Nicaraguan Exile: My Life

Nicaragua, under the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo, is a clear example of the politically motivated use of migration by an autocratic regime. The dictatorship uses migration for economic and political gains. The following testimony, my own, is just one example of the level of repression this couple is inflicting on the entire nation, as well as on citizens from other countries.

I arrived in the U.S. two years ago. Three hours before I left, standing on the tarmac of the Managua airport, I had no idea where I was going. I had been imprisoned for two years, and it wasn’t until a police officer asked me to sign a simple form that I realized I was being sent to the U.S. The alternative was to go back to prison, so I signed without hesitation.

JS

About the Author

Juan Sebastián Chamorro

Juan Sebastián Chamorro is a professor in Latin American studies and and former candidate for the presidency of Nicaragua.

Featured Tags

Nicaragua, under the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo, is a clear example of the politically motivated use of migration by an autocratic regime. The dictatorship uses migration for economic and political gains. The following testimony, my own, is just one example of the level of repression this couple is inflicting on the entire nation, as well as on citizens from other countries.

I arrived in the U.S. two years ago. Three hours before I left, standing on the tarmac of the Managua airport, I had no idea where I was going. I had been imprisoned for two years, and it wasn’t until a police officer asked me to sign a simple form that I realized I was being sent to the U.S. The alternative was to go back to prison, so I signed without hesitation.