[House Hearing, 118 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




               AN URGENT APPEAL TO LET BISHOP ALVAREZ GO

=======================================================================

                                HEARING

                               BEFORE THE

                   SUBCOMMITTEE ON GLOBAL HEALTH, GLOBAL
               HUMAN RIGHTS AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

                                   of

                      COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                    ONE HUNDRED EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS

                             FIRST SESSION

                               __________


                           November 30, 2023

                               __________


                           Serial No. 118-67

                               __________

        Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs







                  [GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]







Available:  http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/, http://docs.house.gov, 
                       or http://www.govinfo.gov

                               ______
                                 

                 U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

54-468PDF                 WASHINGTON : 2024












                      COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS

                   MICHAEL T. McCAUL, Texas, Chairman

CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey     GREGORY MEEKS, New York, Ranking 
JOE WILSON, South Carolina               Member
SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania	     BRAD SHERMAN, California
DARRELL ISSA, California	     GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia
ANN WAGNER, Missouri		     WILLIAM KEATING, Massachusetts
BRIAN MAST, Florida		     DAVID CICILLINE, Rhode Island
KEN BUCK, Colorado		     AMI BERA, California
TIM BURCHETT, Tennessee		     JOAQUIN CASTRO, Texas
MARK E. GREEN, Tennessee	     DINA TITUS, Nevada
ANDY BARR, Kentucky		     TED LIEU, California
RONNY JACKSON, Texas		     SUSAN WILD, Pennsylvania
YOUNG KIM, California		     DEAN PHILLIPS, Minnesota
MARIA ELVIRA SALAZAR, Florida	     COLIN ALLRED, Texas
BILL HUIZENGA, Michigan		     ANDY KIM, New Jersey
AUMUA AMATA COLEMAN RADEWAGEN, 	     SARA JACOBS, California
    American Samoa		     KATHY MANNING, North Carolina
FRENCH HILL, Arkansas		     SHEILA CHERFILUS-McCORMICK, 
WARREN DAVIDSON, Ohio		         Florida
JIM BAIRD, Indiana		     GREG STANTON, Arizona
MICHAEL WALTZ, Florida		     MADELEINE DEAN, Pennsylvania
THOMAS KEAN, JR., New Jersey	     JARED MOSKOWITZ, Florida
MICHAEL LAWLER, New York	     JONATHAN JACKSON, Illinois
CORY MILLS, Florida		     SYDNEY KAMLAGER-DOVE, California
RICH McCORMICK, Georgia		     JIM COSTA, California
NATHANIEL MORAN, Texas		     JASON CROW, Colorado
JOHN JAMES, Michigan		     BRAD SCHNEIDER, Illinois
KEITH SELF, Texas

                    Brendan Shields, Staff Director

                    Sophia Lafargue, Staff Director

                                 ------                                

 Subcommittee on Global Health, Global Human Rights and International 
                             Organizations

                  CHRISTOPHER SMITH, New Jersey, Chair

MARIA ELVIRA SALAZAR, Florida        SUSAN WILD, Pennsylvania, Ranking 
AUMUA AMATA COLEMAN RADEWAGEN,           Member
    American Samoa                   AMI BERA, California
FRENCH HILL, Arkansas                SARA JACOBS, California
RICH McCORMICK, Georgia              KATHY MANNING, North Carolina
JOHN JAMES, Michigan

                       Mary Vigil, Staff Director








                            C O N T E N T S

                              ----------                              
                                                                   Page

                               WITNESSES

Exiled Prisoner of Conscience No. 1..............................     6
Exiled Prisoner of Conscience No. 2..............................     9
Parent of Prisoner of Conscience.................................    13
Ullmer, Deborah, Regional Director for Latin America and the 
  Caribbean, National Democratic Institute.......................    18
Information submitted for the record from ADF International......    49

                                APPENDIX

Hearing Notice...................................................    57
Hearing Minutes..................................................    59
Hearing Attendance...............................................    60









 
               AN URGENT APPEAL TO LET BISHOP ALVAREZ GO

                      Thursday, November 30, 2023

                          House of Representatives,
              Subcommittee on Global Health, Global
                    Human Rights, and International
                                     Organizations,
                      Committee on Foreign Affairs,
                                                    Washington, DC.

    The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:15 a.m., in 
room 2200, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Christopher H. 
Smith (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding.
    Mr. Smith. This hearing of the Subcommittee on Global 
Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations 
will come to order.
    Today we appeal to President Daniel Ortega let imprisoned 
Catholic Bishop Alvarez go. Release him from prison. Out of an 
abundance of concern for Bishop Alvarez's welfare and health, 
let him come to the United States or to the Vatican or 
somewhere else, or stay right in Nicaragua where he can again 
serve the people, preach the good news of the Gospel, and care 
for the weakest and most vulnerable.
    Bishop Alvarez's life and ministry has been an inspiring 
example of compassion, kindness, integrity, and selfless 
service. In his homilies he speaks of an enduring gratitude 
and, quote, ``serenity in our hearts that could only come from 
God, the peace that surpasses all understanding.''
    He encourages us to be, quote, ``be convinced that 
everything is happening for our good because God loves us and 
because we love him.'' He preaches love and forgiveness and 
that, quote, ``Christ calls his disciples not to harbor 
resentment and to always forgive,'' close quote.
    He conveys hope, holiness, humility to the people of 
Nicaragua and to the people of the world. Bishop Alvarez is an 
innocent man enduring unspeakable suffering. Today we appeal to 
President Daniel Ortega, release him from prison. Let Bishop 
Alvarez go.
    We will hear testimony today from members of the church--
and thank you for you being here, Ms. Ullmer--who will speak in 
the case of the members of the church who have actually 
experienced the Ortega regime's oppression firsthand.
    I want to thank the witnesses for being here to share their 
stories. I thank you for your bravery, your tenacity, and 
faithfulness in the pursuit of peace and reconciliation and for 
inspiring us with your indomitable faith in God.
    It is crucial that the world hears your voices and learns 
the truth of what is happening in Nicaragua including the truth 
about the prison conditions and treatment of Bishop Alvarez.
    The international community can no longer turn a blind eye 
to what is happening to the people in Nicaragua, including and 
especially people of faith.
    It has been my experience over the last 43 years as a 
Member of Congress that dictatorships often rely on 
forgetfulness or compassion fatigue. Where there's outrage at 
first it begins to abate and then the terrible misdeeds that 
are being done by that individual or by his or her regime then 
it's just somehow the people turn the page. That will not 
happen here as regards to Nicaragua.
    The regime, as we know, has closed Catholic radio stations 
and universities, obstructed access to places of worship, 
banned public way of the cross processions, and frozen the bank 
accounts of hundreds of Catholic institutions.
    Prisoners' requests for Bibles have been denied. Bishops 
and priests as well as worshipers have been harassed and 
detained and the religious order of sisters founded by Mother 
Teresa of Calcutta, the Missionaries of Charity, has been 
expelled.
    Bishop Alvarez is now, we think, the only known cleric to 
remain imprisoned by the regime and it's time to let him go. 
Just last month 12 priests were sent from imprisonment in 
Nicaragua to exile in the Vatican. Bishop Alvarez was not among 
them. Why?
    Bishop Alvarez has consistently encouraged Nicaraguans not 
to fall into the temptation of despair and instead be, quote, 
and in this in his words, ``inundated with the hope of Christ 
who defeated death.'' Does this sound like a man who is guilty 
of treason or any crime? Of course not.
    I would like to share some additional words from the bishop 
spoken in a homily after he was placed under house arrest in 
August 2022.
    He said, and I quote, ``Painful experiences do not happen 
in vain. They do not fall into a void. These experiences are 
offered to the Lord and God returns them in blessings for us.''
    Bishop Alvarez encouraged the faithful saying, and I quote 
him again, ``Evil is defeated by the power of good. Good is 
always more powerful. God is eternally powerful. Evil is 
tremendously limited even though it makes more noise,'' close 
quote.
    He also encouraged people to be long suffering and to die 
unto oneself where it, quote, ``It is the hope of the grain of 
wheat that dies that this is the only way it can produce much 
fruit.''
    Bishop Alvarez admonishes all people of goodwill to have 
hearts full of forgiveness that mirror the mercy of God. I am 
in awe of his courage, faithfulness, and kindness.
    I know so many others in Congress--House, Senate, Democrat 
Republican, people in the White House--we are in awe of his 
goodness and his extraordinary strength.
    Instead of lashing out in bitterness at his captors, 
including President Ortega, Bishop Alvarez has called for 
forgiveness, renewal, and hope. Bishop Alvarez deserves to be 
respected and revered and free, not persecuted and 
incarcerated. We again appeal to President Daniel Ortega let 
Bishop Alvarez go. Release him from prison.
    The video of Bishop Alvarez released this week by the 
government of Nicaragua raises serious questions and concerns 
about his wellbeing. He has lost weight. Is he ill? Is he being 
provided proper nutrition and basic medical care? We have no 
idea what is going on day to day.
    The conspicuous array of food and drink on the two tables 
in the government video is eerily reminiscent of a trip 
Congressman Frank Wolf and I made back in 1989 to Perm Camp 35, 
the infamous Soviet political prison in the Ural Mountains that 
had the great people like Natan Sharansky as prisoners there.
    After meeting and videotaping two dozen undernourished, and 
I mean gaunt undernourished prisoners, the camp warden took us 
to the cafeteria. Every table had an abundance of food on it.
    Some had bites of bread that were half eaten as if there 
was a fire drill and everybody ran out the door, and the 
garbage cans were filled with overflowing with excess food, an 
absolute Potemkin village, and we let them know that nobody was 
fooled by such a charade.
    There are many questions that demand answers and I suspect 
that the answers will only paint a more dire picture of the 
bishop's imprisonment in La Modelo, one of Latin America's most 
notorious prisons.
    I would note parenthetically I've repeatedly requested to 
be able to visit Bishop Alvarez. Bianca Jagger and others have 
joined in. We have asked let us go see him and that is--we have 
not even gotten a response.
    I ask the U.S. Government, and that includes Congress and, 
of course, the executive branch, as I did in our subcommittee 
hearing in March is the United States doing enough.
    Delay is denial when you're languishing and suffering in a 
prison. Sickness and all kinds of horrible things can happen to 
people in a prison, particularly a political prison.
    The United States needs to act quickly and use every single 
tool at our disposal. We have passed the Nicaragua Human Rights 
and Anti-Corruption Act of 2018, the Nicaraguan Investment 
Conditionality Act, and to reinforce Nicaragua's adherence to 
conditions for electoral format. They're good. I'm glad we 
have. We're all part of that. It was a bipartisan effort.
    Despite the regime's egregious human rights abuses, 
however, Nicaragua remains a member of the Dominican Republic 
Central American Free Trade Agreement, or CAFTA-DR. Congress 
needs to seriously reexamine Nicaragua's membership in CAFTA-DR 
in light of the current situation and consider the full scope 
of economic tools at our disposal.
    So, again, today with these amazing witnesses that will in 
a moment be providing expert testimony we appeal to President 
Ortega let Bishop Alvarez go.
    I would like to--my good friend and colleague Ms. Wild will 
be back momentarily. She had another hearing where she had to 
make some comments and check in but she will be right back as 
other members will be here shortly as well.
    So I would like to introduce our witnesses beginning first 
with--and we're doing this for obvious reasons. I mean, you see 
that there's a barricade for privacy. We know that there is 
always the concern about retaliation. So thank you again for 
your bravery for being here.
    But Prisoner of Conscience No. 1 is a Nicaraguan national, 
a member of the Catholic Church who has been criminally 
convicted by the regime and now living in exile. Prisoner of 
Conscience No. 2 is a Nicaraguan national, a member of the 
Catholic Church who has been criminally convicted by the 
regime--and, again, when they say criminally these are 
political convictions--and also living in exile.
    We have a parent of a prisoner of conscience. She is a 
Nicaraguan national, a member of the Catholic Church and a 
relative of a prisoner of conscience in Nicaragua.
    Deborah Ullmer is the regional director for the Latin 
America and Caribbean at the National Democratic Institute. She 
has served as the chief of party for the USAID Office of 
Transition Initiatives program in Nicaragua.
    Ms. Ullmer has spent approximately 12 years working and 
living in Latin America. She earned her BA from my state, I'm 
happy to say, political science in modern languages from Seton 
Hall University and graduate courses in Latin America studies 
at the American University School of International Service.
    I would like to now yield to my good friend and colleague, 
Congresswoman Wild.
    Ms. Wild. Timing is everything. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, 
and thank you for calling this important hearing today.
    To our witnesses thank you for your courage in testifying 
here today. You have endured unimaginable sacrifices and we 
stand with you in solidarity.
    Since this subcommittee's previous hearing in March on the 
human rights crisis in Nicaragua the Ortega/Murillo regime has 
continued to operate through the patterns we documented in that 
last hearing, stifling the voices of the Nicaraguan people by 
suppressing all forms of dissent, criminalizing civil society 
and flagrantly violating international law by stripping 
Nicaraguan political prisoners of their citizenship.
    Bishop Rolando Alvarez remains imprisoned in appalling 
conditions on a 26-year sentence along with other faith 
leaders, human rights activists, and opponents of the regime of 
all political stripes and backgrounds.
    And last week the Ortega/Murillo's withdrawal from the 
Organization of American States officially took effect, further 
isolating the country from the surrounding region and the world 
at the same time as it deepens relations with authoritarian 
governments in Russia and beyond.
    In a spirit of partisanship and solidarity--I'm sorry, in a 
spirit of partnership and solidarity, not interference, I 
commit to our brave witnesses today and their family members my 
dedication to continuing to work together to ensure that the 
people of Nicaragua are not forgotten.
    Together let us redouble bipartisan efforts in defense of 
the people of Nicaragua. Thank you Mr. Chairman. I yield back.
    Mr. Smith. Thank you very much.
    I'd like to now ask our first Exiled Prisoner of Conscience 
No. 1 if you could provide your testimony.

        STATEMENT OF EXILED PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE NO. 1

    [The following statement and answers were delivered through 
an interpreter.]
    Exiled Prisoner of Conscience No. 1. From my point of view 
the problem we have in Nicaragua began with the pastoral letter 
of May 21st, 2014, in which the bishops raised problems with 
social, political, and economic nature in Nicaragua with the 
aim that these aspects were taken seriously into account by the 
government for a better coexistence and to work for a real 
peace in Nicaragua.
    I was kidnapped. Why do I say this? Because the proper 
procedures were not followed. I was not shown a court order. 
There was no prior investigation.
    Everything was arbitrary and I was even arrested in the 
street by two members of the police and six members of the 
security troops who accompanied me to the police unit where I 
was later transferred to the El Chipote prison.
    I was interrogated and I was accused of giving hate 
speeches, of organizing an uprising. I was following orders 
from Monsignor Rolando and they asked me what were those 
orders.
    How much money did Bishop Rolando receive from the U.S. 
Government and the European Union? Do you know how much money 
the bishop and priest received? Who else advised the bishop?
    Do you know what the clergy did in their meetings? When 
they met in the parishes what did they say? Was it really about 
spiritual retreats or was it about bad mouthing the government? 
Who was in charge of the media? Did we receive money from the 
Chamorro Foundation and how much did we receive?
    One of the prison commissioners asked me in one of those 
interviews with whom else do they meet and who do they do it 
with. Could I give them the name of the priest, lay people and 
the positions they had in the organization?
    They always addressed the monsignor as if he were the 
thinking head and the organizer of the failed coup d'etat and 
wanting to organize a new coup. The aforementioned shows the 
great ignorance that the government and other authorities have 
of the prophetic role and the evangelical commitment of the 
bishops.
    We were accused of being members of an organized crime gang 
and that the leaders were the bishops, and above all they said 
Rolando. I was accused of undermining the dignity of the State 
and of Nicaragua, of spreading false news.
    I hope that this testimony will be useful for future 
efforts for the liberation of Monsignor Rolando Alvarez. Thank 
you.
    [The prepared statement of Exiled Prisoner of Conscience 
No. 1 follows:]

[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

    Mr. Smith. We're now hearing from Exiled Prisoner of 
Conscience No. 2, and the reason why we're not naming names is 
obvious, I think, to all. It's to protect you and family 
members and other friends back in Nicaragua.

        STATEMENT OF EXILED PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE NO. 2

    [The following statement and answers were delivered through 
an interpreter.]
    Exiled Prisoner of Conscience No. 2. I am Nicaraguan. I 
arrived in the United States on February 9th, 2023. We were 222 
expelled from the country, most of them political prisoners, 
members of human rights organizations, and a group of lay 
people and priests who had been imprisoned for defending human 
rights and exercising their prophetic mission of announcing the 
Gospel and denouncing injustices.
    These injustices increased in April 2018 when armed 
paramilitary groups and police violently repressed young people 
who were protesting in the streets of some departments of the 
country against the social security reforms carried out by the 
government.
    Bishop Rolando Alvarez and some of his clergy came to the 
defense of the demonstrators and some of the churches served as 
shelters and clinics for young people fleeing repression and 
wounded by police and ruling party members.
    I was kidnapped by the national police in Nicaragua. I say 
kidnapped because that day at 3 in the morning a group of riot 
police violently entered the building of the Episcopal Curia 
and without presenting any arrest warrant they took us out of 
the rooms and placed us in the conference room of the Curia.
    There were five priests, among them the Bishop of the 
Diocese of Matagalpa, Monsignor Rolando Alvarez Lagos, a 
deacon, two seminarians and a lay man, a total of nine people 
who had been locked up for 15 days because on August 4th the 
national police locked them in that building.
    I was transferred to the cells of the Auxilio Judicial de 
Managua, a jail better known as Nueva Chipote. Our rights were 
violated because they did not tell us anything about the reason 
for our arrest.
    They stripped us naked, forced us to wear prison uniforms, 
and transferred me to one of the cells. That same day the 
interrogations began. There were more than 30 interrogations 
which could take place at any time of the day, even in the 
early hours of the morning.
    They blackmailed me and threatened the lives of my 
relatives because they wanted me to declare that the bishop was 
a member of an organization that wanted to promote a coup 
d'etat against Daniel Ortega and that he received money from 
the U.S. Government and the European Union.
    Other interrogations had to do with the homilies that the 
bishop had said in some Eucharists and in which according to 
them he was inciting people to rise up to protest against the 
government.
    The homilies are all on social networks and in them he 
simply exercises his freedom of expression and advocates for 
the defense of the human rights of Nicaraguans.
    It is clear that this is manipulated by the same government 
that does not like to hear the truth and the voice of the 
Catholic Church.
    So from that date began an open persecution of Catholic 
institutions such as Caritas and John Paul II University and 
more recently the Central American University--UCA--thus 
affecting university autonomy and academic freedom in the 
country.
    While the interrogations were taking place the trial 
against the group that was in the Episcopal Curia was also 
taking place. The trial from the beginning was full of 
irregularities, illegalities, and vices.
    The prosecutor's office, the police, and the judges 
colluded so that in the end the accusation was practically the 
same for the majority of the 222 including the priests and the 
bishop.
    In the same way once the sentence was pronounced we were 
accused of treason and all our civil rights were taken away to 
the point of not even presenting us at the Civil Registry 
Office.
    As I pointed out earlier, we were taken out of jail on the 
night of Wednesday, February 8th, around 10:30 p.m. and taken 
on three buses to an unknown destination until we were on the 
tarmac of the Air Force airport and it was explained to us that 
we were leaving for exile in the United States. When we were in 
Washington the next day we realized that the bishop was not on 
that plane. He is being held in the prison known as La Modelo 
in Tipitapa, Managua, Nicaragua.
    I hope that this testimony can be used to negotiate the 
release of my bishop, Rolando Jose Alvarez Lagos. Thank you.
    [The prepared statement of Exiled Prisoner of Conscience 
No. 2 follows:]

[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]


    Mr. Smith. Thank you so very much. They are very, very--
both of your testimoneys are just extraordinary. Thank you.
    I'd like to recognize a parent of a prisoner of conscience 
and thank her for being here today.

         STATEMENT OF PARENT OF PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE

    [The following statement and answers were delivered through 
an interpreter.]
    Parent of Prisoner of Conscience. I will omit my name for 
security and identify myself as a Nicaraguan in exile. My life 
and that of my family changed on April 16th, 2018, when the 
government of Nicaragua made reforms to social security, at 
which time my family and I joined the protests along with 
thousands of Nicaraguans.
    Since that day we received threats, persecution, and 
continuous siege by the police, the Sandinista militants, and 
paramilitary groups. We participated in different marches, 
civic sit-ins, and witnessed brutal attacks by the Sandinista 
police against students and civil society.
    At the same time we witnessed the participation of the 
Catholic Church as a mediator and defender of human rights and 
I will now cite some events.
    In the city of Matagalpa on May 15th the Sandinista police 
and paramilitary groups attacked the young demonstrators and it 
was the Catholic priests that interceded and achieved a cease-
fire.
    The Catholic Church opened the doors of its churches to 
protect the life and integrity of the students and 
demonstrators. On May 30th, Nicaraguan Mother's Day, a march 
was organized in support of the mothers of the assassinated 
youths.
    Thousands of Nicaraguans participated and among them my 
family and myself, and as the march progressed gunshots were 
heard. The dictatorship had snipers and they shot at the 
civilian population that was participating in the marches.
    One of my sons and other young people set out to help the 
wounded. My husband, one of my sons, and I managed to get to 
our house.
    However, my other son could not. He took refuge in the 
cathedral of the Catholic Church and in the early morning of 
the next day my husband and I managed to get them out of the 
cathedral.
    One of my sons was kidnapped by paramilitaries in the 
middle of 2018 and at the time of his kidnapping two Catholic 
priests were passing by who immediately informed us of the 
kidnapping.
    The same day of his kidnapping my son was transferred to 
the torture prison El Chipote. The mothers remained outside the 
prison day and night accompanied by several priests.
    We did not know if our sons were alive or dead and it was 
not until Bishop Rolando Jose Alvarez arrived at El Chipote and 
asked to see the kidnapped young men that I knew that my son 
was alive.
    Bishop Rolando Alvarez together with all the clergy of the 
diocese of Matagalpa celebrated a mass outside of El Chipote 
for the freedom of the kidnapped and for the peace of 
Nicaragua.
    As the dictatorship was opening trials for the kidnapped 
they were being transferred to the Modelo prison. The Catholic 
Church made arrangements so that we could see them.
    The visit took place in a large cell where there were many 
rusty iron bars. The condition of the cell was deplorable, very 
dirty. I saw my son tortured. His whole body was beaten and 
with many insect bites.
    Right next to us there were some young men maybe between 15 
and 16 years old and you could see the torture that they had 
been subjected to. I remember that one of them lifted up his 
pants and showed me his calf. It had been burned with acid, and 
he could not bend the fingers of his hands due to the tortures 
that he was subjected to.
    On July 13th the Sandinista police attacked with firearms 
the students who were at the National Autonomous University of 
Nicaragua. The students took refuge in the Divine Mercy 
Catholic Church.
    With my husband we went to try to help the wounded students 
but we did not succeed. The police presence and the attack 
prevented us from entering. That day two students died.
    In 2018 I suffered a direct attack against my physical 
integrity. I received a phone call informing me that there was 
an arrest warrant against me and for that reason I had to leave 
my country.
    All this accompaniment of the church toward the people of 
Nicaragua has provoked persecution by the government. I hope 
that my testimony will serve as a basis for taking forceful 
action against the Ortega/Murillo regime and that Bishop 
Rolando Jose Alvarez will be freed and that the persecution 
against the Catholic Church and the laity will stop.
    Thank you very much.
    [The prepared statement of Parent of Prisoner of Conscience 
follows:]

[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]


    Mr. Smith. Thank you very much, and let the record note 
that before us is a mom who through her tears, which the 
audience cannot see, is crying out for her son, for the other 
young people who were killed and tortured.
    As you just said, you know, the use of acid and that your 
son's body was so beaten and filled with insect bites, I mean, 
that needs to be known by everybody in this town and everybody 
around the world.
    So thank you for bringing that forward to us. You know, the 
love of a mother is just incredible and your testimony is so 
moving. Thank you.
    I'd like to now turn to Ms. Ullmer.

   STATEMENT OF DEBORAH ULLMER, REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR LATIN 
    AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE

    Ms. Ullmer. Thank you. Thank you, Chairman Smith, Ranking 
Member Wild, and members of the Subcommittee of Global Health, 
Global Human Rights, and International Organizations.
    Thank you for this opportunity to address the subcommittee 
as part of a followup to the March 22d hearing calling for the 
release of Bishop Rolando Alvarez, who has become the 
courageous face of resistance in Nicaragua.
    I am honored to testify again in my capacity as regional 
director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the National 
Democratic Institute and wish to express my solidarity with the 
brave former prisoners of conscience and the mother who 
accompany us here today.
    The fact that their faces are protected from the public's 
view here in the United States is emblematic of the State of 
repression in Nicaragua today.
    The ongoing expulsion, arbitrary deprivation of 
citizenship, arbitrary detentions, and illegal confiscations of 
the property of hundreds of Nicaraguenses' critics they 
highlight the seamlessly relentless repression in the country.
    As I mentioned to the honorable Members of Congress in 
March, the situation in Nicaragua is deeply personal to me. My 
husband's name appeared first on the list of 94 Nicaraguans 
stripped of their citizenship on February 15th. I'm happy to 
say that today he is a U.S. citizen.
    But the Ortega/Murillo regime last week confiscated our 
house in Managua. I take inspiration from Bishop Alvarez's 
words that painful experiences like these do not happen in 
vain.
    As Nicaragua becomes increasingly totalitarian its ties to 
China and Russia deepen. Nicaragua serves as a political and 
military base for these illiberal influences in Central 
America.
    In fact, the Ortega/Murillo regime has been successful in 
advocating for China and Russia to serve as observers in 
regional bodies including the Central American Parliament--
PARLACEN--and the Central American Integration System, SICA.
    In this regard the Ortega/Murillo regime threatens to 
broaden the influence of malevolent actors in Central America. 
NDI applauds important actions taken to date against Nicaraguan 
officials committing systematic human rights violations.
    Unfortunately, the Ortega/Murillo regime continues to 
dismantle democratic institutions, erase the rule of law and 
fundamental freedoms, and consolidate its dictatorial power.
    It is essential to call out the ongoing crimes against 
humanity and violations of fundamental human rights and 
liberties endured by the Nicaraguans including Bishop Alvarez.
    But we must not also forget about the 81 remaining 
political prisoners jailed since April 2018 including the 
mother who is here today. Their family members, as she just 
stated, are also suffering reprisals.
    The group of human rights experts on Nicaragua tasked by 
the United Nations Human Rights Council to conduct 
investigations into human rights violations and abuses 
committed in the country since April 2018 express deep concern 
about the situation of Bishop Alvarez, who is in solitary 
confinement and in detention that gravely contravenes the 
Nelson Mandela rules for the treatment of prisoners.
    The U.S. and the international community should consider 
the following additional actions to continue to address ongoing 
human rights violations in Nicaragua.
    First, despite Nicaragua's recent formal withdrawal from 
the Organization of American States the country and government 
remain bound to human rights obligations under international 
conventions such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 
to which Nicaragua is a signatory.
    As such, ongoing investigations and public reporting by the 
U.N. group of experts remain crucial to ensure international 
scrutiny of the deteriorating crises and exert pressure on U.N. 
member States to demand accountability and justice for the 
victims of atrocities, particularly human rights abuses against 
indigenous and Afro-descendant communities.
    In particular I want to call attention to the recent arrest 
of Brooklyn Rivera, a Miskito indigenous person and leader of 
the YATAMA Party, right ahead of the March 2024 regional 
elections.
    As verified by the Inter-American Human Rights Commission, 
the status of Mr. Rivera's health and whereabouts are unknown.
    Second, the U.S. should work with democracies in the region 
to create a Friends of Nicaragua group to advance high-level 
regional dialog toward a democratic transition.
    Furthermore, the U.S. should work with Canada, European 
Union, and other allies to ensure a coordinated, consistent, 
and a holistic response to the crises including sanctions which 
prioritizes human rights in consultation with the Nicaraguan 
civil society.
    Third, the U.S. Government has diplomatic and economic 
tools to ensure international financing and trade are not 
propping up the Ortega/Murillo regime including the bipartisan 
NICA and RENACER Acts and Executive Order 14088.
    In this regard the Administration should fully use all of 
its tools at its disposal to sanction sectors that bolster the 
economic interests of the Nicaraguan regime including CAFTA-DR.
    The U.S. rightly sanctioned Nicaragua's attorney general 
earlier this year for confiscating property from the 
government's political opponents without a legal basis.
    The U.S. should also consider sanctions against the 
Nicaragua Central Bank for profiting from the confiscations not 
only of Nicaraguans but now of U.S. citizens, along with the 
private banks that have branches in the United States for 
either colluding with the regime either directly or by their 
inaction.
    Fourth, NDI congratulates the Administration for its recent 
action to restrict visas for the operators of aviation 
companies facilitating chartered flights for Cuban and Haitian 
migrants to Nicaragua from where they seek a perilous travel to 
the north.
    The U.S. should also consider sanctioning the Nicaraguan 
Institute for Civil Aeronautics for participating in and 
profiting from these flights.
    Finally, NDI commends the bipartisan efforts by this 
committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to 
increase scrutiny of lending by the Central American 
Development Bank of Economic Integration, CABEI.
    A new investigation by the Organized Crime and Corruption 
Report project raises questions about the bank's lending 
practices to, quote, ``a club of friends who prioritize 
politics over sound investments and rely on the bank to access 
cheaper funding from international markets.''
    The U.S. has an opportunity to work with the new and first 
woman executive president of CABEI, Ana Gisela Sanchez from 
Costa Rica, to reconsider continued lending to Nicaragua until 
actions are taken to restore democracy. This will also send an 
important message to neighboring governments already 
demonstrating concerning authoritarian practices.
    I join with the Nicaraguans' calls with our former 
prisoners of conscience and the mother who is here today and 
yours, Chairman Smith, to let Bishop Alvarez go.
    Thank you so much for the opportunity to testify and I look 
forward to your questions.
    [The prepared statement of Ms. Ullmer follows:]

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    Mr. Smith. Thank you, Ms. Ullmer.
    Thank you for that tremendous testimony, for that very 
important prescriptive list of actions that we, the House, 
Senate, and the executive branch need to undertake and your 
thought--and I'll ask your question about it--and I will go to 
Ms. Salazar, the chairwoman of the Western Hemisphere 
Subcommittee, for her comments and remarks and she is a 
tremendous advocate for human rights and freedom.
    But I thank you for calling on a collaboration with the 
other nations. Again, the idea of people looking askance and 
having compassion fatigue or anything like that we need to 
double down rather than do business as usual. So thank you so 
much for that.
    Proud to recognize our distinguished chairwoman of the 
Western Hemisphere Committee, Ms. Salazar.
    Ms. Salazar. Thanks to you, Mr. Chairman, and you are the 
distinguished one, Representative Smith, for putting together 
this hearing and always caring about the people from Nicaragua.
    I have asked you for permission to do this hearing in 
Spanish because that way it's going to be easier for you. I 
know that you're going to have a translator and if not I can 
translate my words. But you have a translator.
    And because the reason why Chairman Smith asked me to do it 
in Spanish is so we can transcend the walls of the United 
States Capitol and get to the people of Nicaragua and to 
everyone who's interested in this beautiful country.
    Let's see if--all right. So----
    The Interpreter. Oh, sorry. I'm going to--my bad. I'm 
sorry, Congresswoman.
    [Laughter.]
    Ms. Salazar. I will speak in Spanish for everybody that's 
listening and to us outside of these walls. I want to get in a 
rhythm here so that you can do the translation correctly for 
the rest of the members.
    This is a hearing that Congressman Smith is holding for all 
those Nicaraguans that want to see freedom in their homeland. 
We thank all three of you that are here for your sacrifice.
    What is inconceivable is that Daniel Ortega meddles or 
interferes with the Catholic Church, something that not even 
the dictator Somoza was willing to do, and he's holding as a 
prisoner one of the most important members of the Catholic 
Church in Nicaragua for more than a year now.
    And the question is how does Ortega know that he can do 
this to somebody of such importance in an institution that is 
twice as popular and has more confident than the Ortega regime 
in Nicaragua. How does Ortega know that he can do this?
    For whoever wants to answer.
    Exiled Prisoner of Conscience No. 2. I believe that in his 
mind that we are--we're enemies. He thinks that we're enemies 
among us. He thinks that us--he thinks that we have promoted 
the supposed coup d'etat.
    But my question really is this. When he was in prison and 
many others like him, the Sandinista guerrillas, did he forget 
that it was the Catholic Church that interceded for his 
liberation and the liberation of all of them?
    In other words, the Catholic Church exists to defend human 
rights and the dignity of the human person.
    Ms. Salazar. He forgot. Very convenient. Is he acting under 
the knowledge that there is no political cost to pay for doing 
what he's doing to the Catholic Church or does he know that 
there is a cost?
    Exiled Prisoner of Conscience No. 2. He knows there is a 
cost but he does not care. He just does not care.
    Ms. Salazar. Can the Catholic Church get him out of power 
and if so how? Could they do it as it happened to Somoza?
    Exiled Prisoner of Conscience No. 2. We cannot. It's not 
our mission. We're not a political party. That's not what the 
role of the church is.
    Ms. Salazar. But Bishop Obando y Bravo, back in the day, 
did actually accomplish that the Sandinistas did not gain power 
through elections.
    Exiled Prisoner of Conscience No. 2. I think that as a 
citizen certainly that was the case. But in terms of the church 
as an institution the doctrine of the Church is not that. It is 
not our mission. We are not at war with any government. We just 
raise a prophetic voice.
    Exiled Prisoner of Conscience No. 1. Our mission is to 
preach the social teachings of the Church, nothing else. We are 
not a political party. Our mission is always to just preach the 
gospel with all its consequences whatever they may be.
    Ms. Salazar. What are the soft spots or vulnerabilities of 
Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo? If they do not fear God what 
do they fear?
    Exiled Prisoner of Conscience No. 1. Nothing. Nobody. They 
themselves think that they are God and that's it.
    Parent of Prisoner of Conscience. They are afraid of losing 
power. That's it.
    Ms. Salazar. Finally, what do you think that the U.S. can 
do so that Nicaraguans can have democracy in their country?
    Exiled Prisoner of Conscience No. 2. For me, the very fact 
that we're holding this hearing is incredibly important for us. 
Being such a small country having this opportunity to rise up 
to an international stage and to make it known what is 
happening in our country this already creates consciousness in 
our country.
    That is different from what is seen through social media 
that are so tailored, or tourists that visit our country and 
look at everything as if everything is normal and that nothing 
is happening and that's not the case. That's it.
    Ms. Salazar. If that is the case, here we are the two 
chairmen of the two subcommittees for the Western Hemisphere 
and for Human Rights speaking clearly to the international 
community and specifically to the regime of Daniel Ortega and 
Rosario Murillo that we will not rest so long as we're in this 
position and we will not forget that they are two heartless 
dictators and they have stolen the country, a country that used 
to be the grain provision for all of Central America, that had 
democracy thanks to Violeta Chamorro, that was able to get away 
from the dead weight that are Sandinistas that maybe for now 
are back in power but this will not last forever and we are 
committed, both of us, and the full committee of Foreign 
Affairs for the United States of America that this will be the 
case.
    Do you agree? Absolutamente. Thank you, Chairman. I yield 
back.
    Mr. Smith. You could go on forever. I deeply appreciate 
Chairwoman Salazar's incisive questioning and her passion and 
her unbelievably deep commitment to fundamental human rights 
and that the people of Nicaragua deserve those rights.
    They deserve better than what they are getting now and our 
witnesses clearly have made it so clear that there needs to be 
change and I can tell you, you know, notwithstanding the myriad 
of crises that we have in the world today whether it be the 
challenges of conflict, Hamas, the problems we're having, 
obviously, in Ukraine and the conflict there, the crimes 
against humanity and genocide being committed by Xi Jinping in 
Xinjiang and other human rights abuses in China, the threats to 
Taiwan--all of it in no way, shape, or form crowds out our 
focus and our concern for the people of Nicaragua, for the 
bishop, for all of you, and we will redouble our efforts going 
forward.
    We're looking for additional levers and, again, thank you, 
Ms. Ullmer, for your recommendations on very specific things 
that we could be doing and we will do it and we're going to--
you know, I would just note for the record that Juan Sebastian 
Chamorro is here with us today.
    He was imprisoned because he was a candidate running 
against Ortega. His wife Victoria had testified at a hearing we 
had 2 years ago.
    He testified last spring, and these are the best and the 
bravest and the brightest of Nicaragua who are just calling for 
democracy and freedom, and all of you have paid such a price 
for it and I just cannot say how deeply respectful and 
encouraged we are by your ongoing resilience and strength.
    We will continue this effort. We're going to meet and talk 
about next steps but right now we're requesting and appealing 
to Ortega to let the bishop go and I think your point, Exiled 
Prisoner No. 2--I'd love to say your name but you know why--for 
reminding us how the church as peacemakers.
    You know, the Beatitudes cannot be clearer when Jesus said 
blessed are the peacemakers. You stepped in and helped Ortega 
himself as a church--as our church--because I am a Catholic as 
well, and as was pointed out by the parent of our prisoner of 
conscience the church stepped in as peace makers to protect 
children, the young people, the students, and got a cease-fire.
    I mean, that's what the church does. As you said so 
clearly, you're not a political party. The church isn't a 
political party anywhere but is a force for enormous good and 
compassion and love and reconciliation. So, again, thank you 
for that.
    Do you have any--yes?
    Ms. Salazar. Chairman, the Bible also said that the Devil 
is coming to kill, steal, and destroy and resist it. So we are 
resisting Devil according to the Scriptures.
    [Spanish language spoken.]
    Ms. Salazar. So you can translate--like, please do the 
translation.
    The Interpreter. I'm sorry, Congresswoman. I got caught up 
with your rhetoric. But----
    Ms. Salazar. It's like the Bible says that you have to 
resist the Devil because it comes to kill, steal, and destroy 
and Murillo and Ortega are the Devil on Nicaragua. So that's 
why we are resisting them.
    The first thing that they should do is to let the bishop 
free. Let him out so he can come to the exile and continue 
living his life of serving the Nicaraguan people out of 
Nicaragua, something that he should not be doing.
    I do not understand why he has to go into exile. He was 
born in Nicaragua and he wants to stay in Nicaragua so why does 
he have to leave? They are the ones who should be leaving.
    I yield back.
    Mr. Smith. Let me just ask very briefly about that video 
that we all watched and it was--the timeliness of it was 
interesting at best.
    As I pointed out in my opening comments I have seen--
because I have visited prisons and gulags for my entirety of my 
time in Congress and there's always an effort to try to 
portray, you know, incredibly humane conditions when you visit.
    You know, they do put on a show and that video to me, 
seeing all of that food laid out for Bishop Alvarez, was just a 
bridge too far. I mean, it was a Potemkin village, like I said 
in my opening comments.
    So maybe if you could speak to the prison conditions. You, 
a prisoner--mom of a prisoner of conscience, your son, you 
pointed out just how horrific it was and then the fact that he 
was tortured, you know, I think people need to know that and 
you did--you know, thank you for--and I know you spoke through 
your tears when you told us that.
    But people need to know the truth and thanks for being a 
truth bearer on that. But that video--I watched that three 
times and I said, are you kidding me. You know, you think we're 
just going to say oh, everything's just fine. He's sitting in a 
cushy chair. The television set is on and there's platters of 
food right in front of him.
    It did not look like he had much food before that and he 
was not eating either. So I--but and, again, and I do not want 
to repeat myself but it reminded me exactly what I saw at Perm 
Camp 35 with Frank Wolf in 1989.
    I did not mention this but they even had in this so-called 
cafeteria, which the political prisoners there including Natan 
Sharansky never saw. They had a--like, when you go to 
McDonald's you see the caloric count of every food item--you 
know, the hamburger equals how many--they had that up there and 
I said, you know, who do you think you're kidding.
    So I just--you know, if you could maybe speak to that video 
if you'd like and about the bishop. You know, I think there's 
been an attempt to confuse, that somehow he wants to stay in 
prison.
    I do not think that's the case. He wants to be free and I 
think--and that might mean coming here. It might mean going to 
the Vatican. But, you know, as Congresswoman--Chairwoman 
Salazar pointed out, I thought of another Scripture as she was 
speaking.
    You know, when it said what does it profit a man to gain 
the entire world and lose his soul, I mean, is this all worth 
it? All this power and having--you know, do not they have 
enough riches? Don't they have enough power as well as their 
cronies?
    You know, try reaching out to people and get in their 
shoes. A little empathy would certainly go a long way. But if 
you could speak to the video.
    Exiled Prisoner of Conscience No. 2. Just as you have 
mentioned, Congressman Smith, that video is nothing but a show 
that's been put on by the regime. We lived it ourselves.
    When we had visitors at the prison it was exactly the same 
situation. A room would be prepared so that the family members 
would feel at ease with our conditions and that they could see 
that we're all OK.
    They would ask them to smile for the cameras because there 
would be a picture taken of the visit and that they should also 
smile. I mean, not just us but also our family members.
    So we're fully aware that this is nothing but a show. I 
mean, even the food that was there was exquisite and not what 
we would receive. The day of our visit we will always have 
that, like, spread of food laid out but it was never given to 
us.
    What is very noteworthy is that the officers of the prison 
that would serve the food and would be very kind to us or nice 
when speaking to us in those days were the same ones that would 
later be at the courthouse testifying lies against us.
    Parent of Prisoner of Conscience. Speaking in my capacity 
as a family member of a former prisoner the videos and the 
pictures are the biggest humiliation that we can get.
    Family members are submitted to abuse. Whenever we had the 
opportunity to visit and going in you would be fondled. Some 
women were stripped down naked, and I can definitely recall 
that in one opportunity one mother was late to the visit and 
they told her, if you want to give food to your son you have to 
dance. You have to dance the song Daniel Se Queda--Daniel 
Stays. The mom had to do it so that she could feed her son.
    Mr. Smith. One question to Ms. Ullmer. You gave, again, 
that excellent prescriptive list of things we could be doing 
and I thank you for that.
    You mentioned the importance of the central bank and, you 
know, we have seen with Iran and with other sanctioning--
sanctions that have been imposed by our government over the 
years that that's when you really get their attention.
    You know, GSP, all those things, are all important. The 
CAFTA--that would be an area, and I hope the regime realizes 
that we're just beginning and, you know, you saw the passion of 
Chairwoman Salazar. I feel the same. She is, you know, 
absolutely committed. Has been doing this her entire life as 
well.
    And so if you could maybe speak to and elaborate a bit on 
some of those actions that need to be taken.
    Ms. Ullmer. Thank you for the question.
    I'd like to start off with the question that Chairwoman 
Salazar posed first--what are the vulnerabilities. I heard one 
Juan Sebastian Chamorro behind me say they fear the population.
    All of this, the sham, all of the false information, the 
attacks against the Nicaraguenses, the fear I hear in these 
brave souls that are sitting next to me they fear the 
population. This is what they fear. And, again, I'm so grateful 
and so honored to be sitting aside them.
    What else can we be doing? I mentioned the central bank 
because I'd like to speak about my own personal experience. 
These criminals are trying to not leave traces of their 
illegalities.
    In confiscating our houses they are not leaving any papers. 
They're telling--if we have tenants they're telling our tenants 
that they have to sign new leases but are not being provided 
what those leases are or the terms.
    Furthermore, they're being told to go and pay the central 
bank in person so that they won't have wire transfers or any 
paper trails.
    They will make mistakes and we will document those mistakes 
and this is why it's important to be documenting today the 
crimes that they are committing because the population will 
regain their democracy. They will be able to go back to a free 
land. I'm certain of that and that is what I'm dedicated to 
doing.
    What else could we be doing? I want to highlight the 
efforts of the Nicaraguans that are here not only in the U.S. 
but also in exile in Spain and Mexico and Costa Rica and inside 
of the country, of the brave souls that are still there and 
their family members that are still there.
    They're trying to find a common ground for peaceful change 
for when a political opening does occur. These efforts can be 
bolstered by sustained U.S. democracy assistance that supports 
journalists, civic, environmental, human rights, and youth 
activists and the democratic opposition to what--to shine a 
light on the crimes against humanity, to monitor international 
financial bank loans, to disrupt information manipulation, to 
generate a consensus toward a democratic transition.
    A return to democracy, however, will only likely succeed 
when the Nicaraguan efforts are bolstered with international 
support. CABEI has been playing an unfortunate role and 
supporting not only the Murillo and Ortega regime but others 
that are becoming less democratic in Central America.
    We have a golden opportunity to now work with the new 
president who comes from Costa Rica to rethink the lending to 
Nicaragua. Thankfully, a U.N. environmental fund was recently 
stopped.
    I believe that was after the hearing in March because we 
shined the light on what's going on with the indigenous lands 
and the settlers. It's important to continue the pressure and 
to really look at the bank lending, that absolutely we have 
voice and vote at the World Bank, at the International 
Development Bank--we have that influence.
    We need to also work with colleagues at CABEI because they 
are bankrolling dictators. The sanctions--DR-CAFTA--that is 
something that the Nicaraguans are calling for and we have been 
very careful to provide individual sanctions to really only 
harm the regime that are committing crimes against humanity and 
not widespread sanctions.
    The Ortega/Murillo regime has attempted over the past 
couple of years to manipulate the information as if we are 
calling for a widespread blockade and that is not the case.
    The Nicaraguans need to understand that our sanctions have 
been targeted to individuals who are causing harm including the 
attorney general and others now at the supreme court--what's 
left of the supreme court.
    There's a lot of change going on and there is analysis in 
the--within the country that the firing of almost 900 
individuals at different levels--the supreme court, national 
and local levels of judges, of administrative staff.
    They fear information getting out to other nations. They 
fear that their own officials who have worked in government and 
are now fleeing the country they fear that real--the 
information is getting out and now they are clamping down to 
the point of completely erasing the supreme court and moving 
all of their illegalities to the attorney general's office, 
which is now judge and jury.
    There's a lot more work that can be done for sure and I 
thank you both, Chairwoman Salazar, Chairman Smith, and Ranking 
Member Wild for all the efforts in keeping the light on 
Nicaragua.
    Mr. Smith. Ms. Wild?
    Ms. Wild. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
    I'm going to pick up right there, speaking of information 
getting out. I'm very interested and concerned with the topic 
of freedom of the press and in July 2023 a Nicaraguan 
journalist said in Nicaragua there's not a single independent 
media outlet that operates within the country. You would--
you're nodding your head. I take it you agree with that 
statement.
    Can you speak to any efforts by the regime to restrict or 
surveille internet use and other forms of digital information 
sharing?
    Ms. Ullmer. Thank you for that question. Back in March I 
believe I had mentioned that the Russians, according to the 
Pentagon and other sources, have set up satellites. I've seen 
the satellites for myself when I was there in 2019.
    With their new embassy and these satellites the belief is 
that the satellites are there to not only surveille the 
opposition within the country but they're also surveilling 
opposition throughout Latin America or at least throughout 
Central America.
    There is no doubt in anyone's minds that the regime is 
working closely with Iran, with Russia, with China to not only 
surveille their own but also to replicate or manipulate 
information.
    The surveillance, however, was also started a while back 
ago through what they call community policing. Not community 
policing in what we believe in the United States but it's to 
set up police block by block, and this is inspired by Iran and 
in Cuba, where they--basically they're informants to the party 
and provide movements.
    Hence, while these people were picked up, right, at 3 in 
the morning they knew where to find folks not only in their 
homes but on the streets. That was also shown to be the case in 
2018 when they were going after the students and their 
families. They were being surveilled.
    And so there's no doubt in my mind that that's happening. 
There is no freedom of press, of speech, of movement, of 
assembly that you can speak of anymore in Nicaragua.
    Ms. Wild. So let me ask you this. Are there any effective 
pathways for the United States and international partners to 
attempt to protect independent media workers or outlets 
broadcasting and publishing independent coverage of events in 
Nicaragua?
    Ms. Ullmer. Absolutely. Journalists today are circumventing 
this restriction. They're operating on the outside and that's 
thanks to support by the United States of lifting the 
Nicaraguans' voices outside of Nicaragua and throughout the 
territories.
    That is one way to continue to shine a spotlight on 
Nicaragua. They're working from the outside.
    Ms. Wild. Meaning they're not in the country?
    Ms. Ullmer. They're not in the country anymore.
    Ms. Wild. OK. So that's how they--because I was going to 
ask about their safety and wellbeing.
    Ms. Ullmer. But they have journalists and they have in 
their informants that they protect inside of the country.
    Ms. Wild. And how can we best support that?
    Ms. Ullmer. I think that we need to continue to provide 
democracy and civic government assistance. That is the best way 
to support, to support organizations that work with the 
journalists but organizations that also provide human rights 
protection mechanisms.
    Unfortunately, that means many times that these individuals 
have to leave their countries and they cannot stay in their 
country. They shouldn't have to leave their countries but many 
times for their own safety and protection there are mechanisms 
now but that is supported by the Inter-American Human Rights 
Commission and other mechanisms to protect these individuals.
    Ms. Wild. If I could just ask one last piece of this 
question about journalism and freedom of the press. So it's 
encouraging to hear that certain journalists are finding a way 
to circumvent it outside the country.
    But can we assume from past testimony here and what you 
just told us about informants literally going block by block 
that journalism is essentially unavailable to people in 
Nicaragua?
    I mean, it's more for the--more for the purpose of 
educating the outside world about what's happening in Nicaragua 
than it is in help--in bringing truth to the residents and 
citizens?
    Ms. Ullmer. I have to say by the flood of WhatsApp messages 
I've just received Nicaraguans are receiving the information 
inside.
    Ms. Wild. Well, that's encouraging. I always like to end my 
questioning on an encouraging note so I'm going to yield at 
this point. I may--I may have other questions but I thank you.
    Ms. Ullmer. Thank you.
    Mr. Smith. Thank you again. Matter of fact, if you want to 
ask it now that'd be great.
    Ms. Wild. Sure. Great. Happy to. I just do not like to--I 
do not like to hog the time. So I will proceed. Thank you very 
much, Mr. Chairman.
    What--switching gears--not on journalism here--what avenues 
do you see for constructive engagement in defense of human 
rights in Nicaragua given particularly the regime's increasing 
retreat from international fora and efforts to cutoff contact, 
even banning the Red Cross?
    Obviously, it's encouraging that 222 political prisoners 
were released to the United States and 12 Catholic priests were 
released and sent to Rome.
    But it seems pretty clear that these individuals are likely 
to be stripped of Nicaraguan citizenship and perhaps tried for 
spurious claims of treason and all of that is just obviously 
very, very concerning.
    So I'd like to know what you see as the best strategy for 
engaging on the defense of human rights. That's the--in many 
ways the purpose of this subcommittee to try to figure out how 
we actually help people who are suffering human rights abuses. 
So we'd love to hear from you.
    Ms. Ullmer. Thank you for the question.
    So as Nicaragua's isolation from regional and international 
organizations sort of reduces the checks on Ortega/Murillo's 
power, but despite their withdrawal from the OAS the government 
and the country remained bound to several human rights 
obligations under international instruments such as the 
Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
    So ongoing investigations and public reporting by the U.N. 
human rights group on Nicaragua is crucial to ensuring 
international scrutiny of the deteriorating crises and to exert 
pressure on U.N. member States to provide accountability and 
justice for the victims of atrocities, particularly human 
rights abuses that we have heard against women and the 
indigenous and Afro-descendant communities.
    The U.S. should also work with those democracies throughout 
the world but particularly in Latin America. It took the 
jailing and not even the deaths, but it took the jailing of so 
many political prisoners, prisoners of conscience, and touching 
the Catholic Church for other members of this hemisphere to 
speak out.
    I think we now need to work with them to exert pressure. 
They're watching very closely and they are human rights 
advocates. We need to be working with them to find other 
avenues to reach out and to pressure Ortega/Murillo.
    Ms. Wild. And you just made reference to the priests who 
were imprisoned. Do you think that that was key to the rest of 
the hemisphere taking note as opposed to individuals outside 
the priesthood being imprisoned which happens regularly and 
often?
    Ms. Ullmer. In my personal opinion, yes. Yes. Given the 
history of Latin America, yes.
    Ms. Wild. Thank you. Thank you very much for your excellent 
testimony and your--the work that you do in this field.
    I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
    Mr. Smith. Just a couple of things that we're putting on 
our radar is that when Nicaragua's Universal Periodic Review 
comes up next year we want to be very, very focused so that 
other nations will raise--I mean, the Human Rights Council has 
its drawbacks but certainly the Universal Periodic Review 
provides an opportunity and we do raise these issues with other 
U.N. fora including human rights--the High Commissioner there.
    So we're going to--if any of you want to speak to whether 
or not you think the U.N. has been responsive that would be 
fine. Maybe, Deborah, you might want to do that.
    And just so you know, you know, your testimoneys are 
motivating. You know, Mr. Chamorro and his wife and others who 
testified previously, I mean, you let us know--you are--you got 
your hand on the pulse as to what's happening and inspires all 
of us to do more and it also gives us the direction we should 
be going in and we're going to just redouble our efforts. I can 
absolutely assure you of that.
    We have not let up but that's why we're having this hearing 
to say, you know, let Bishop Alvarez go. I mean, it's absurd 
that he is being held, the way he is being incarcerated for no 
crime and I'm so glad you brought up, Exiled Prisoner of 
Conscience No. 2, that you intervened for him when he was in 
trouble.
    I mean, does not he remember that? Doesn't he care? You 
know, there was the church. The church is for everyone. It 
tries to say love and be a peacemaker for everyone.
    So thank you for reminding us of that and I will remind 
others of that based on your testimony and, you know, thank you 
for bringing that forward.
    But anything before we close that you would like to speak, 
including to the U.N.?
    Ms. Ullmer. Thank you. Yes. I cannot stress enough that the 
expert group of human rights on Nicaragua is doing an important 
work. Their mandate has been extended, I think, to April 2025 
and that happened, again, after the last hearing in March.
    They are documenting important cases. They are documenting 
and reporting out to the international community what is 
happening--what has happened and what is happening.
    And so I think it's important to continue to work with this 
group of experts who are lawyers, they're human rights 
activists, so that they can continue to report out to the U.N. 
Human Rights Council.
    Unfortunately, we all know which members sit on the Human 
Rights Council so we do need to do work beyond the council to 
really inform others who are human rights activists to lift 
their voices.
    EPU, the Universal Periodic Review, as you mentioned, 
Chairman, is a great opportunity to continue to shine light so 
that it's not just the regime that's speaking but that they're 
hearing the truth from the Nicaraguan people.
    Thank you.
    Mr. Smith. Would anyone else like to offer any further 
commentary before we close?
    Parent of Prisoner of Conscience. I just want to say on 
behalf of all three of us sitting here today and on behalf of 
all Nicaraguans in exile we're extremely thankful for the 
efforts that you are putting in.
    Mr. Smith. Thank you so very, very much.
    Ms. Wild. If I could just say it's our honor and our 
privilege to do so.
    Mr. Smith. Absolutely.
    Ms. Ullmer. If I may just add one last point. It's an 
important point.
    The 222 former political prisoners that are in the United 
States we need to help them expedite their political asylum 
cases. They do not have benefits. They do not have benefits, 
and I know Chairwoman Salazar has put forth a bill.
    We are here to support that, to make sure that these 
important citizens so that they can remain engaged in the 
future of their country it's important that they have benefits, 
that they're able to make a living wage.
    They have work permits but they do not have benefits and 
they do not have citizenship, and their parole has only been 
granted for 2 years. It's important, please, to keep that in 
mind.
    Mr. Smith. Thank you, and I'll just conclude with this. I 
did put together a letter that has gone over to the Secretary 
of State--and without objection that will be made a part of the 
record--which lays out a number of things we think State could 
and should be doing and we do it in the spirit of partnership 
with the Administration and I do hope that they will take it 
seriously.
    And I would also point out the Alliance Defending Freedom 
has filed a petition with--on behalf of Bishop Alvarez with the 
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and without objection 
that petition will also be placed in the record.
    [The information referred to follows:]

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    Mr. Smith. Again, I thank you. God bless you, and we will--
we will persevere, and thank you for your sacrifices. They are 
not in vain.
    The hearing is adjourned.
    [Whereupon, at 11:45 a.m., the committee was adjourned.]

                                APPENDIX

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