Pedro Vásquez

Pedro Vásquez Cortedano sentenced behind closed doors

Pedro Vásquez, 60 years old, had at the time of his arrest more than three decades of being the driver of Cristiana Chamorro, current political prisoner and former presidential pre-candidate. He was arrested on June 15, 2021.

His arrest took place after being summoned to the Prosecutor’s Office, in the framework of investigations that were being developed against Cristiana Chamorro and other workers of the Violeta Barrios de Chamorro Foundation for the alleged crime of money laundering.

Her arrest took place at night and without giving any information to her relatives, who on June 18 reported her disappearance to the Police District II. An officer informed the family that they were not going to accept the missing person report and confirmed that he was detained at the DAJ.

During the first ninety days he was detained, no visits were authorized. In the process against him, there were repeated violations of due process guarantees such as the presumption of innocence and the right to be assisted by a lawyer.

The trial hearing lasted 7 days and concluded on March 11, 2022, with a sentence issued by Judge Luden Quiróz, who found him guilty alleging that he was a necessary collaborator for the crime of money laundering, property and assets and sentenced him to 7 years imprisonment.

The trial took place behind closed doors without access to the press, with most of the witnesses being police officers and in a jail of the Judicial Assistance Directorate of the National Police. The Prosecutor’s Office did not present evidence to prove the crime, however, Pedro was convicted.

Pedro is an elderly person. He has conditions that require periodic examinations and timely and quality medical attention. Because the State failed to comply with the Precautionary Measures granted on August 3, 2021 by the Inter-American Commission, the Commission requested Provisional Measures from the Inter-American Court, which were granted on November 4, 2021. The Court has requested the State to proceed to the immediate release of Pedro and has asked it to immediately adopt the necessary measures to effectively protect his life, integrity and liberty, however, to date, the State remains in contempt of the decision of the high court of human rights of the hemisphere.

In March, four days before the trial hearing began, Pedro was hospitalized for health problems, including colon problems, high blood pressure, dizziness and joint pain, without his family being informed of his hospitalization.

For a year now, Pedro Vásquez has been held in a prison of the Dirección de Auxilio Judicial Nacional, convicted of a crime he did not commit.

Freedom for Pedro Vásquez! 

We demand to the Ortega-Murillo regime: Free Nicas Now!