As the situation continues to deteriorate in Nicaragua, members of the Florida congressional delegation are pushing for action.
Four members of the Florida delegation--Republican U.S. Reps. Carlos Curbelo, Mario Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Democrat U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz--signed on a letter to President Donald Trump, urging him to change his decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Nicaraguans in the U.S.
“The situation in Nicaragua continues to deteriorate at the hands of the Ortega regime,” Diaz-Balart said on Sunday. “Ortega's paramilitaries have increasingly brutalized many innocent students while they demand free, fair and democratic elections. Over 350 people are reported dead, many more injured. I again call on the Trump Administration to reconsider its decision to terminate TPS designation for Nicaraguan nationals living in the United States. At this perilous time, it is imperative we continue to offer Nicaraguans already living in the U.S. a necessary safe haven from the violence and oppression in Nicaragua today.”
Last week, Ros-Lehtinen scored as win as the House passed her resolution“condemning the intimidation, violence, persecution, and murders committed against the people of Nicaragua by the Ortega regime” on a voice vote.
Ros-Lehtinen, the first woman to ever lead the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee and currently the chairwoman of the U.S. House Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, introduced the resolution earlier in the month with U.S. Rep. Albio Sires, D-NJ, as the main cosponsor.
There were a dozen cosponsors including Curbelo and Diaz-Balart and Florida U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, the top Democrat on the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee.
Ros-Lehtinen took to the House floor on Wednesday to weigh in on the resolution.
“This resolution condemns the persecution, intimidation, violence and murders committed by the government of Nicaragua against its citizens,” she said. “Mr. Speaker, 450: that is how many Nicaraguans have been killed by the Ortega regime and its thugs since April of this year; The death toll is rising by the day, as the regime has authorized a ‘shoot to kill’ policy in cities like Masaya and Jinotega. Add that to the thousands injured, arrested, and the forced disappearances, and we’re talking about a massive and severe repression by a regime that will do anything to stay in power.
“On Monday, Ortega had the audacity to go on Fox News and say that everything was under control and that the Nicaraguan people were the ones responsible for the bloodshed – a desperate attempt by a desperate, but dangerous, fool,” Ros-Lehtinen added. “Mr. Speaker, it’s a dire situation and getting worse. That is why we need to hold Ortega accountable for his evil and violent actions and put additional pressure on him and his regime.
“The administration has shown great leadership in condemning Ortega and sanctioning some of his regime’s top officials under the Global Magnitsky Act,” she continued. “My resolution urges the administration to do more, to target more Ortega goons for sanctions, and I urge this body to do more – time is of the essence.
“Today, this body is standing up for some of our most cherished values and ideals and we are unequivocally rejecting the Ortega regime’s abuses and its corruption,” Ros-Lehtinen concluded. “Today we can send a loud, unified and clear message that we are watching, we are acting, and we are supporting the aspirations of all freedom-loving Nicaraguans.”
At the start of last month, Ros-Lehtinen wrote a letter to the Trump administration urging sanctions on members of the Ortega regime including Francisco Lopez, head of ALBANISA, and Francisco Diaz, deputy commissioner of the National Police. Florida’s two U.S. senators--Democrat Bill Nelson and Republican Marco Rubio--signed the letter. So did Curbelo, Diaz-Balart, Sires, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Tex., and Wasserman Schultz. Rubio had introduced a Senate resolution at the end of last month urging the administration to sanction members of the Ortega regime.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration announced sanctioning three members of the Ortega regime including Lopez and Diaz.
