April 23rd, 2018
To all of our AMOS Friends,
We’re writing to you because, as you may know, following an announcement by the Nicaraguan government of a significant hike in the social security taxes, Nicaragua has had 5 days of unrest with university students and opposition groups taking to the streets to protest the reforms. Unfortunately, during protests there have been clashes between them and the police and government supporters, leading to violence and deaths on both sides. Buildings and vehicles have been burned and looting of several supermarkets and stores also occurred on Saturday and Sunday. The loss of human lives is the worst of it all, as these are irreplaceable and are the cause for pain and sorrow for their families, their loved ones, and the nation.
We want you to know that at this moment we (AMOS staff and health promoters) are all safe and have felt safe at AMOS and our homes because the violence has all been in the streets where the protests are, in neighborhoods far from AMOS. We all know someone who has been affected directly by the conflict, but so far we have all been ok. Nationally tensions have been rising, but yesterday President Daniel Ortega announced that the reforms have been revoked and called for a national dialogue. We hope that in the coming days a dialogue will begin that will lead Nicaragua in the direction of peace. Tensions remain high and the next few days will be critical to the outcome of this situation, depending on the dialogue between the government and the opposition. We are so grateful for all your love and prayers and ask for more prayers as this critical week unfolds, not only for AMOS but also for all of the involved groups. We believe in peaceful approaches to resolve this crisis and are praying that peace will come to Nicaragua soon through a constructive and inclusive democratic dialogue process and solution where the needs of the nation are prioritized.
We are deeply saddened by the deaths that have occurred and the other forms of violence, destruction and human injury that have occurred. We ask that you join us in prayer for the families of those who have died and for the people of Nicaragua. We pray that this situation may be resolved as Jesus would have done, with peace, understanding and love.
We will continue to monitor the situation closely and will keep all of you posted. We are hoping that normal activities will resume soon, but this will depend on the outcomes of this week.
Thank you for supporting AMOS and the work we do. In the midst of situations like these you give us hope and life-giving resources to continue our work to help those in need in our communities and in this crisis. Through you we continue to do our best to save lives and promote peace, health and hope. Thank you for understanding, your prayers and your love for our beloved Nicaragua.
With much love,
Roberto Martinez (AMOS Board President)
David Parajon (AMOS Executive Director)
Laura Parajon (Medical Director)
Alejandra Medrano (Operations Director)
Christine Lafferty (Development Director)
Gabriela Woo (Program Director)
John Caroll (Delegations and Volunteer Manager)
On behalf of the AMOS team