Managua: Nicaragua announced on Thursday that it is formally withdrawing from the United Nations Human Rights Council, citing sovereignty concerns and rejecting allegations of human rights violations made in a recent UN report.
Vice President and First Lady Rosario Murillo called the decision “sovereign and irrevocable”, stating that Nicaragua would no longer participate in any activities related to the Human Rights Council or its associated mechanisms.
The announcement came just a day after a UN report accused President Daniel Ortega’s government of dismantling independent institutions and establishing an authoritarian state. The report called on the international community to take legal action against Nicaragua, citing systematic human rights violations that, according to UN experts, bear similarities to crimes against humanity.
Ortega’s administration has consistently dismissed international criticism, rejecting previous reports from the UN and the Organization of American States as part of a broader effort to undermine his government. Murillo echoed this stance, dismissing the latest UN findings as “falsehoods” and “slander”.
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Nicaragua has been under intense scrutiny since 2018 when mass protests against Ortega’s rule were met with a violent crackdown, resulting in the deaths of over 350 people. The UN report also directly implicated the Nicaraguan military in suppressing dissent, contradicting the government’s previous claims that security forces were not involved in the crackdown.
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With its withdrawal from the Human Rights Council, Nicaragua further isolates itself from international human rights bodies, reinforcing Ortega’s defiance in the face of global pressure.
