resolution motion, 15 June 2026

On political prisoners in Nicaragua – the cases of Carlos Brenes, Salvadora del Socorro Martínez Aburto and Brooklyn RiveraTXTTITLE@TITLE@

Motion B-10-2026-0292 · (2026/2765(RSP))

on behalf of the PPE Group · Rapporteur: Sebastião Bugalho, Elena Nevado del Campo, Michael Gahler, David McAllister, Željana Zovko, Isabel WiselerLima, Tomas Tobé, Ana Miguel Pedro, Andrey Kovatchev, Ingeborg Ter Laak, Reinhold Lopatka, Miriam Lexmann, Antonio LópezIstúriz White, Michał Wawrykiewicz, Mirosława Nykiel, Łukasz Kohut, Wouter Beke, Liudas Mažylis, Danuše Nerudová, Tomáš Zdechovský, Vangelis Meimarakis, Ondřej Kolář, Arba Kokalari, Eleonora Meleti, Davor Ivo Stier, Inese Vaidere, Loránt Vincze

Voted on Thursday, 18 June 2026 · Adopted · See the decision →
Where the law stands · dossier 2026/2765 →

On Parliament’s site PDF Word

AI:In short

This resolution strongly condemns the Ortega-Murillo regime's repression in Nicaragua, including arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance, and demands the immediate release of Carlos Brenes, Salvadora Martínez, and all political prisoners. It calls for an international investigation into Brooklyn Rivera's death in custody, an end to persecution of churches and Indigenous Peoples, and EU action to suspend agreements and expand sanctions.

Key points

Strongly condemns the Ortega-Murillo regime's systematic use of repression, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, sham trials, exile, denationalisation and confiscation of property.
Demands immediate and unconditional release of Carlos Brenes, Salvadora Martínez and all political prisoners, annulment of politically motivated convictions, and full information on their fate.
Urges authorities to grant detainees access to families, lawyers, medical care and international monitoring, per the Nelson Mandela Rules.
Calls for a prompt, independent and international investigation into Brooklyn Rivera's death in custody, return of his remains, and accountability.
Condemns persecution of Christian churches, Indigenous Peoples, civil society, opponents and relatives; calls for reinstatement of dissolved organisations.
Calls on the EU to ensure no funds strengthen the regime and to expand targeted sanctions against responsible individuals, including judges and officials.
Calls on Member States to support accountability via universal jurisdiction and international justice mechanisms for crimes against humanity.
Calls on Council and Commission to trigger the democratic clause of the EU-Central America Association Agreement and suspend its application to Nicaragua while repression persists.

Who is affected

Political prisoners in Nicaragua, including Carlos Brenes and Salvadora Martínez, and their families.
The Ortega-Murillo regime and its officials, who face condemnation and potential sanctions.
Indigenous Peoples, churches, civil society, and opponents in Nicaragua, who are persecuted.
The EU and its member states, called to suspend agreements and impose sanctions.

Figures and deadlines

15 years: sentence reportedly given to Carlos Brenes and Salvadora Martínez for 'treason'.
Over 32 months: duration of Brooklyn Rivera's enforced disappearance.
30 May 2026: date of Brooklyn Rivera's death in State custody.
Over 120: persons forcibly disappeared since 2018, per UN report of October 2025.
Over 5600: NGOs dissolved by the regime.

Written by AI from the full text · every figure comes from the text · ¶ opens the paragraph · 4 Sept 2026 · Report a problem

Full text

Text 20 paragraphs

B100292/2026

European Parliament resolution on political prisoners in Nicaragua – the cases of Carlos Brenes, Salvadora del Socorro Martínez Aburto and Brooklyn Rivera

(2026/2765(RSP))

The European Parliament,

having regard to its previous resolutions on Nicaragua,

having regard to Rules 150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

whereas since 2018, the Ortega-Murillo regime has dismantled democratic institutions, the separation of powers and the rule of law, while persecuting political opponents, journalists, students, clergy, indigenous leaders, human-rights defenders, civil society, relatives of critics;

whereas the UN Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua concluded that serious violations committed since 2018 may amount to crimes against humanity; whereas civic space has been all but closed: over 5600 NGOs dissolved, independent media and universities shut down, and hundreds of thousands forced into exile;

whereas human-rights organisations, including the Mechanism for the Recognition of Political Prisoners, continue to document arbitrary arrests, prolonged incommunicado detention and enforced disappearances; whereas the UN reported in October 2025 that over 120 persons have been forcibly disappeared since 2018;

whereas Carlos Ramón Brenes Sánchez, a retired Sandinista colonel, and his wife Salvadora del Socorro Martínez Aburto, both elderly and in poor health, were detained in August 2025, held incommunicado and reportedly sentenced to 15 years for “treason” without due process;

whereas Brooklyn Rivera, Miskitu Indigenous leader and president of the arbitrarily dissolved Yatama party, was detained in September 2023, held in enforced disappearance for over 32 months and died in State custody on 30 May 2026;

Strongly condemns the Ortega-Murillo regime's systematic use of repression, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, sham trials, exile, denationalisation and confiscation of property against opponents;

Read the rest (8 paragraphs)

Demands immediate and unconditional release of Carlos Brenes, Salvadora Martínez and all political prisoners, the annulment of politically motivated convictions, and full information on their fate, whereabouts, health and detention conditions;

Urges the authorities to grant all detainees access to their families, lawyers, medical care and international monitoring, in accordance with the Nelson Mandela Rules;

Calls for a prompt, independent and international investigation into Brooklyn Rivera’s death in custody, the return of his remains to his family and accountability for those responsible;

Condemns the persecution of Christian churches, Indigenous Peoples, civil society, opponents and their relatives, and calls for the reinstatement of all arbitrarily dissolved organisations;

Calls on the EU to ensure that no EU or multilateral funds strengthen the regime, to expand targeted sanctions against those responsible, including judges, prosecutors and prison officials;

Calls on the Member States to support accountability, including through universal jurisdiction and international justice mechanisms, to ensure that those responsible for crimes against humanity are brought to justice;

Recalls that the EU-Central America Association Agreement entered into force on 1 May 2024; calls on the Council and the Commission to trigger its democratic clause and suspend its application to Nicaragua while repression persists; stresses that Parliament will under no circumstances engage with regime representatives within the newly established Association Parliamentary Committee;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the VP/HR, the Member States, the UN, the OAS and the Nicaraguan authorities.