South Florida

Members of South Florida's Nicaraguan Community Protest Violence in Home County

What to Know

  • Hundreds from South Florida’s Nicaraguan community coming out in full support of their home country on Saturday.
  • Nicaragua's government says it is willing to negotiate over controversial social security reforms that have prompted protests and clashes.

As thousands of people took to the streets across Nicaragua this weekend - outraged at recent changes to the nation's welfare system, government censorship, and violent crackdowns – hundreds from South Florida’s Nicaraguan community coming out in full support of their home country on Saturday.

Natives of the Central American country were in Sweetwater to show solidarity amid over a week of violence in their homeland.

Nicaragua's government says it is willing to negotiate over controversial social security reforms that have prompted protests and deadly clashes this week.

Vice President, first lady and government spokeswoman Rosario Murillo says nine people have been killed in the unrest. She calls the protests "cruel."

Dozens of others have been injured or arrested in the chaos in various cities across the Central American nation.

Murillo said late Friday that President Daniel Ortega's government is responding to calls for dialogue made by Roman Catholic Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes and the private business sector.

She added that the social security reforms "are not concluded proposals, but (rather) we are open to discussing them."

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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