Mónica López Baltodano

Nicaragua, CAHR, Autumn 2021 – Spring 2022

I am a Nicaraguan human rights defender and environmental lawyer.

I have been involved in human rights and environmental rights struggles in Nicaragua for over a decade, particularly focusing on the impact of megaprojects, environmental sustainability and, most recently, on the profound socio-political crisis in my country.

During the 2018 protests, thousands of Nicaraguans took to the streets demanding the renouncing of the President and deep political change. The response from Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo was extreme state violence, and since then all our lives have completely changed.

For seven years I have been the Director of the human rights NGO Popol Na. This is a three decades old institution illegally closed and confiscated in 2018 by the authoritarian regime in power, along with many other organizations. With this, the government thought they could silence us. Our response has been to survive with dignity and keep working closely with social movements for a democratic transition in Nicaragua.

The Interamerican Human Rights Commission (IHRC) documented the crimes against humanity committed by the government and, from that on, to accompany collective efforts seeking justice has been one of my main commitments.

For many years I have supported the Peasants' Movement against the interoceanic canal (Movimiento Campesino Anti-Canal) as a legal advisor. Now, many of their leaders are in jail or in exile. We have an open case in the Interamerican human rights system, which we expect to reach the Interamerican Court since, at the moment, the entire judicial system in Nicaragua is corrupted.

I have also been involved with several human rights platforms and initiatives’, such as Red Local (local development network), Cocibolca Group (environmentalists’ platform), student movements, and the Articulation of Social Movements and Civil Society. With them we have developed advocacy strategies and, most importantly, organizational processes on the ground.

Because of the repressive conditions in our country, my family and I are beneficiaries of precautionary measures by the Interamerican Human Rights Commission. Nevertheless, the measures are not respected by the government. Therefore, I have had to request asylum in Costa Rica twice, but, as most Nicaraguan refugees, I am always looking for a way to return home.

I appreciate the opportunity to be engaged in the CAHR fellowship program, to learn about other people’s experiences, and also have time to reflect on this life path and the new challenges to come.