蜜芽传媒

Four presidential candidates have been arrested in just one week in Nicaragua. So what's behind this crackdown on the opposition five months ahead of the elections? Carlos Fernando Chamorro is an investigative journalist. His sister Christina Chamorro is one of the arrested candidates, and his cousin, Juan Sebastian Chamorro is also a candidate who has just been detained.

Carlos told Newsday that he lives close to his cousin and he heard the arrest taking place.
鈥淚 could hear the noise of the police entering his home. He was taken away and his wife has disappeared. There is no condition for free and fair and competitive elections in Nicaragua. There is anger and indignation. But we have been living under a police state since late 2018. People do not have freedom of mobilisation.鈥�

Photo: Felix Maradiaga, one of the arrested candidates (Reuters)