Nicaraguan dissident Joao Maldonado was shot by a group of hitmen in Costa Rica, where he is in exile. It is the second time that he has been the victim of a shooting attack; the first time was in 2021.
According to the Nicaraguan newspaper La Prensa, the shooting occurred Wednesday in San Pedro de Montes de Oca in the province of San José. Maldonado and his partner, Nadia Robleto, were in their vehicle when they were surprised by several hitmen traveling on motorcycles. As they approached, the attackers began shooting at Maldonado’s vehicle.
The Red Cross reported the condition of the victims, who were transferred to the Calderón Guardia Hospital. Maldonado, was reportedly shot several times and at first it was reported that his condition was "critical," while Robleto’s condition was not revealed:
A male patient with multiple gunshot wounds is approached and transferred in critical condition to the medical center. A private ambulance unit approaches a woman, her health condition is unknown. Both were in a vehicle on a public road.
🚨#ÚltimoMinuto | Sicarios en moto atacan a balazos a opositor Joao Maldonado en Costa Rica.
Más detalles en: https://t.co/YZbILPArAr pic.twitter.com/8ED13u9Qlj
— LA PRENSA Nicaragua (@laprensa) January 10, 2024
Hours later, the hospital issued a statement explaining that Maldonado had progressed to "stable" condition.
The first attack
On Sept. 11, 2021, Maldonado was the victim of a firearm attack similar to this Wednesday in the capital of Costa Rica. The opponent was close to losing his life in that attack, but he managed to survive thanks to the fact that he was treated in a hospital very close to the scene of the incident.
Maldonado was forced to leave Nicaragua in 2018, a decision motivated by the persecution carried out by Daniel Ortega's dictatorship against opponents. In addition, his Nicaraguan nationality was withdrawn. Since that year, he has lived in Costa Rica, a country where he has now suffered two gun attacks.
