Ortega’s opponent, Nicaragua’s presidential candidate, has been arrested

The Nicaraguan Public Prosecutor’s Office said the investigation against Cruz was based on “strong evidence that he attacked Nicaraguan society,” but did not provide details of the allegations against him.

The country’s former ambassador to the United States between 2007 and 2009, Cruz, an ally of the current president Daniel OrtegaHe is a candidate for the Citizens for Freedom Alliance, a coalition of right-wing parties that has the support of businessmen.

Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS)OASLuis Almagro called for Cruz’s release and said that “the manipulation of the security and justice forces in arresting opposition candidates” is “unacceptable”.

Cruz is not Ortega’s first opponent in the elections, due in november, to be arrested. On Wednesday (2) the police broke into a house Christian Chamorro, daughter of former president Violetta Barrios de Chamorro (elected in 1990, defeated Ortega) and identified as the opposition candidate with the best chance of winning the dispute; She is accused of money laundering and is under house arrest.

Ortega has been in power since 2007 and is seeking re-election for the third time in a row. Before that, he ruled Nicaragua between 1985 and 1990.