 Okay, we all set up. Let's move on. We can start now. Welcome to what the app is going on in Latin America and the Caribbean. Code pinks weekly YouTube program of hot news out of the region. In partnership with friends of Latin America, Massachusetts peace action and task force on the Americas. We broadcast every Wednesday at 430pm Pacific 7, 30pm Eastern on code pink YouTube live. Today's episode, Nicaragua expels the organization of American states. How will this impact Nicaragua and the integration of the Americas via institutions such as the lock, La Comunidad de Estados Latino Americanos. On Sunday, April 24, 2022, Nicaragua said it had closed the local office of the organization of American states, the OAS, a US based group that claims to promote solidarity and cooperation among countries in the Americas and revoke the credentials of several of its staff. The official government statement reads in part. Quote, the people and government of Nicaragua have denounced and continue to denounce the shameful condition of one of the political instruments of intervention and domination of the State Department of the government of the United States wrongly and falsely called the organization of American states. The people and government of Nicaragua do not and will not recognize this instrument of colonial administration, which does not represent at any time, the sovereign union of our Latin and Caribbean America. And that, on the contrary, is an instrument of Yankee imperialism to violate rights and independence is sponsoring and promoting interventions and invasions, legitimizing coups in different formats and modalities with the aim, which they have not accomplished of this of disintegrating through humiliation submission and surrender of our national sovereignty. And so that was a really very strong for our audience was a really strong significant event that happened on Sunday the 24th. And I'm really honored, and it's a great privilege to introduce to all of you. Hello, Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Dennis Mokala. He is graciously given his time to us today to talk about this significant foreign policy event made by Nicaragua on Sunday, and it's a great honor. Mr. Foreign Minister to to introduce you to our audience and invite you to today's conversation. Hello, Terry. It's truly a pleasure to be here with you and to greet your audience. And I want to thank you for this kind invitation to take part in this interview in this conversation in such an important mean of communication. Well, thank you. I think, you know, for me, it's a great honor and privilege to be speaking with you today and for our audience. Foreign Minister Mokala is joining us live from from Managua. And let's, let's start with what, well, maybe we should go back a little further because in November. Nicaragua announced that it would be leaving the OAS that was November 19, I believe, traditionally, or my understanding is technically it's a two year process to leave. And so let's talk about maybe start with what happened in November, and why Nicaragua made this decision and I should also just remind the audience that this was November 19 was which was two weeks after the reelection of President or President and Vice President Rosario Murillo, what led to the November 19 decision and what accelerated things to happen on Sunday the 24th. On November 19, we communicated officially to the Secretary General of the OAS that we were going to denounce the OAS Charter. And that is a sovereign decision of the Nicaraguan government that is to say our government led by Commander Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo made the important decision of denouncing the OAS Charter and that is starting on November 19, last year, a process that is contemplated in the same charter in which established the possibility that all member states of the organization have the possibility to denouncing this charter. And within a period of two years, the country formally breaks the relationship with the organization. It is clear, Terry, that Nicaragua is a democratic and open country that promotes healthy international relations based on friendship, fraternity. But essentially, we emphasize the importance of having healthy international relations in accordance with the principles of international law with the UN Charter with the principle of living coexistence. And in our government, we analyzed the relations and the necessity of governing these international relations, respecting the fundamental principles of international law, respect of the sovereign equality of the peoples, the non-interference in domestic affairs of states, respect towards self-determination, the respect towards the internal policy of the states, the non-aggression, the non-menace with the use of force, the non-implementation of arbitrary unilateral measures that turn out to be illegal and inhuman. So the relations among countries are governed by the Vienna Convention and international law, the UN Charter, the OAS Charter among other legal instruments. And Nicaragua and our government undoubtedly demand reciprocity. Why? Because we are very respectful of independence, sovereignty and self-determination of the states and respect towards the peoples and the nations of the international community. Therefore, we demand precisely the respect of all these principles set forth in international law, the UN Charter, the OAS Charter, that is the topic that we are addressing today. So Terry, in that note that we submitted on November 19, precisely we explained why did we decide to denounce the OAS Charter. And it's because the OAS ended up becoming an instrument of interference used by the US to project their mandate and the execution of the Monroe Doctrine of 1823 that basically aimed at expanding the power of the OAS over the region. And precisely to stop the interference by Europe in the region. That was a stage in which the US was replacing the old colonizers and the old empires and they wanted to establish a control over the region. And reaching their empire in detriment of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. So basically, in that note that we submitted on November 19, these arguments. Terry. So, boy, I have a whole lot that I want to comment on and get additional comments from you on. So, I think, in general terms as I listened to you speak and I think for much of our audience that is very involved in Latin America and Caribbean policy and solidarity that in our policy work is specifically against US intervention in all its forms and economic and military and and policy wise that we can basically look at European interventionism European imperialism being replaced by US imperialism and US interventionism. I do believe and I'm not sure. Senior Moncavet what part of the OAS charter is specifically in, but there is language in the OAS charter that prohibits intervention in domestic policy of all member states is that correct I mean intervention in all forms in the in the domestic policy. So that sort of feeling is prohibited by the OAS and yet doesn't seem to be recognized by all of its members. Am I correct in that, in that understanding of the charter. Yes, Terry. There is an apparent contradiction between what is written there in the OAS charter and what occurs in reality and what the organization does in their daily activities. Since 1948 on the date of its foundation with the participation of 21 countries from Latin America and the Caribbean when they subscribe this charter and precisely the design of the this organization and the creation of this organization was established by the United States with the purpose of accomplishing the US mission of making their Monroe Doctrine in reality and the performance of the OAS and what they do their behavior the way the OAS ambassadors act in the different countries. They follow that mandate and those orientations defined by the US elite. So they always the OAS receives instructions by the US elite. So now that we make reference to the OAS charter. It is established in the charter that none of the provisions authorizes the organization to interfere in the domestic affairs of the member states. So it's very clear what is written there. It's a principle that is there and it's also in the UN Charter and the OAS Charter includes that principle because it's a regional organization and is it in its foundational charter but in practice this is a principle that is constantly broken, systematically broken, permanently broken. So this non-interference which is the ideal scenario would render easier that the countries could develop their policies as they pleased in an independent manner free from coercion in a sovereign way without having to be worried by interference and maneuvers the political behavior and the sanctions and unfair unilateral measures exercised by the US against many countries not only in Latin America and the Caribbean but also in Europe and Asia. So we can see here how a first principle is broken by the actions of the OAS based on the demands of the US elite in that organization. That is why we say and our government has clearly stated that we have expelled the OAS because we are not a colony of any superpower. Nicaragua is not a colony of anyone and we have reiterated this several times the government of President Ortega has said this several times. So if we are not a colony of anyone, why are we going to be there in an organization that is basically a ministry of colonies that has acted as a ministry of colonies and the same charter of the OAS establishes that peace and security needs to be guaranteed throughout the continent but what happens in reality? The opposite, the opposite all the actions and the measures taken in the OAS that are related to interference that are related to interference in domestic affairs of other countries. So they want to oblige us to act in a particular way. So the OAS has been hijacked by the Washington elite since the beginning. So countries that have become the subdued to this elite are following that mandate. Those countries that have assumed this behavior of colonized countries different from our case. So this principle is not complied with of guaranteeing security and peace throughout the region because all these unilateral coercive measures against us. This pretension of imposing democracy or certain type of democracy in our countries when we have for example a direct popular democracy, a participatory democracy that includes all the sectors. We are not an elite democracy of just a group of power. We are a true democracy of the peoples. That is why we have decided that in our country the people holds the power. So we have seen how the OAS charter is systematically disrespected by the organization itself. So for example, the organization should develop solidarity actions in cases of aggression. Let's remember the case of the aggression of the UK against Argentina with the case of the Malvinas Island. And what happened with this regulation? What happened with the Inter-American Treaty for Reciprocal Assistance, the TIAR, that needed to guarantee solidarity among the countries of Latin America? Precisely, the UK committed this aggression against Argentina in order to keep their domination on the Malvinas Island and to break with the sovereignty of Argentina. That is the true owner of the Malvinas Island. Yeah, and that conflict is still happening. So, oh gosh, let me, I keep hearing more and more I want to talk about this afternoon. So listening to you describe how and why what happened on November 19. I think it's really very clear to me and I want to reiterate this with our audience that this was to lead the OAS is a matter of preserving national sovereignty or Nicaragua. Domestic sovereignty, national resource sovereignty, sovereignty of the people and a democratic elected government. And I think it's really clear for any of us who have studied in depth what happened in Bolivia in October of 2019. We know very clearly what the OAS is capable of doing and what it's done in Honduras in supporting US appointed presidents in the past and what was attempted in your country in spring of 2018. And I agree with you, I think it is, you know, an instrument. It's an instrument created during the first or right on the heels of the first Cold War, you know to basically preserve US influence on the on the Americas and and the Monroe doctrine as, as you said, there was, I'm talking to all of you today from Mexico City and in September, President Lopez Obrador had reconvened Salah, after a four year pause it was a Salah summit here in Mexico City September 18 I want to say and Minister Moncada was here. And it was fascinating to me, many of the things that were said. And it can be for all of you listening, it can, you can listen to the entire cumbre de Salah on YouTube it's a five out was a five hour meeting, and it's quite fascinating to listen as everyone sitting around the same table in this room talking about the Americas and what each country would like to see Salah is 35 members I believe, minus the United States and Canada who were never invited to participate Salah is for Latin America and the Caribbean. One thing specifically mentioned in and I say this with some trepidation because I know the El Salvador government is controversial, but Vice President will you attended the Salah summit in September on behalf of El Salvador and he very succinctly described the OAS and he mentioned it as an instrument of the First Cold War, created 1947 I believe, and how in 1962 Cuba was expelled simply because they had a different political paradigm and, and he went on to mention the name, the Secretary General's involvement in, in election electoral results what we would call elect election coup soft coups be electoral means via legislative means very, and judicial means he was very very clear he was very succinct and he was very succinct and what he had to say in describing the OAS and he also said, you know look Salah exists. It's efficient. It currently exists and that perhaps we should use that to build a block and interface with the rest of the world. And I thought that was very profound. I'm listening to you describe all of this today. I wonder if you can comment on how leaving the OAS because now you are joining Cuba and Venezuela Cuba that was expelled chose not to come back and Venezuela who chose when Delcey Rodriguez was Foreign Minister to leave. How do the three of you as allies and now working together outside of the OAS. How, how do you see this transforming the Americas, and in particular, it's influence the three of you and your influence, or potential influence going forward with Salah. Very countries in Latin America and the Caribbean are moving forward. We are moving forward. And we have been working based on our interest and our projects and our policies and work for that. Precisely related to the example of a Simone believer and his fight for independence, Marty Sandino and other historical figures. How our countries are moving forward to attain a real independence status for the benefit of our populations. How can we break with this old slavery chains of these colonialism chains that have prevented us from developing ourselves as countries as nations and to progress to develop our states. And at the same time, implementing the policies that each people with their own philosophy, culture defines and decides using their freedom and using their cost, my vision for this progress. That is to say the struggle and that is why it's so important this analysis of the OAS and pay attention to the Salah role because we as countries have found throughout the years and based on the experience we have lived and seeing what has unfolded in the OAS that the US as an empire and the US elite. And it's important to clarify this. Let's not confuse the US citizenry with the elite. The intellectuals, the workers are not the same as the elite that controls the US empire. It's important to understand this because this power elite in the US has been the one controlling power. And they have acted in detriment of the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean. And that is why when the Cuban revolution took place and with all progress and the vision of positive future for the Cuban population and the example that was set for the other countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, we started to see changes, reflections, political struggles, economic struggles, ideological struggles, structural struggles as well. And we are moving forward and you started to see the, you started to see phenomenons such as the revolutionary Sandinist movement in 1979 in Nicaragua and later on Venezuela. Precisely resumed this line of thought of Bolivar as it happened in Nicaragua, we rescued the ideas of Sandino that precisely were lost during the first and second decade of the last century. And Sandino after so many years of fight was able to expel the US Marines from Nicaraguan soil. As Bolivar did during his times, he expelled the Spanish empire, as you may all remember. And Bolivia that I was mentioning it before, Bolivia was able to progress and started to see successes. But we have seen in the last decade, Terry, how these nefarious presence of the US empire in the Latin American region has created instability. They have promoted aggression, coup d'etat. And when we take a look of what has happened in Haiti, in Venezuela, in Honduras, Paraguay, Brazil. Precisely when lawfare has been used against, for example, Dilma, Lula, as it has occurred in many of our countries. Precisely this, part of the diplomatic and ideological fight to defend our interests and to continue moving forward. And looking for benefits for our population, we have waged this struggle in the OAS as well. However, there you see a reiteration and a repetition of the use of that space as a ministry of colony, as an instrument of interference and aggression against our countries of Latin America. And they persist and they continue trying to keep that position. And Nicaragua suffered from this in the last years. The US attempts to impose a government in Nicaragua and they try to organize a regime change through groups that are involved with terrorism. And they want to break with the constitutional order as they attempted back in 2018 in Nicaragua. And we saw what occurred in Bolivia. The OAS terribly with their groups of electoral observers created the conditions in Bolivia for a coup d'etat in Bolivia. An electoral coup d'etat as we all saw. And the same they have attempted in Nicaragua and also in Venezuela. So that is why what should our countries do if we are part of an organization such as the OAS that has a foundational charter that establishes clear principles on how the countries should behave. Within the context of cooperation. But the organization itself acts in an opposite manner opposed to the principles. They act as an instrument for instability of pressure of interference of an extension of the mandate of the US elites. And so what they do is develop efforts to topple democratically elected governments such as the government of Commander Daniel Ortega and Vice President Murillo as the government of President Maduro in Venezuela. And as what occurred with the government of former President Evo Morales. So this needs to trigger our reflection and we need to understand that this organization does not comply with the fundamental principles of international law and of the principles themselves of the charter. Because we see that even though you carry out efforts of democracy of diplomacy but this interference ends up having a cost in our country because lives are lost due to this interference. Police and other officials have died and they continue insisting and saying the Nicaragua is violating human rights and we have reiterated no we have said that we protect human rights. That is why our policy the policy of Nicaragua based on reconciliation promoted by President Ortega is oriented towards common well being. We say we give preference to the poor without excluding any other sector. We are including all the sectors but these vast majorities that have been systematically for years they need to be given back their rights that were stripped from them long time ago but the US government doesn't like that. And they don't see any positive aspect of our government because our policy is oriented to the needs of our citizens and the citizens have assumed these policies as theirs. We have oriented our actions towards economic development and to guarantee food sovereignty our constructions of roads. We are trying to make sure that this energy matrix is based on clean energy environmentally friendly but this is not highlighted by the US. In the OAS the countries that are subordinated to the US act collectively against us approving resolutions trying to delegitimize popular governments that are not following the instructions of Washington such as Nicaragua's government. We that disagree with the aggression against other states. We that disagree with the policies of destruction implemented against certain countries and we clearly disagree with the illegal appropriation of natural resources of our countries and in this regard Nicaragua is very clear. We are very clear in our domestic policy and in our foreign policy. We are very clear we abide by international law and the fundamental principles of international law and the UN and OAS charter. So when we reached this reflection in this analysis we said wait a minute this body is following simply the mandates of the empire in detriment of our peoples. At that moment we said we cannot continue being part of this organization and that is why last year we started denouncing the OAS charter. And last Sunday we said well we're going to expel the organization from our country. We're going to close their offices. We're going to withdraw the credential of our ambassadors that are there in the OAS. We're not going to participate anymore in anybody related to the OAS nor in the general assembly nor in the permanent council nor in the meeting of ministers of foreign affairs. Nor in the summit of the Americas. That is not the summit of the Americas as long as not all of the countries of the continent are present there. So that OAS truly does not comply with its role and brings no benefit to any of the states of Latin America and the Caribbean. And therefore Terry it is justified this decision and why have we denounced this charter? Why are we withdrawing from the organization and why are we formally not participating anymore there? And simultaneously the CELAC has been boosted and reinforced and that is why CELAC exists. And about CELAC, if you want to interrupt me you can do it no problem. Well okay I have like so much I want to ask you. I don't know how much more time you have but really you're just giving me so much wonderful information that there's a couple things I'd like to follow up on and then let's go back to CELAC because I think the summit that happened in September was really crucial. The timing of it was so crucial for the Americas, for Latin America and the Caribbean. But just for me to be clear and for our audience to be clear what happened on Sunday the 24th was an expulsion of OAS staff, OAS presence in Nicaragua, but still there is this two year exit process that needs to occur that is being recognized by Nicaragua. In other words you announced on 19 November you would be leaving which means the full exit will be on 19 November what 2023. Is that am I correct in that? There just will no longer be OAS presence in your country. Correct Terry. That's the way the charter establishes it, yes. In the event of the denunciation of the treaty, two years need to pass for the countries and the organizations to be completely non-bound anymore and so that the effect of the charters may cease, may stop for the country. Okay, thank you so much for that. Then the other thing I would like to add, and this is really more for our audience to understand something that you said, Foreign Minister, about governments that the Nicaraguan government, the Sandinista government, the government of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo have are interested in an R, not just interested R, building a domestic economy for all citizens with an emphasis on the poor but not ignoring the middle class or upper class. And so one of the things that I saw in November and I would say your comments are actually regional in what you said. In November I had the privilege of traveling Latin America and observing your elections on November 7. Then traveling to Venezuela for the 21 November elections. Those were regional and local elections in Nicaragua what those in the states would call mayoral elections and gubernatorial elections and then at the end of November, November 28, were the presidential elections in Honduras, and then in December, Chile, but in the case of November at the after election day and looking at the results in all three countries November, excuse me Nicaragua, Venezuela and Honduras, it was really really clear that a theme across the Americas and then let's also not forget on November 30, Barbados left the British crown was really, really clear that across the Americas, people were voting for national sovereignty for natural resource sovereignty and voting for governments with an economic plan, beneficial to all of its citizens and we say an economic plan because we've seen everything from one step to the left to revolutionary left economic plans but but in general people voting for governments with an economic plan, such as that in Nicaragua, that was focused on uplifting all citizens, not just benefiting the wealthy elite as we see predominantly in the United States I think to me that's a really evident theme that happened last year throughout the year there were elections across the Americas, all you know, all year 2021. Is that am I correct in observing that do you think that that's a reasonable conclusion to make. It's a combination between the lot for the homeland of our countries love to your land to your population to your environment to your nature to your resources to peace to peace to stability. And to the creation and the development of the conditions for the improvement of the economies, especially after the pandemic of the COVID-19 after hurricanes and other natural phenomena after so many gorgeous. We have faced gorgeous in terms of security of health or natural adverse phenomena. So, basically, population and our nationals have a sense of dignity, and they love their land, their country, their patriots, they want sovereignty. So, this has to do with the existence of human beings as free beings as independent and sovereign beings that love self determination after centuries of being slaves and suffering exploitation the sense of freedom of defense of your homeland of your fellow. Citizens of your dignity so important it's fundamental. This has to do with the political ideological nature. This sense of homeland is combined with the economic aspect to be able to strengthen stability and the economics and social peace and then non aggression and and to block the effect of the international measures we need to strengthen our economy and to guarantee food security and food security. Taking into account the material food, but also the spiritual food. So, that is why in Nicaragua, we have programs and policies that are very important and involve culture, gender equality participation of women to give a specific special role to young people to young women to young men to have a freedom of cult of religion. All these elements. Once our population works based on these values with the support of the government with honesty, using resources provided by the state and by the society for their own benefit. Always bearing in mind honesty and transparency as fundamental pillars. So, we have to deal with propaganda and falsehood and fake news and the attempts to twist the truth and trying to delegitimize this reality in Nicaragua, and you have had the chance to come here and you probably have seen these things with your own eyes. You had alliances that were very important alliances between the state government, the workers, and the private sector, the companies, the private companies. Here in Nicaragua, the private sector in their highest levels have participated for a long time in productive conditions, and this has allowed us to create jobs to speak with representatives of the workers and the companies finding the to reach the highest level of social justice for decent salaries, looking forward to obtaining social stability, avoiding political and social conflicts. However, unfortunately, that alliance that was effective for several years and that brought results to Nicaragua is broken by the interference of the government of the US that perceives these policies as inconvenient to their ideas of exploitation, domination, and control. And that is why here in Nicaragua, to the 18 when we saw terrorist coup d'etat attempt that resulted in destruction of infrastructure, we have had great experiences. So that is why I emphasize that we have focused not only in the poor sector, but we try to include every economic sector in our country, even those that hold great amounts of power. So you made a comment about national sovereignty being part of and natural resource sovereignty, equating to security and stability for Nicaraguans, economic development for the people that equates to employment, jobs, income. These are all really positive things and in my opinion, are reasons why Nicaraguans remain in Nicaragua, and to have no reason to and choose not to migrate, which seems to me would be something highly promoted and highly desirable by the United States. So Nicaragua is not recognized by the United States and we have huge issues of insecurity, violence, unemployment in Central America in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras specifically, maybe less Honduras now, hopefully with their new government of power. But can we talk just a minute about why there is no or very little migration from Nicaragua. I think people that migrate, my observation is people that migrate from Nicaragua. It is personal choice, education and coming back things like that it is not migration out of dire need for work for physical security we simply don't see that. We do not see Nicaraguan people leaving their country the way we do in other parts of Central America. That's an interesting topic, Terry. It's very interesting because if you pay attention, if a country has stability, good security levels, and a good health system, and a good educational system, and the government and the state creates jobs and develop programs to make the country progress, taking into account the needs of population. When these phenomena take place, not only the US, but also some European countries try to promote and create conditions of instability in our countries in terms of economy in terms of politics, and they use every mechanism they can. And since they have so many resources and especially so many technical and financial resources to do that, their knowledge, so they design their policies to promote psychological and emotional instability in our countries. So they promote through some subversive activities, hidden techniques. They try to create among certain sectors of population, they try to promote these flows of migration from our countries abroad, because they use it to say, oh, migration is increasing in this or that country, because they are experiencing this or that problem, even if this is not occurring in reality. They make up stories. In the case of Nicaragua, we have a combination between a good government that aims at developing the best conditions for its population and a population that is well aware of the political, economic problems taking place throughout the world, and the suffering they have faced in the past, linked to the foreign interference. And so Nicaraguan people is very mature. Nicaraguans are mature politically speaking. But still, we see campaigns aiming at promoting Nicaraguan migration to other countries. But as you said, in Nicaragua, migration is minimum. However, you see how some media outlets say in Mexico, 2000, Central American immigrants have been detained. And then they say there are two, three or four Nicaraguan citizens that are part of this group. So some media outlets try to use Nicaraguans to say that there is a migration from Nicaragua to other countries to introduce this idea in public opinion and mentioning Nicaraguans as part of this phenomenon. Migration has structural causes. Security, politics in other countries. We have high levels of security in Nicaragua. We have positive policies developed by our government. We have educational programs in the countryside. And our universities are working shoulder to shoulder with our peasants living in our rural areas, and they have access to education to university and technical education, which is truly a very important thing to mention. So, Nicaraguans love their land, love their homeland. Thank you. I can share with our audience very clearly and with you, saying one part of it, that's very, very true that, and it's a one, it's a really beautiful thing to be among that when among your people that feeling of pride and happiness is general day to day life. And I, and I, you know, it is because of the security and the quality of life that you and your government have created. I wonder if you have time for one more question. Yeah. It's, you mentioned earlier when we started our conversation that Latin America and the Caribbean as a region is moving forward. And I think that's very true. And I, and not just in recent years, I think you can make an argument in the last probably 20, 20 years for sure. Moving forward as a block as a sovereign nations. And one of the reasons you're choosing to leave the OAS is to be able to operate as a sovereign nation equal in the international world to the United States and other powers. And I applaud you for that. Moving forward the region moving forward and, and, and this is really coming back to Salah, I guess, how, how much of this moving forward and I would maybe say multi creating a multilateral paradigm, or expanding it I think the multilateral paradigm already exists so expanding how much of that has to do with trade and foreign relations with with China. And I would also probably throw in Russia and Iran to but perhaps principally China. The foreign policy of our government as we said at the beginning of this conversation is a policy that is broad open that precisely aims at strengthening friendship relationships, fraternal relationships based on exchange based on and the strengthening of a cooperation relationship in international organizations and the participation in the in positions of power in international organizations. President Ortega keeps an epistolar communication and keeps a constant email communication with different heads of state throughout the world congratulating them for their day of independence for any other important day expressing condolences in the event of tragedies. So there is a foreign policy based on dynamism and very human and we have broadened our foreign policy I want to tell you Terry that through the UN with the presence of our permanent mission there and our ambassador, we have been able to broaden the presence of diplomatic relations with many countries and precisely we do that through concurrence because for Nicaragua is very complex and difficult to have an embassy, a physical embassy in each one of the countries, but we try to do it through the Nicaragua we have an embassy in a country and but we reach other countries as well to keep a direct communication mutual support solidarity and precisely contributing to strengthen international peace and security the exchanges in terms of mutual interest and with Iran we have a great relationship we have had very significant exchanges, visits of Iranian officials in our country, but also visits of Nicaraguan officers in Tehran so analyzing the cooperation, the investments taking place in both countries in agriculture, in agricultural techniques in the medical field and in areas related to medicine also with medicines, education so we have plenty of exchanges we organize mutual conferences between the University of Manawa and the University of Tehran so we have strengthened this communication and exchange relationship, our cooperation as a whole and technical support in the medical field and in agriculture and with China, with People's Republic of China we have been working for more than four months resuming the international historical relationships that the Sandinista Revolution had started back in the 80s at the beginning of the 80s and that ended up interrupted with the political changes that took place in Nicaragua of neoliberal governments that interrupted that relationship so Nicaragua has resumed an old friendship relationship based on brotherhood and fraternity and programs that are precisely oriented towards the resolution of the poverty problems of our populations and as you know China has progressed remarkably to live behind poverty so we have a great relationship with China that has improved with time and is a bilateral relationship with great solidarity, mutual solidarity in the different fields and areas so and can you comment on Nicaragua's relationship with Russia right now I mean it's you know for the whole world this is a pretty precarious moment and my country most certainly is not innocent in the current situation but how does Nicaragua see the current situation in Europe specifically Ukraine am I allowed to ask that? I understand that what happens is that you made a question naming some countries in order but I'm going to change the order of this question because truly the problem of this invasion has to do with the US, the NATO the European Union controlled by the United States Ukraine turning Ukraine in a sort of platform of weapons and feeding an attitude of aggression against Russia so the President of Russia Vladimir Putin has repeated several times before this military operation erupted and it called my attention the emphasis and the insistence of President Vladimir Putin and Minister Lavrov and I'm warning the US and the NATO saying them don't continue moving towards the east don't continue sieging us and getting close to our borders security is an essential and comprehensive principle let's talk about security for all let's continue moving towards Russia I want to be clear about this if you continue with this we will know go backwards he was very clear and insisted in sitting to have a conversation and to have a dialogue and to resume old agreement old security agreements that have been subscribed by all the parties in Europe in the region between Europe and Asia and it's clear Terry that if the NATO and in the US and the US using the NATO and the European Union Ukraine continue in this path Russia has the right to defend itself Russia has the right to defend itself and to defend themselves actively and this needs to be taken into account by the US the NATO especially because in the end Ukraine is being used as a platform as I said before as a platform for aggression a very dangerous platform for aggression this is a topic that involves the main superpowers but it's important for everyone in the world because even if our countries are far away from this place of conflict we have the right to live in peace and we have the right to have peaceful relationships with countries that live in conditions of peace therefore we can also say let's live in peace the US the NATO please stop threatening other countries stop threatening and sieging Russia because you are endangering the security of your own populations and the security of other surrounding countries let's quickly remember that recently there was an attend of Kudeta in Kazakhstan in Belarus and Kazakhstan has a borders with China so we are seeing a very critical scenario with a high degree of aggression and all the countries have the right to say those who are threatening Russia stop we all have the right to live in peace and Russia has the right to live in peace as well as the Europeans have the right to live in peace and the countries of Africa Asia and the Americas thank you so much thank you so much for your time you've been incredibly generous this afternoon is there anything that you would like to add to our conversation or before I let you go there I wanted to thank you I wanted to thank you for this interview for the interest you have in Nicaragua for the interest in sharing the truth of what goes on in Nicaragua because we are suffering the consequences of fake news and I want to tell you that not all the media outlets we are aware that are some powerful media outlets that lie and some others like you that tell the truth so thank you I wanted to thank you and to say that in Nicaragua we are moving towards a positive path we are part of other international organizations such as CELAC it has a bright future that is resuming this historical role of integration and this aspiration of sovereignty and freedom and we are trying to contribute from our place for peace and security at a domestic level at an international level at an universal level we all want peace we all want a new international order in which we can truly see multilateralism strengthen and the strengthening of democracy within international organizations and we would like to see a true multiplicity and it is actually taking place in this historical political and geopolitical moment in the world so a new international order for the well-being of all the countries in the world to live in peace in a peaceful coexistence in development and in progress a better world is possible and we can do it oh my gosh it's just so beautiful and so hopeful and I'm so thankful for those hopeful words in this particular moment in our global history as human beings I'm so thankful for your time today you've been incredibly generous to speak with us and it's been a real honor and a privilege to have this conversation with you I want to remind our audience that you've been watching what the F is going on in Latin America and the Caribbean CodePink's weekly YouTube program of hot news out of the region we broadcast every Wednesday for 30 p.m. Pacific 730 p.m. Eastern on CodePink YouTube Live also be sure to catch CodePink radio every Thursday morning 11 a.m. Eastern 7 what would that be 8 a.m. Pacific and that program broadcasts on WBAI out of New York City and WPFW out of Washington DC both projects can be found on Apple podcast and be sure to watch us next next week and thank you again senior Moncada just a real honor and a real privilege and I am so thankful for today's conversation it was just absolutely wonderful thank you a greeting to all of you