U.S. says it has secured the release of 135 Nicaraguan political prisoners

**GUATEMALA CITY (AP)** — On Thursday, the U.S. government announced the successful release of 135 Nicaraguan political prisoners, who have now arrived in Guatemala. From there, they will seek entry into the United States or other countries.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated that the release was secured on humanitarian grounds. “No one should be imprisoned for peacefully exercising their fundamental rights to free expression, association, and religious practice,” Sullivan said.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Eric Jacobstein, informed reporters that the Nicaraguan government did not receive anything in return for the prisoners' release. He clarified that this action does not indicate any change in U.S. policy toward President Daniel Ortega’s administration. Jacobstein noted that while pressure on the Nicaraguan government has been consistent, the process to facilitate the release and ensure the prisoners' safety was conducted swiftly. He added that Nicaragua continues to “unjustly” detain individuals.

Jacobstein, who greeted the prisoners in Guatemala, described some of them as victims of torture and noted that, despite their difficult experiences, they appeared to be in generally good health and spirits. He expressed dismay at the “true pettiness and cruelty” of Ortega’s government for imprisoning people without justifiable reasons.

Among those released were 13 members of a Texas-based religious charity, Catholic laypeople, students, and others. Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo has agreed to host these individuals while they apply for entry to the U.S.

The Nicaraguans were transported from a Guatemalan air base to the capital on buses Thursday morning, with some waving from the windows.

The Nicaraguan government has not yet confirmed the release. Human rights advocate Haydeé Castillo called the release a “triumph for the Nicaraguan people’s resistance,” but noted that the release involves forced displacement. “No one should be imprisoned for thinking differently,” Castillo stated. She mentioned that advocates are reviewing lists to determine how many prisoners still remain in custody.

Ivannia Alvarez, an exiled Nicaraguan and member of the Recognition Mechanism for Political Prisoners, indicated that her most recent count showed 151 people still jailed, suggesting that some may still be detained.

The Texas-based Mountain Gateway religious organization confirmed the release of 13 of its members after nine months in prison. Pastor Jon Britton Hancock, Mountain Gateway’s founder, called it “the day we have prayed for.”

Environmentalist Amaru Ruiz noted on social media that among those released were eight Indigenous forest rangers.

Sullivan reiterated the U.S. call for the Nicaraguan government to halt the arbitrary arrest and detention of citizens exercising their fundamental freedoms.

This announcement comes just two days after Nicaragua’s National Assembly approved changes to the criminal code allowing the government to try Nicaraguans and foreigners in absentia. These changes could lead to fines, lengthy prison terms, and property seizures for those who fled or were exiled during Ortega’s crackdown on dissent.

Last year, the Nicaraguan government exiled more than 300 opposition figures, stripping them of their nationality, while many others fled to escape the repression following massive 2018 protests, which Ortega labeled as a failed coup with international support.

“These individuals arrived safely and voluntarily in Guatemala,” said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. “We thank President Bernardo Arévalo and his administration for their efforts and support in welcoming them.” Blinken emphasized that the detainees were unjustly held for exercising their fundamental freedoms.

Since 2018, the Nicaraguan government has shut down over 5,000 organizations, many of which were religious.

Associated Press writers Matthew Lee in Washington and Gabriela Selser in Mexico City contributed to this report.