Suyen Barahona

Suyen Barahona Cuán: “My struggle has been for my son”

Suyen Barahona Cuán, 44, had assumed the presidency of the opposition political movement UNAMOS since its founding in January 2021, at a time when Nicaraguan society continued its demand for truth and justice following the murders of more than 355 people in the wake of the civic protests of April 2018.

The new platform sought to offer Nicaraguans a different option that could participate as a movement, in alliance with an opposition political party, since UNAMOS does not have legal personality. In this way, the political movement could participate in the proposal of a democratic change, in front of the electorate in November 2021.

However, the civic struggle developed by UNAMOS and its leadership led the regime to retaliate. On June 13, 2021, five months before the elections, the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo ordered the arrest of Suyén Barahona, and subsequently, after a trial in which due process guarantees were repeatedly violated in February 2022, Judge Ulisa Tapia found her guilty of undermining national integrity and barred her from holding public office. She was sentenced to 8 years in prison. Since her arrest to date, she has been in the jails of the Dirección de Auxilio Judicial.

During her arrest, the police raided her home and did not care about the damage they caused to her elderly mother and her four year old son, whom she has not seen for a year. Suyen stood firm and even in that moment of uncertainty decided to defend the rights of Nicaraguans.

“I have dedicated much of my adult life to improving Nicaragua and defending the rights of all Nicaraguans. Part of my struggle has been for my son, so that he knows that his rights must be defended,” she said before the judge who unjustly sentenced him.

Suyen is a beneficiary of Provisional Measures granted by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights since November 4, 2021. Due to the State’s non-compliance, the Court has declared the State of Nicaragua in contempt of court.

Suyen Barahona has a degree in International Relations, a Master’s degree in environmental policy, is a political leader, feminist, environmentalist and human rights defender. She committed no crime, she just wanted to see a free and democratic Nicaragua.

Freedom for Suyen Barahona! 

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