Declaration by the Canadian Peace Congress at the Press Conference of the North American Solidarity with Nicaragua.
January 12th, 2022
Read by Canadian reporter and writer Camila Escalante,
My name is Camila Escalante, I'm a Canadian journalist and I'll be reading a statement sent from the Canadian Peace Congress.
The Canadian Peace Congress is one of the oldest peace organizations in the country, and is affiliated to the World Peace Council.
“Dear friends and comrades,
Although we are not able to be there in person today, the Canadian Peace Congress sends militant greetings to all those gathered in Managua for this important press conference.
We take this opportunity to convey our congratulations to Compañero Daniel Ortega and the Sandinista Front on their overwhelming victory in the November 7, 2021 elections, and for the successful inauguration ceremonies on January 10. These elections were completely fair and transparent, and the results reflect the views and interests of the vast majority of the Nicaraguan people.
We unreservedly condemn the unilateral coercive measures taken by the Canadian government against Nicaragua and its people since 2019. In lockstep with the United States, the UK and EU governments, Canada has intensified this illegal and anti-democratic offensive following the most recent round of elections in Nicaragua.
We also denounce the groundless accusations of “gross and systematic violations of human rights” by the Sandinista government put forward by Washington, Ottawa and other imperialist quarters in order to justify these punitive sanctions and coercive measures.
In her recent statement, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly claimed that the November 7 elections “lacked democratic legitimacy”. In fact, the only political actors lacking democratic legitimacy are the imperialist states and the monopolies they represent.
The only ‘democratic outcomes’ which U.S. imperialism and its allies, including Canada, are willing to accept are those which serve their own economic and geopolitical interests. Otherwise, they are quite prepared to violate the UN Charter and the principles of international law, and impose suffering on the Nicaraguan people, as they do against Venezuela, Cuba, Syria, Iran and many other targeted nations and peoples around the world.
As an anti-imperialist peace organization, our Congress will continue to work in solidarity with Nicaragua and its people, and in defense of the sovereignty, independence and the right to non-interference for all countries – large and small – around the world.
In solidarity,
Miguel Figueroa,
President
Canadian Peace Congress”