicaragua, she did not lose it.
They are cowards! Cowards are those who are cruel in that way against the Families, not only the Nicaraguan Families, but also the Families of Dignified Peoples, such as the Cuban People who are subjected to brutal sanctions; or like the Brotherly People of Venezuela. Nicolás, a people who are subjected to brutal sanctions, where they even launched an assassination attempt against our Brother Nicolás Maduro. We have not forgotten that.
There were no Human Rights there, none spoke out condemning this crime. There was no European Union condemning this crime. Why? Because they themselves are the criminals. They have not lost their colonialist essence, their enslaving essence, and they do not realize that the Peoples have lost their fear; they are no longer afraid and today they fight and resist with Dignity.
And here are delegates from many governments that have been mentioned, Brotherly Peoples, Friendly Peoples. And where the European Governments or the Yankee Government do not send Delegates, what better expression, what greater pride than to have here as Representatives and Delegates of the North American People and of the European Peoples, Citizens, Worthy Men and Women who fight in their Country, who fight in their Motherlands for true Dignity, for the true Independence of their own Countries and for a true Democracy to be installed in their own Countries...
What better and more Worthy Representative can the American People have than Brian Wilson, who sacrificed his Life. They threw the military train at him, and everything was filmed, and they destroyed his legs. And where were the Human Rights? And where were the Europeans? And who condemned that crime, who condemned it, if it has been the same Yankee government that promoted these crimes?
So we welcome all of you, Dear Sisters and Brothers, and our Central American Brother, President of the Sister Republic of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernández, who has had the courage to be here today. Because it takes courage to be present here in Nicaragua. As courage is needed to defend International Law, Juan Orlando, as we have recently done and signed the Treaty here in Nicaragua, we were merely fulfilling a ruling of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, which, in relation to the Gulf of Fonseca, the maritime boundaries and the access to the sea that we share with Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador. What the Court ordered was that we agree, that we negotiate, and that is what we did. And we invited El Salvador to participate, but they did not accept.
They did not even accept the Agreement that El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua had signed before to develop the Gulf of Fonseca as a Zone of Peace, an Economic Zone, a Free Trade Zone, because it is really a treasure that we can access to address the Poverty our Peoples and especially for the Peoples that live on the coastal areas. But El Salvador did not accept. Not the Salvadoran people, I'm sure, but the Salvadoran authorities ... They didn't accept!
And here we signed that Treaty, and we already approved that Treaty in the National Assembly, it was already approved by the National Assembly, Gustavo, the Treaty was approved by the National Assembly; So, it only remains for the National Assembly of Honduras to also approve it, and that gives us Peace, Security and Stability.
And we have the doors open for the Salvadoran Government to join us, to talk with us and we can explain to them the legal bases, based on the Court's ruling that we were able to reach to an Agreement. And we are going to listen to them, we are willing to listen to them, to take into account their concerns, if they have concerns or if they have strong legal reasons that convince us and that contravene what we have done. Because here what we have done is comply with what the International Court of Justice orders, and that gives us Peace and that gives us Stability there in the Gulf.
While the other Countries, those of us that are not Powers, who do not boast of being the owners of Justice in the World in order to be judging everywhere, on Democracy, on Human Rights… and the International Court of Justice also, when Nicaragua, in the middle of the war that killed more than 50,000 Nicaraguans and where Brenda lost her arm and thousands of Nicaraguan sisters and brothers were mutilated, when we went to the International Court of Justice to denounce the government of the United States; and the Court, in a historic ruling without precedent, because nobody expected it, ruled to condemn the Government of the United States for the terrorist acts against the Nicaraguan people, for the destruction caused in this Country by the Intelligence Agencies of the United States, by forces trained by the North Americans.
And the ruling of the Court is a ruling that is still in force, and I tell President Biden to remember, when he, as Vice President of President Obama, there at the meeting we had, at the Summit of the Americas, I clearly told President Obama, that he had to comply with what the Law mandates, they who consider themselves respectful of the Law.
President Biden has an opportunity, at this time, to make a brave historic turn; he can compensate the Nicaraguan people, who are a People of Justice, we are not asking for handouts, we are asking for Justice!
May the blockade against the Sister Republic of Cuba cease! They have more than enough elements and arguments to be able to defend the end of the blockade, because 90% and sometimes more of the countries that are in the United Nations, every year, have been voting for the blockade to be suspended. And if you have some respect for Democracy, when the vast majority of the world's peoples, the governments are saying that the blockade should end, then the Yankee Government should comply if it has any trace of respect for international law and the blockade against Cuba should end.
And the blockade against the Sister Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela must end. A brutal, criminal blockade, where they are being persecuted, prosecuted, accused of invented crimes, simply because they seek to guarantee food for the Venezuelan Families, which is what that Brother, Alex Saab was doing, a Delegate of Venezuela before the Dialogue Commission in Mexico.
What was he doing? He had simply been organizing and developing non-war tasks, humanitarian tasks, to guarantee food packages for Venezuelan families, and that is why they have persecuted him, and that is why they now have him in prison.
I know that making this call to the United States Government is really something that has no possibility of being understood, because beyond the good intentions of some Presidents, that in the midst of a system that is the most perverse system that exists in all of Humanity, first they throw a carrot then they throw the stick: Obama, with Cuba.
Obama suddenly made decisions that surprised the World, but while he made those decisions that surprised the World, it turns out that his house was a house of cards that quickly collapsed.
And now that the person who was Vice President when Obama was President is currently there; who had even promised to resume the opening, the Agreements that the United States had taken with Cuba, now instead is hardening, intensifying.
The same thing happened with regards to immigrants... How much did he swear that he would fight in favor of emigrants and rather persecutes them, committing crimes against emigrants, causing disappearances of emigrants to multiply.
This will have to change in the United States, surely it will have to change, there is no evil that can be eternal, and the crisis is already in the United States. Because, imagine, a few thousand Americans who indicated that the elections had been stolen from the previous President, went to Congress to protest, they carried about four weapons; As a result of that assault on Congress, there were 5 or 6 deaths, and then there was a situation that, because it happened in the United States, it became a news of enormous importance.
In the end, well, they have 700 Americans in jail, that's why, for having gone to protest to Congress, they have 700 Americans. And we could say, they are political prisoners... Of course they are political prisoners! Yes, they are political prisoners! What are they waiting for to release these political prisoners? What do they wait? There are 700 political prisoners, and there they are, hard against them.
While on the other hand, they launch terrorist activities, they organize terrorist activities against Brotherly Peoples, such as the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, where there were not 6 deaths, there were hundreds of deaths in the famous Guarimbas, and the streets and cities were blocked; an attempted coup that caused even more deaths. In other words, how many deaths have the acts of terrorism promoted by the Yankees, caused in Venezuela?
How would the Yankees have reacted if they were faced with the acts of terrorism like the ones we faced here in April 2018? For them those were not acts of terrorism. For them it was simply the Government that was violating the Human Rights of some "poor Citizens" who murdered more than 40 Policemen and women and murdered more than a hundred, almost 2 hundred Citizens, and who had the Country paralyzed for several months. For them, that is not terrorism, why? Because they organized the terrorism. When they are responsible of terrorism, then it is not terrorism, rather it is a fight for Democracy, a fight for Human Rights.
When in the United States, the population of African origin, African Americans protesting for crimes committed, are brutally persecuted, brutally murdered, you can see the videos, when they are being tortured and murdered. And those responsible are not imprisoned, and if they are imprisoned and go to court, they are released.
It is a Society that is in a state of collapse in terms of what values are. They themselves say that with these accusations of electoral fraud, the confrontations, complaints, claims, and mobilizations that are occurring, they themselves say that the United States is no longer the same. And it is not the same because what all this indicates is that they can no longer deceive themselves or deceive the North American people.
We Nicaraguans are not enemies of the United States, we have never been, neither Venezuela nor Cuba. When organizing the ALBA, under the leadership of Comandante Fidel and Comandante Chavez, ALBA was organized not to promote acts of terrorism but to bring welfare, development, capacities, in order to overcome poverty in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.
ALBA was never intended as conspiratorial effort to harm the United States. On the contrary. Even Venezuela in an act of nobility, provided Energy to the poor people of the United States, through the Venezuelan Companies that are that are now being looted by the United States. ALBA gave them Energy so that in the Winter they would not die of cold.
Darío referred to that, when he passed through New York he saw it, that continues to occur today, there are people who die of cold, especially during this time, under bridges, looking for warmth around the bonfires that they make in the streets. And Darío said, talking about 50-story buildings… “so many beautiful, majestic things, riches, Darío said, but on the other hand, my God, there are those who die of cold, and what is sadder, my God, of pain, pain, pain.” That was said by Darío, because he saw it, because he felt it and he had an enormous sensitivity, he saw it, in the United States, and he lived it.
They will have to change the United States. Here in Our America we have been changing, because there is more and more Dignity, more Patriotism, more sense of defense of Self-determination, of Sovereignty. And we managed to meet for the first time in the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, and there we are in the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States.
In other words, ALBA, which is a spearhead to combat Poverty, the Community of Latin American States, which is a dream come true to be able to meet, to be able to connect, with some exceptions; being able to meet and being able to propose common projects in the midst of some deep contradictions.
But hey, in CELAC, in the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, that space was created. And we know that positions are manifested there, and a lot is said about Human Rights, we have said it, precisely because we are Defenders of Human Rights.
The first thing the Revolution did when it triumphed was to bring Literacy to Children, to Young People, to Adults who were illiterate. Because an illiterate person is totally subjected to conditions that do not allow him or her to advance further or to be able to work. And then we provide housing for the population, we give land to the small producers, Health, Health is so important. Yes, we are one of the governments that have worked the most to create conditions to be able to serve the population even before this pandemic.
And speaking of the pandemic, how much we appreciate the shipments of vaccines that we have received from different parts of the world. The Brothers of the Delegation of the People's Republic of China who accompany us, they have been sending and they are going to continue sending, they communicated that to us today at the meeting we had, they are going to send us more vaccines, without any conditions.
China is a Power! But our relations with China were like that in the past, because we started relations with the People's Republic of China in the 80s, we opened relations with them; then we even went to visit China, we visited the People 's Republic of China, and we had the opportunity to speak with Deng Xiaoping, who is the Chinese Leader who after the Great Leader, the great Genius who managed to unify China under a Socialist Project of Solidarity, Mao Tse Tung , Deng Xiaoping manages to layout the guidelines, the Strategies to advance in the economic field, to eradicate Poverty, to combat Poverty.
There we talked to Deng Xiaoping on that occasion; but then the 1990´s arrived and in 1990 the Agents of the Yankees took over the government, cut off relations with the People's Republic of China, and resumed relations with what is really a Province of the People's Republic of China.
This is what we found in 2007, but we continued along the Partisan way in Relations with the People's Republic of China, in International Policy, in relations with the People's Republic of China, until we had the conditions to take this step of reestablishing relation, because here we are restoring Relations with the People's Republic of China; our Revolutions, the Chinese Revolution and the Sandinista Revolution are Revolutions with the same North, with the same Path, with the same Destiny, which is to end Poverty.
And today, in a Historical Meeting where we have had the Delegate of the President of China, who is the Vice President of the National Assembly of China, in that Meeting we have signed several Agreements. I am only going to give you a Summary of the Agreements that we signed. Look, a Power with a small country like Nicaragua, respectful; but that is the kind of relations that China establishes with the Peoples of the World. They relate to all the world, with the Peoples of Africa, Asia, Latin America; already with CELAC, the People's Republic of China is also connected.
So here is Comrade Cao Jiaming, the Comrade who is here with us, who is the Envoy of the President of China. They arrived in Nicaragua yesterday and when they arrived, they began working and meeting. In other words, they did not come just for a formal visit, but they also came to work, they came, that Great People, that Great Nation, with Instructions from their President to shake hands with the Nicaraguan People.
And today, several Agreements were signed, among them, the Memorandum of Understanding between the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Nicaragua on Cooperation in the Framework of the Economic Belt of the Silk and Road Initiative and the Maritime Silk Routes of the XXI Century, which is the great Route that China has laid out in the world and where many countries have joined.
Also an Agreement on cooperation issues, issues that have to do with what are Food Programs, Agricultural Programs, Agribusiness, and also Housing Programs.
So, we are happy to be able to give this news today to the Nicaraguan people; to the Nicaraguan people who have their own capacities, who are a tenacious people, a fighting people. Logically, with Cooperation Agreements, with Trade Agreements, such as the ones we are working on with the People's Republic of China, we are a People that can multiply our capabilities, a People that is going to advance more quickly in the defense of Life, in the defense of the Rights of Families, including Health and Education, the Right to Housing, and those that have to do with all the capacities that we have created here and that little by little we have been developing, and that have positioned us in the Region as a Country that is advancing in its economic growth.
We must logically continue to fight, and our goal is to continue the good progress that we had until April 2018. This is a clean slate, and Let's Go Ahead, Dear Nicaraguan Sisters and Brothers, building Peace to combat Poverty. Building Peace so that there can be Roads and Streets. Building Peace so that Nicaraguan families feel safe about their children, feel safe in their work, feel safe in having a dignified life.
That is our commitment, Dear Nicaraguan Sisters and Brothers, and here we are in it together. And that is why we say, the People-President. And so today we swear and I ask you all to stand, because here the President is the people, and if the President is the people we have to do it together; and we swear, Nicaraguan Families and Nicaraguan Sisters and Brothers, we pledge our commitment to continue fighting to eradicate Poverty, to eradicate hunger, to improve the living conditions of all the Nicaraguan Families.
We are going to continue fighting with Dignity, always defending the Nation, always defending its Sovereignty, because only with Sovereignty, with Dignity and with Conscience, can Great Victories be achieved.
Long Live Nicaragua, Blessed and Always Free!
Long Live the Nicaraguan Families!
Sandino Lives! The Struggle Continues!
A Free Motherland! Or Death!