Anti-government protests continue in Nicaragua

Managua, Sep 17 (IANS) Anti-government protests continued in Nicaragua despite the ongoing threats and attacks against the demonstrators.

Thousands of people took to the streets of Managua on Sunday to march against President Daniel Ortega, who they hold accountable for the death of hundreds in the anti-government protests that have gripped the country since April, reports Efe news.

The protest attracted a large crowd of people despite a strong police presence at the scene, which is unusual in Nicaragua.

Hours before the march, two "key" protesters were arrested, one of them, Javier Espinoza, and the other, Norwin Gutierrez Alvarez, who was in charge of directing the protests to avoid violent situations.

The Nicaraguan Centre for Human Rights (CENIDH) termed the arrested protesters as political prisoners, because they were arrested without committing a crime, just like the other 309 people who had been arrested in a similar manner since the unrest began.

The demonstrators also accused the police of "practicing acts of intimidation", to which they will not yield.

The protest march extended for more than 10 kms.

The demonstrations against Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, began on April 18 due to failed social security reforms and became a demand for the President to resign after 11 years in power.