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'Slipping into darkness': How Nicaragua's crisis unfolded Downward spiral: Nicaragua's worsening crisis
(about 1 month later)
More than 120 people have been killed in Nicaragua since 19 April in what has become a popular uprising against the Central American country's president, Daniel Ortega, and his government. BBC News takes a closer look at how the crisis unfolded. Hundreds of people have been killed in Nicaragua since 18 April in what has become a popular uprising against the Central American country's president, Daniel Ortega, and his government. BBC News takes a closer look at how the crisis unfolded.
How did it all start?How did it all start?
The crisis started rather unexpectedly when pro-government gangs violently crushed a small demonstration against reforms to Nicaragua's pension system announced on 18 April. The crisis started rather unexpectedly when pro-government groups violently crushed a small demonstration against reforms to Nicaragua's pension system announced on 18 April.
These pro-government groups, popularly known as "grupos de choque" (shock forces) had in the past been used to repress anti-government protests and had discouraged many Nicaraguans disgruntled with President Ortega from taking to the streets.These pro-government groups, popularly known as "grupos de choque" (shock forces) had in the past been used to repress anti-government protests and had discouraged many Nicaraguans disgruntled with President Ortega from taking to the streets.
But this time footage of the repression, which was widely shared on social media, caused outrage and triggered more protests which in turn were met with further repression.But this time footage of the repression, which was widely shared on social media, caused outrage and triggered more protests which in turn were met with further repression.
Three people, among them a police officer, were killed on 19 April amid attempts by the security forces to suppress the demonstrations. Anger at the government has kept on increasing with rising fatalities. Three people, among them a police officer, were killed on 19 April amid attempts by the security forces to suppress the demonstrations.
What's happened since?What's happened since?
The regional human rights body, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), says at least 127 people have been killed and thousands injured as the protests have grown and attempts to suppress them intensified. Hundreds of people have been killed and thousands injured as the protests have grown and attempts to suppress them intensified.
The country is littered with roadblocks and barricades. There are almost daily reports of clashes turning lethal - with protesters blaming the security forces and "shock forces" for the violence, while the authorities accuse "specific political groups" of liaising with criminal gangs of spreading chaos. Anger at the government has kept on increasing with rising fatalities. The country is littered with roadblocks and barricades, which the security forces have been trying to clear.
Human rights groups have warned that Nicaragua is "quickly and dangerously slipping back into some of the darkest times (it) has seen in decades". There are almost daily reports of clashes turning lethal. Protesters blame the security forces and paramilitary groups loyal to the government for the violence while the authorities have labelled the protesters as "terrorists".
Who are the protesters? How many have been killed?
The government has not released any official figures in recent weeks, saying that each and every death has to be investigated thoroughly before accurate numbers can be given.
The Inter-American Commission of Human Rights (IACHR) said 264 people had been killed between the start of the protests and 11 July.
Human rights groups inside Nicaragua say the figure is now up to more than 300.
Why are the protest so deadly?
Protesters allege that the security forces employ excessive force, using live bullets and sharpshooters against demonstrators.
It is an allegation which has been echoed by a number of human rights groups. Amnesty International said last week that "state repression has reached deplorable levels" in Nicaragua.
The United Nations Office for Human Rights has also warned of "the dangerous spiral of violence and impunity" it says Nicaragua is sliding into.
The government denies the violence is one-sided and points to the use of home-made mortars by the protesters as evidence that the security forces come under attack.
A number of police officers have been among those killed. The government has also pointed to instances in which government supporters have been attacked to back up their claim that the protesters are "terrorists".
But most human rights groups agree that the paramilitary groups, or "grupos de choque", have played a particularly deadly role in the conflict.
What do the protesters want?
With hundreds of thousands taking to the streets, the demands have become much broader than the original protests against changes to the pension system, which were scrapped shortly after the protests began.
University students are at the forefront of the protests but the movement prides itself on having the support of Nicaraguans from all walks of life and of all political affiliations.University students are at the forefront of the protests but the movement prides itself on having the support of Nicaraguans from all walks of life and of all political affiliations.
Demonstrations have been held across Nicaragua, including in some strongholds of the governing party, the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN). They have also been joined by many in the business sector, who in the past broadly supported President Ortega.
The Catholic Church and Nicaragua's business sector have also joined in calls for early elections. They are united in their demand for justice for those killed during the demonstrations. They are also demanding deep democratic reforms, with many believing neither can be achieved if President Ortega - who is on his third consecutive term in office - remains in power.
What do they want? Many are therefore calling for Mr Ortega to step down or at least for early elections to take place, both of which the leader has ruled out arguing that it would go against the constitution.
With hundreds of thousands taking to the streets, the demands have become much broader than the original protests against changes to the pension system, which have already been scrapped by the government.
Protesters are united in their demand for justice for those killed during the demonstrations. They are also demanding deep democratic reforms, with many believing neither can be achieved if President Ortega - who is on his third consecutive term in office - remains in power.
The government says their demands are "a blueprint for a coup".
What are the allegations against the government?
The IACHR has repeatedly asked the Nicaraguan government to stop repressing the protest. It has also called for an investigations into "the use of force by para-police forces".
In a report published on 21 May, the commission denounced serious human rights violations, including the excessive use of force, illegal and arbitrary detentions, torture, attacks on the press "and other forms of intimidation".
The commission said it could not rule out the possibility that extrajudicial executions had been carried out.
Campaign group Amnesty International has accused the Nicaraguan authorities of "unleashing a lethal strategy of repression against the protesters".
"Amnesty International considers that a pattern emerges suggesting that pro-government armed groups, the National Police and the riot police intentionally killed people in a significant number of cases," its 28 May report said.
Amnesty also said that there were "reasons to believe that these deaths occurred with the knowledge of those at the highest level of the Nicaraguan state, including the president".
What does the government say?What does the government say?
The government has denied any responsibility, instead blaming the situation on criminal groups and "opposition political groups with specific political agendas". The government has blamed the situation on criminal groups and "opposition political groups with specific political agendas".
In a statement released on 31 May, the government suggested the protesters were killing their own in order to destabilize President Ortega's administration. It says the protesters are "inflicting suffering on Nicaraguan families" by severely disrupting everyday life.
"As part of an insane provocation (…), they conspire to denounce non-existent 'attacks', then attack and produce victims to blame the institutions in charge of public order," the statement reads. In a statement published on 9 July, the government accuses the protesters of killing, torturing and kidnapping hundreds of citizens and of looting and setting alight homes and businesses.
Officials have also denied the existence of the "shock groups" or paramilitary forces instead blaming opposition political groups, who they say are conspiring "from the dark, with specific political agendas similar to those used in other countries in the region" for the violence. The government says it has "the duty to defend the security and peace" of all Nicaraguans, including "the right of people, vehicles and goods to move freely throughout the territory".
It has launched an operation dubbed "clean-up" which it says is aimed at restoring order, but protesters accuse the security forces deployed of dragging opposition activists from their homes and illegally detaining them.
What might happen next?What might happen next?
A first attempt at holding a "national dialogue" failed after only three days with the opposition demanding the president step down, and Mr Ortega arguing those demands were well beyond the realm of the talks. There has been widespread international condemnation of the Nicaraguan government and calls for the security forces to be reined in but so far to little effect.
There had previously been dramatic scenes as students called out the names of those killed in the protests. Businesses have been suffering, especially those in the tourism sector, and with protesters threatening to call further strikes an estimated 85,000 jobs could be lost this year.
The Catholic Church is trying to revive the dialogue and the Organisation of American States has also offered its mediation but so far the positions of both the government and the protesters seem too far apart to suggest any quick progress. A "national dialogue" in which protesters sat down with members of the government with the mediation of the Catholic Church has so far achieved very little and stalled repeatedly.
The government had also said it would follow all the recommendations of the IACHR, which included "immediately cease repressing demonstrators and arbitrarily detaining those who participate in the protests", as well as the dismantling of para-police groups, but has so far failed to do either. With talks stalled, President Ortega ruling out early elections and protesters saying that there is no going back, the crisis seems likely to further escalate.
The protesters are adamant they will remain on the streets until their demands are met, which suggests the death toll could continue to rise even if the dialogue resumes.
The economic cost has already been estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of jobs have already been lost, but the voices calling for a national strike and other forms of pressure are also growing by the day.
With the army so far remaining neutral and President Ortega still enjoying the backing of the police and a core of highly loyal supporters. everything seems to suggest that the situation will further deteriorate, at least in the short run.