This archive report was first published on 20 July 2020.
Published on July 20, 2020, President Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua addressed a small group of supporters at the Plaza de la Revolución, marking the 41st anniversary of the country's revolution.
Ortega, who has been in power since 2007, emphasized the need to protect life from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected all countries. However, he failed to take concrete measures to curb the spread of the virus.
Despite being virtually absent since the start of the pandemic, Ortega made his first public appearance in June, and his last one was on official media for an international meeting. He claimed that Nicaragua had been successful in its response to the pandemic, citing a government report of 91 deaths from the virus.
Ortega shifted the responsibility of avoiding infection to families, criticizing those who arrive at hospitals when they are already lacking oxygen. He was accompanied by his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, army and police chiefs, and other officials, many of whom are under US sanctions for human rights violations and corruption.
Just days before, the US had slapped sanctions on another of Ortega's sons, Juan Carlos Ortega, accusing him of using a public relations firm to spread propaganda. Critics accuse Ortega of running a repressive dictatorship, citing the 2018 crackdown on protests that left over 300 people dead.
