Nicaragua: Authorities ban Kenia Gonzalez From Country, Declare her 'Persona non Grata'
The Honduran journalist believes it's related to her condemning the government for oppressing the Catholic church.
Location: Nicaragua, Las Manos
Date: August 4, 2023
Honduran journalist Kenia Gonzalez deported from Nicaragua for “defending” Christians. The Coalition For Women In Journalism has been documenting a trend of sweeping crackdowns on journalists in the country since 2020. The ban on Gonzalez is the latest attempt to silence the free press. We denounce authorities labeling Gonzalez as a “threat” and demand rectification.
Three hours after crossing the border from Honduras to Nicaragua at Las Manos, Nicaragua’s General Directorate of Migration and Immigration (DGME) detained Kenia Gonzalez. The journalist was given a document before they deported her, stating she is a “threat” to the government for expressing concern about the authorities’ crusade against Christians, Gonzelaz shared on Facebook.
“I don’t agree with the persecution of priests in Nicaragua, but I never thought this was seen as a threat to Nicaragua’s government,” says Gonzalez.
Daniel Ortega, the country’s president since 2007, amped up his crusade against the Catholic church in 2018, with approximately 529 attacks against religious freedom since. The most recent governmental attacks against the Catholic Church include the desecration of a temple, arresting priests, freezing multiple bank accounts, and containing the people’s bishop, Rolando Álvarez, for over 100 days in the torture cells known as “the Hellhole.”
Simultaneously, authorities are increasing their attempts to stifle the press. Authorities arrested independent journalist Hazel Zamora while traveling by bus with her children on May 5th, 2023. She was charged with spreading false news and faces up to 10 years if convicted. In a series of police raids, the same week as Zamora’s arrest, numerous journalists and activists were detained. According to a local human rights collective, approximately 30 detainees are accused of "conspiracy to undermine national integrity.”
Gonzalez, a presenter with Radio Hifa and reporter for CLAVE, was on her way to Costa Rica, traveling through Nicaragua when the incident occurred. Before her deportation, border guards questioned the journalist, revealing they were aware of several details about her private and professional life.
“How is it that a border post in another country knows all my personal data and life? I would like an answer to that," says González.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism stands in solidarity with Kenia Gonzalez. We condemn this flagrant violation of press freedom and attempts at intimidating journalists within the country and those reporting on it abroad. Declaring a journalist persona non grata for expressing concern over the authorities’ persecution of religious groups is an incredibly rigid measure to silence critical voices. Deporting and banning González, combined with the increased violations against the Nicaraguan press, are an extremely worrying development. We call on the international community to take a stance against Ortega’s regime and ask the Organization of American States (OAS) to urge Nicaraguan authorities to respect the freedom of the press.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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