The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday issued a stern protest against Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega’s remarks about Taiwan earlier last month, calling them “derogatory” and a reflection of Ortega’s “low moral conscience.”
While the statement did not publish Ortega’s full remarks nor elaborate on what they were, videos on social media show him speaking at an event during which he said in Spanish that Taiwanese are “Chinese,” adding that Taiwan is “garbage.”
It is deeply regrettable that Ortega, despite having received Taiwan’s support for its social and economic development before Nicaragua and Taiwan cut diplomatic ties, is now kowtowing to China and changing his attitude from arrogance to servility, the ministry said, adding that the remarks undermined Taiwan’s sovereignty and image.
Photo: CNA
“Ortega’s inappropriate remarks only serve to highlight the decline of his moral conscience,” it said.
“The Republic of China, Taiwan is an independent, sovereign country, and it and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) are not subordinate to each other,” the statement said.
The Chinese Communist Party has never ruled Taiwan, which is the objective “status quo” across the Taiwan Strait and a fact commonly recognized by international society, it said.
“We urge Ortega to stop blindly following China,” the ministry said. “Taiwan, a globally trusted cooperative partner, will continue to uphold the spirit of integrated diplomacy and deepen its relationship with fellow democracies around the world.”
Radio La Primerisima reported that Ortega at a ceremony on Feb. 16 thanked China for its latest delivery of 180 Chinese Yutong minibuses and was quoted as asking Chinese Ambassador to Nicaragua Qu Yuhui (瞿瑜輝) to “convey to [Chinese] President Xi Jinping [習近平] and the heroic people of the People’s Republic of China, our affection, our gratitude for unconditional generosity, without any conditions. That should be the behavior of humanity, that we treat each other as brothers.”
In 1985, Ortega’s government ended 55 years of formal relations with Taiwan and switched recognition to China.
Nicaragua officially resumed ties with Taiwan in November 1990, shortly after Violeta Barrios de Chamorro became president.
However, in December 2021, the Nicaraguan government led by Ortega re-established relations with the PRC, recognizing its “one China” policy and severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan again.
Before severing ties for the second time, Taiwan had provided significant economic support for infrastructure, agriculture and social programs.
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