Edilio Cárdenas

Edilio Jordani García Cárdenas, the political prisoner who continues to protest from his cells

Edilio García, 33 years old, is originally from Jinotega, father of a child. Edilio actively participated in civic protests since April 2018.

He was arbitrarily detained on July 23, 2018, accused by the Police of belonging to a “group of terrorists”, and charged by the Public Prosecutor’s Office for the alleged crimes of terrorism, arson, frustrated homicide and psychological injuries. Edilio was released from prison on May 30, 2019, under the regime of “family cohabitation”.

After his release, Edilio was constantly besieged by police and para-police, who were located in front of his house, because he continued to carry out activism and advocacy in groups of political prisoners such as the Reflection Group of Released Prisoners (Grupo de Reflexión de Excarcelados, GREX). He was captured for the second time, on August 10, 2019, along with two other people for having attended an event in which the Civic Coalition in Matagalpa released a public statement, however he was released hours later.

Two months later, he was captured for the third time, arbitrarily and illegally by the police in a public street in Jinotega, on October 2, 2020, he was accused by the Public Ministry for the crime of internal drug trafficking and sentenced by Judge Erick Carvajal to 5 years in prison. The pro-government media included him in a publication about dangerous criminals captured, under the same title, linking the news about his arrest with cases of homicides and crimes charged to other people in the article.

Edilio is chronically hypertensive, suffers from kidney, allergies and dental problems, and is currently serving his sentence in the Waswalí Penitentiary System in Matagalpa, in Gallery 7, where he has not received any medical attention.

In May 2022, together with other people imprisoned for political reasons, Edilio protested by starting a hunger strike against the cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment they receive inside the cells. The prison authorities physically assaulted him and transferred him to a cell for common prisoners where he remained in total overcrowding, and the authorities allowed him only half a bucket of water per day for drinking and bathing. Since the protest in May, during family visits, three prison guards have been watching them and taking pictures of them.

Freedom for Edilio Jordani García Cárdenas!

We demand the Ortega-Murillo regime: NicasLibresYa!