At least 60 people have been arrested in Nicaragua for reportedly celebrating or supporting the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, according to human rights groups and local media.
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo are close allies of Maduro, who was detained by U.S. forces in Caracas last Saturday and taken to New York to face drug and weapons charges.
The Blue and White Monitoring NGO reported that of those arrested, 49 remain in detention without information about their legal status, nine have been released, and three were temporarily held. The group said the arrests were carried out without judicial orders, based solely on personal opinions expressed online, private celebrations, or refusal to echo official propaganda.
Independent Nicaraguan outlets Confidencial and La Prensa said the detentions occurred under a “state of alert” imposed by Murillo, with increased surveillance of neighborhoods and social media. Many were reportedly arrested for posting support for the U.S. operation.
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