Ortega asks Parliament to ratify the entry of Russian troops into Nicaragua

The president of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, asked parliament to ratify a decree that authorizes the entry of foreign troopsamong them from Russia and the United States, to carry out joint exercises of humanitarian assistance and combat drug trafficking, the parliament reported this Saturday.

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The presidential decree was sent this week with “urgent procedure” to the parliament, dominated by deputies related to the president, and was included in the agenda for next Tuesday, according to the legislative agenda released on Saturday.

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The request, in addition to military personnel, includes foreign ships and aircraft.

The decree published this week in the official newspaper La Gaceta authorizes the entry “on a rotating basis” of Russian military personnel to participate with members of the Nicaraguan Army “in the exchange of experiences, training exercises and humanitarian aid operations.”

The exchange also includes naval and air exercises for confrontation tasks and the fight against drug trafficking and transnational organized crime, according to the decree.

In the same “previously planned” period and with the same objectives, they will enter
Nicaraguan military from the United States, Mexico, Central America, Venezuela, Cuba and the Dominican Republic, in accordance with the presidential decree.

With the same purpose, Ortega also requests to ratify the departure of the Nicaraguan military to the same countries.

The relationship between Nicaragua and the United States is tense due to the fact that the North American country has imposed sanctions on Ortega’s entourage, as pressure to make political changes or to release some 182 opponents, including seven former presidential candidates, detained before the 2021 elections in which Ortega won a fourth consecutive term.

Meanwhile, Ortega, 76, is one of Russia’s allies in Central America, a country with which he has strengthened political and cooperation ties to resist US sanctions.

Costa Rica ‘takes note’ of the decree

For its part, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica reported this Sunday that it “takes note” of the decree of the Government of Nicaragua on the authorization of the entry of foreign troops, including the Russian army.

The Costa Rican Foreign Ministry indicated in a concise press release that the action of the neighboring country “is about a periodic authorization that Nicaragua makes and repeats.”

“We reiterate the policy of peace, good international relations and permanent dialogue that Costa Rica promotes before its neighbors and the international community, including the multilateral organizations on which Costa Rica bases its defense of national integrity and sovereignty, both of the territory and of the seas,” quotes the bulletin.

INTERNATIONAL WRITING
*With information from Efe and AFP.

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