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Thousands march in Nicaragua against govt crackdown on doctors
MANAGUA, Aug 5, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Thousands marched Saturday against
President Daniel Ortega’s government and his crackdown against doctors who
treated injured protestors Managua calls terrorists.
The demonstrators chanted “No more abuses,” “Long live doctors” and
“Doctors are not Terrorists,” in solidarity with doctors the government has
punished for being opposition members or caring for them.
About 100 doctors nationwide were fired from public hospitals for tending
to people hurt in the anti-Ortega unrest.
According to rights groups, 317 people have been killed and 2,000 wounded
in more than three months of unrest against the Ortega administration.
The United States, the Organization of American States and the Vatican all
support demands from protesters that Ortega — in power since 2007 — resign,
or at least agree to hold early elections.
But Ortega claims the country would plunge into “anarchy” if he left power
before the end of his mandate in early 2022. He called a counter-rally
outside the Central American University on Saturday demanding “justice for
victims of terrorism.”
Marchers who rallied in support of the doctors wore masks and scarves over
fears, they said, of being targeted for taking part.
Meanwhile, a new economic analysis released on Saturday by consultants
COPADES warned that Nicaragua’s economy will be seriously undercut by the
crisis to the tune of more than $1 billion in losses, and shed about 200,000
jobs.
BSS/AFP/MSY/0831 hrs