(16 May 2018) Students continued to take to the streets of Managua as President Daniel Ortega and members of the Nicaraguan opposition and civic groups met for a first round of dialogue Wednesday.
The talks, the first since Ortega returned to power in 2007, quickly became heated and confrontational.
The dialogue, mediated by the Roman Catholic Church, came after more than 60 people died amid a government crackdown on demonstrations against social security cuts.
Ortega was greeted by jeers as he arrived with his wife at a seminary on the outskirts of Managua, along with Vice President Rosario Murillo, and a large security detail of about 500 riot police.
Ortega responded that the police were not repressing protests, but preventing chaos.
"These were not little angels," he said.
Ortega shouted back at students that they had their own armed paramilitaries.
But Bishop Abelardo Mata of the Esteli diocese echoed the students' demand that the police return to their barracks, saying it was not an armed revolution.
Ortega warned that the protests are jeopardizing Nicaragua's economic stability.
The dialogue includes university students who participated in the protests against the cuts, which Ortega later withdrew.
The students are now demanding greater democracy in a country where most governmental institutions are tightly controlled by Ortega's Sandinista party.
That demand — as well as justice for the dead protesters — has been taken up by business groups and others.
Other participants raised the possibility they may not continue in the talks.
Those present at the talks said Ortega's opening salvo suggested he was not really interested in resolving the crisis.
Ortega helped lead the revolution that overthrew Somoza, but was voted out of power in 1990. He returned in 2007, concentrated the power of the judicial and legislative branches and overturned term limits to perpetuate himself in power.
Many now fear that Murillo, the main spokesperson for the government, wants to succeed Ortega in office.
The meeting broke up with Ortega and his contingent walking out under shouts of "killers!" from students. Talks were scheduled to resume Friday, but it was not immediately known if Ortega would participate again.
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