MANAGUA, Nicaragua - Nicaragua’s national police denied a permit request Tuesday for a march to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the start of anti-government protests, setting up a possible conflict with the opposition, which has called for the march to go on. The opposition Blue and White National Unity coalition had sought the permit for a march Wednesday, but police said the two people who applied were involved in serious public disturbances in previous weeks. Initial demonstrations by retirees were quickly joined by students as government supporters violently tried to put down the protests. The government had agreed with the alliance to release political prisoners during talks that stalled April 3. Lilliam Ruiz, a member of the Committee of Relatives of Political Prisoners, said that “fewer than 20” of the 636 prisoners released were people arrested for participating in the protests.

Source: thestar April 16, 2019 20:15 UTC