Nicaragua’s representative to the International Court of Justice found himself in familiar territory this week as the Central American nation brought Germany before the World Court for supplying arms to Israel. However, experts in Nicaragua see this move as a cynical ploy by a totalitarian government to divert attention from its own worsening record of repression.
Just weeks after being criticized by a United Nations investigatory team for human rights violations, Nicaragua filed a case against Germany at The Hague, accusing the country of turning a blind eye to what Nicaragua called clear signs of genocide. The Nicaraguan government is seeking an order from the court to halt arms sales to Israel.
Carlos J. Argüello Gómez, Nicaragua’s agent before the ICJ, drew parallels between this case and Nicaragua’s past lawsuit against the United States. In that case, the U.S. was supporting a group seeking to overthrow Nicaragua’s government.
Nicaragua’s president, Daniel Ortega, and Vice President Rosario Murillo are likely hoping to boost their international image by leading the charge against Israel and its allies. However, Mateo Jarquín, a Nicaraguan historian, is skeptical of their success, noting the government’s history of using global bodies for legitimacy.
The irony of Nicaragua’s current situation is not lost on observers. The U.N. has accused Ortega and Murillo of crimes against humanity in response to their crackdown on protests in recent years. The couple has been accused of manipulating the government to consolidate power, leading to hundreds dead and thousands in exile.
Manuel Orozco, who studies Nicaragua, believes the government lacks the moral authority to advocate for human rights on the international stage. He sees this case as a distraction from their own affairs, pointing to calls from the British Parliament to take Nicaragua before the ICJ for human rights violations.
