Continúan muestras de apoyo a Cardenal

Displays of Solidarity with Cardenal Continue

Intellectuals from various parts of the world point to president Daniel Ortega as being responsible for the court action against the poet.


MANAGUA ANSA

Intellectuals from various parts of the world are criticizing the government of Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega, whom they point to as being responsible for a court action against the poet and priest Ernesto Cardenal.

One week after the penal judge David Rojas fined Cardenal $1,025 dollars for slander against a married couple of tourism entrepreneurs, whom he qualified as thieves, the pronouncements of solidarity with Cardenal continue to arrive in Nicaragua.

Writers such as the Nobel laureate José Saramago and the poet Mario Benedetti, along with the Nicaraguans Sergio Ramírez and Gioconda Belli, signed documents in favor of Cardenal. The Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano called Ortega “vile.”

Rojas denied any political persecution against Cardenal, who is considered an icon of the Sandinista revolution during the eighties, when he was Minister of Culture and a friend of Ortega.

Cardenal was even sanctioned by the Vatican in 1983 for his participation in the Marxist government led by the current president until his first electoral defeat in 1990. The 83 year old priest broke away from Ortega and since then has emitted strong criticisms against the leader.

The judge said Cardenal will not go to prison because of his age, despite having publicly declared his rebellion and contempt of court by refusing to pay the fine.




{ El Nacional, 31 August 2008 }