WASHINGTON—Representative Eliot L. Engel, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and a former Chairman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, today made the following statement regarding the recent violence in Nicaragua:

“I strongly condemn the violence across Nicaragua that has resulted in the tragic deaths of far too many innocent people. The excessive use of force by the country’s security forces is completely unacceptable and must end immediately.

“Moving forward, it’s imperative that President Ortega both permit the press to report on these disturbing events in a fully open and transparent manner and allow the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to carry out an independent investigation. Finally, I urge all OAS member states to raise their voices in condemning the past week’s violence in Nicaragua and urging the Ortega government to respect the human rights of the Nicaraguan people.”

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