United States secures the release of 135 Nicaraguan political prisoners

The White House reported that Joe Biden's administration secured the release of at least 135 political prisoners in Nicaragua. The former prisoners will be exiled to Guatemala.

"The Biden-Harris Administration today secured the release of 135 unjustly detained political prisoners in Nicaragua, on humanitarian grounds. No one should be put in jail for peacefully exercising their fundamental rights of free expression, association, and practicing their religion," National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in a statement.

The White House explained that among the 135 Nicaraguan citizens released were 13 members of the Mountain Gateway organization, along with Catholic laypeople, students and others whom Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo consider a threat to their regime.

"The United States welcomes the leadership and generosity of the Government of Guatemala for graciously agreeing to accept these Nicaraguan citizens. Once in Guatemala, these individuals will be offered the opportunity to apply for lawful ways to rebuild their lives in the United States or other countries through President Biden’s Safe Mobility Office initiative," the Biden administration highlighted.

In this regard, the Biden sdministration also maintained that it "again calls on the Government of Nicaragua to immediately end the arbitrary arrests and detentions of its citizens for merely exercising their fundamental freedoms."