Government of Reconciliation and National Unity
Unida Nicaragua Triunfa
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Managua, Nicaragua
PRESS RELEASE
FROM THE DELEGATION OF THE GOVERNMENT
OF RECONCILIATION AND NATIONAL UNITY (GRUN)
AT THE NEGOTIATION TABLE
Tuesday, April 23, 2019
The Delegation of the Government of Reconciliation and National Unity at the Negotiation Table informs the Nicaraguan People and the International Community that we have advanced, agreed, and signed the following:
1) Roadmap, which establishes consensus in decision-making, the periodicity of the meetings and confidentiality of the negotiations, among other aspects.
2) Negotiation Agenda, which establishes the route to promote and comply with the agreed upon issues and to strengthen the proper development of the negotiations.
3) Agreement to Strengthen Citizen Rights and Guarantees agreed upon and signed by the parties and by the Witnesses, Companions and International Guarantors, Apostolic Nuncio, Waldemar Stanislaw Sommertag, Representative of His Holiness Pope Francisco in Nicaragua and Mr. Luis Ángel Rosadilla, Representative of the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States.
4) Agreement on the release of prisoners with the support of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
To date there are 236 persons detained that the GRUN, by expressed will, commitment and by its own decision, have been released and are currently under the Family Cohabitation System.
The Government of Reconciliation and National Unity, in a gesture of goodwill, made the decision to release the persons detained within a maximum period of 90 days, starting on March 20, 2019.
5) The Delegation of the Government of Reconciliation and National Unity presented on April 10, to its Counterpart at the Negotiation Table, the Civic Alliance for Justice and Democracy (ACJD), the proposed Agreement on the Return of Nicaraguans Abroad, who left the country in the context of the events that occurred since April 18, 2018. This proposal was not accepted by the ACJD Delegation, so the GRUN, committed to the unity and reunion of Nicaraguan families, approved the Return Program on April 15, which is in the process of implementation, and for this, formally requested the support and cooperation of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
6) Agreements on the following agenda items are still pending consensus at the Negotiation Table:
- Truth, Justice, Reparation and Non Repetition.
The GRUN Delegation presented a proposal on this agenda item to the Negotiation Table on April 2, 2019, which did not have the consensus of the Counterparts Representation at the Negotiation Table, the ACJD, so it is still pending negotiation.
- Call to the International Community to suspend sanctions.
The Delegation of the Government of Reconciliation and National Unity presented to the Negotiation Table on April 2, 2019, a proposal to promote the cooperation and support of the International Community in the implementation of these Agreements and for the suspension of sanctions that affect Nicaragua's Right to Human, Economic and Social Development. This Proposal has not been accepted by the Counterpart at the Negotiation Table.
- Mechanism for the implementation of the Agreements.
The Negotiation Table will continue in its functions, following up on compliance of the Agreements.
- Review, approval and signing of the Final Protocol. At the end of the negotiations, all agreed upon and communicated Agreements will be compiled in a General Final Agreement, which must be reviewed and approved by both Parties, as agreed in the Roadmap signed on March 5, 2019.
7) Strengthen Democracy and Electoral Reforms for the realization of Electoral Processes.
On February 28, 2017, the Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Secretary General of the Organization of American States and the Government of the Republic of Nicaragua, with the objective of promoting and accompanying efforts aimed to strengthening the political-electoral institutional capacity of the Republic of Nicaragua. This process was interrupted by the violent events that took place on April 18, 2018.
On March 26, 2019 the GRUN requested to restart the Memorandum of Understanding and on March 27, 2019, the Secretary General of the OAS agreed with the Government of Reconciliation and National Unity to resume the work related to the Project of Reforms and Strengthening of the Electoral Process.
The GRUN, from that date, has resumed the Memorandum to give continuity to the process that was interrupted by the aforementioned events.
8) Call to Tranquility and Stability. We reiterate our call to avoid inciting violence or to violate the Constitution and Laws, respecting the Will of the Nicaraguan People who want Peace, Security, Work and Stability.
9) Message of Pope Francis. We thank and express the message of His Holiness Pope Francis on Sunday, April 21, 2019: “May the Risen Lord illuminate the efforts that are being made in Nicaragua to find, as soon as possible, a peaceful and negotiated solution for the benefit of all. Nicaraguans”.
Managua, Tuesday, April 23, 2019
Delegation of the Government
of Reconciliation and National Unity
at the Negotiation Table