Ortega Accuses Colombia of Coup to Overthrow Him

President Daniel Ortega insinuated on Tuesday that Colombia has an interest in the political crisis Nicaragua, with the intention of annulling a decision on the maritime limits of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and keep all that territorial sea in exchange for its full involvement in the coup against him.

Ortega made the statement during an act of the 39th anniversary of the Naval Force.

Ortega, who is under pressure by Nicaraguans to step down and make way for early elections, accusing him of corruption, nepotism and establishing a dictatorship with his wife and vice president Rosario Murillo.

Ortega has rejected is stepping down or early elections and refutes all accusations against him, including the blame for more than 450 deaths since the unrest began in mid-April. In television interviews with CNN, Euronews and Fox, Ortega said the death toll, “though a significant” number, he admitted, is only 195 people.

In a sharp attack, Ortega said that “we cannot rule out anything because for a traitor who sells his homeland, sovereignty is of no interest,” referring to the two countries in a long legal dispute over the territory surrounding the island of San Andres.

Ortega reacted to the position of Colombia, one of the 12 countries that make up the “Working Group” created by the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) to follow up on the Nicaraguan crisis.

In 2012, the ICJ ruled in favor of Colombia’s sovereignty over the archipelago of San Andes and Providencia, however, that part of the waters previously under Colombian control would fall under Nicaraguan sovereignty.

“Careful, they (the opposition) were going to ask them (Colombia) to help them remove this government so that they can ignore the ruling,” said Ortega, referring to the 2012 decision.

“I hope Colombia understands that there is no other way here than to respect the Court’s ruling and that this is the principle that this government defends,” added Ortega.