European Union slaps sanctions on Nicaraguan first lady, 7 others

BRUSSELS

: The European Union on Monday slapped sanctions on Nicaraguan first lady and Vice-President

Rosario Murillo

and seven other senior officials accused of serious human rights violations or undermining democracy, amid a crackdown on opposition politicians in the Central American country.

EU

headquarters said in a statement that the sanctions, which include asset freezes and bans on travel in Europe, "are targeted at individuals and are designed in this way not to harm the Nicaraguan population or the Nicaraguan economy."

In the past two months, police in

Nicaragua

have arrested and detained more than 20 opposition figures and several candidates who might have been able to challenge President

Daniel Ortega

in elections on November 7.

Ortega, 75, alleges the country's April 2018 street protests were part of an organized coup attempt with foreign backing. He is seeking a fourth consecutive term in the

election

. Most of those arrested in the crackdown are being held

incommunicado

, at undisclosed locations and with no access to lawyers.

The EU said the sanctions show that the

27-nation bloc

stands "ready to use all its instruments to support a democratic, peaceful, and negotiated solution to the political crisis in Nicaragua."

It said that last week's detention of a seventh possible presidential election candidate "sadly illustrates the magnitude of the repression in Nicaragua and projects a grim picture for the upcoming elections."

The latest move brings the total number of Nicaraguan officials subject to EU sanctions to 14.