We are healthy and we want to return to our families, cry out nicas stranded on cruise ships – Explica

The Nicaraguan crew that is stranded on the Carnival Cruiseline and Royal Caribbean cruises denounced this Friday that the Ortega regime canceled at the last moment, and without any explanation, their entry into the country. The group of 239 compatriots has been stranded on the high seas since March.

Unfortunately, the Nicaraguan government has just notified us that the flight will be postponed until July 13. We have tried different ways to continue with the travel arrangements as it was fully planned, however, we have been informed that the repatriation date must be postponed, says the statement issued by the Royal Caribbean company and addressed to the 146 Nicaraguans who are found stranded in Barbados, in the Caribbean.

The Ortega-Murillo dictatorship had conditioned the entry of Nicaraguans by air (charter flight) and with negative results of having contracted Covid-19. In other words, they had to undergo a test beforehand to determine that they were not infected and to enter Nicaragua.

Also read: Prohibiting Nicaraguans from entering our territory is an aberration, say human rights defenders.

One of the Nicaraguans who works for the Royal Caribbean company and asked not to reveal his name for fear of retaliation by the regime towards his family, told LA PRENSA that the company complied with the dictatorships demands, such as the Covid-19 tests, which they were negative.

The flight was ready. In fact, the charter flight (which is not governed by the schedule of trade routes) was scheduled to arrive in the country this Thursday, June 18, but at the last minute they canceled it and postponed it until this Friday. However, at midnight yesterday the company notified him that the regime had again canceled the flight and now postponed the trip to July 13.

We are desperate, we are here on the ship doing nothing, without work () we ask the government to help us, that the company has already done its duty, we are healthy and we want to return home to our families, said the source.

In the same way 93 Nicaraguans who work for the Carnival Cruiseline company They were ready to enter the country but the regime canceled the entry and now they do not know what date the trip is postponed, according to one of those affected to LA PRENSA.

On the other hand, it was known that another 100 Nicaraguans who were on a Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) cruise ship, were able to enter the country on June 13, which is not explained now by the refusal of the regime.

Faced with the refusal of the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship, family members of the crew who are stranded on the high seas made a small protest in front of the house of the political secretary of the Caribbean Coast, Johnny Hodgson, to demand the entry of their relatives. The protesters stated that foreign ships continue to arrive in the country, but do not allow their relatives who are Nicaraguan to enter.

During the express picket, family members reported that they had Ortega supporters. People ended the protest by chanting the lyrics of the National Anthem.

To the request of these 239 Nicaraguans who are stranded on the high seas, there is another group of compatriots who are on Cayman Island, and who are asking the regime to respond to the repatriation request made by the islands authorities.

Read Also: Rosario Murillo continues calling for massive activities. This announced for Len this weekend

We want to be given a prompt and positive response () the Cayman Islands government was notified that on June 11 they were going to have an answer but it is until the day that they are still waiting, said one of those affected by a video that circulated on social networks.

In this regard, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) noted that it is aware that some 500 Nicaraguan cruise ship workers are in precarious economic conditions, stranded in the Caribbean and Central America, and that the regime prohibits them from entering the country.

Although it has allowed the entry of 93 compatriots, the State has not explained so far why these stranded people cannot return to their country, thus keeping them in an uncertainty that takes three months, the agency explained through Twitter.

The IACHR added that on April 27, it requested information from the Nicaraguan State about the situation of these people, but to date they have received no response.

Nicaraguan human rights defenders have stated that the regime cannot prohibit the entry of nationals, since there is no legislation that allows it, and rather this violent action violates article 31 of the Nicaraguan Political Constitution that sets out the right to enter and to leave the country freely .

Read more:

We are healthy and we want to return to our families, cry out nicas stranded on cruise ships - Explica