Manuel de Jesús Sobalvarro

Manuel de Jesús Sobalvarro, the former retired military officer accused of being an opposition leader

Manuel de Jesús Sobalvarro, 59 years old, retired military, lawyer and notary public, father of 2 children, was dedicated to the sale of handicrafts to be distributed at the Roberto Huembes market in Managua.

Manuel used to visit his mother’s house every Saturday and then attend Russian language classes at the UNAN-MANAGUA, it was his weekend routine.

He was arbitrarily detained for being an opponent on Saturday, November 16, 2019, in the area of Veracruz, municipality of Nindirí, Masaya.  His mother was left waiting for her usual visit. The police allegedly found him, at the time of arrest, a backpack with a revolver and explosive devices.

He was taken to the Dirección de Auxilio Judicial, Evaristo Vásquez Complex, popularly known as the “Nuevo Chipote”, where he was kept in solitary confinement and incommunicado from his family and lawyer.

He was subjected to psychological torture through interrogations for which, according to available information, the police threatened him by putting a gun to his temple and threatening to harm his family.

Manuel was accused of attempting to destroy on September 21, 2019 a bridge and of knocking down the electric transmission tower, owned by Enatrel, in San Isidro, Chinandega.

He was captured at kilometer 59 of the old highway to Leon, while driving his pickup truck. He was accused by the co-opted criminal justice system of the Public Prosecutor’s Office for the crime of illicit arms trafficking and use of restricted artifacts and weapons, and was sentenced in a criminal district trial court of Managua to 6 years and 6 months of imprisonment.

The conviction was appealed by the Public Prosecutor’s Office and Criminal Chamber 2 of the Court of Appeals of Managua reformed the sentence on November 4, 2020, increasing the sentence to 8 years imprisonment.

Taking into account the situation of serious risk in which Manuel de Jesús Sobalvarro finds himself on November 2, 2020, the IACHR granted precautionary measures in his favor along with 40 other political prisoners.

This includes the adoption of the necessary measures to guarantee the right to life, personal integrity and health; the adoption of the necessary measures so that he can have access to special health assessments to ensure that his detention conditions are compatible with applicable international standards.

The State of Nicaragua has failed to comply with the precautionary measures.

Freedom for Manuel de Jesús Sobalvarro!

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