Delegates engaged at an extraordinary national convention of the Citizens for Freedom (CxL, Nicaragua – LI full member), elected LI vice president, Kitty Monterrey, leader of their party earlier this year. “We are here… raising our voices and our blue and white flags as an expression of protest against this dictatorship”, she declared upon being elected to lead the democratic opposition against the ruling, authoritarian Sandinista regime in her country.

“For 40 years Nicaragua has suffered the consequences of the Sandinista regime, a regime that has kept us plunged into poverty with an ominous combination of populism, intolerance and repression, whose government has caused thousands of losses in human lives”, Ms Monterrey told assembled delegates.

Setting out a proudly liberal strategy to attract new members, new voters, and distinguish her party from the traditions of the government, the Nicaraguan liberal leader pledged that CxL would not nominate any member of the party for the presidential position at election time.  Instead, under the LI vice president’s direction, CxL will “work in alliance with all sectors to choose who, without a doubt, will achieve the defeat of the Sandinista Front”, she said, emphasising that now is the time for Nicaraguans to unite.

Highlighting her priorities in steering Nicaragua out of the corrupt practices of the Sandinista dictatorship, Ms Monterrey added: “Our responsibility as the opposition goes beyond preparing for an electoral battle; we must prepare for the recovery of the country, for justice and the non-repetition of this barbarism.”

Kitty Monterrey’s speech is available in full, in Spanish, here: https://bit.ly/2ZluvHl