(FILE) Nicaragua’s co-presidents Daniel Ortega Saavedra and Rosario Murillo. Photo: EFE.
September 26, 2025 Hour: 1:21 am
Nicaragua’s co-presidents Daniel Ortega Saavedra and Rosario Murillo, together with the National Police leadership, presided over the 46th anniversary ceremony of the police force, held at Plaza La Fe in Managua.
In his remarks, Ortega turned to international affairs, denouncing Israel’s actions—backed by the United States and European countries—as genocide against Palestine.
He also criticized the deployment of military forces in Latin America, stating that the United States uses drug trafficking as a pretext to intervene in countries like Venezuela, rich in oil. “The greatest drug consumption is in the United States, and it is their responsibility to control it,” Ortega declared.
The president denounced the abuses against Latin American migrants in the United States, rejecting their detention and deportation despite the essential work they perform. “The Government of Nicaragua is receiving migrants, and they are welcomed with proper care, as brothers,” he said, stressing that the country offers new job opportunities.
Ortega also condemned the arrests of undocumented workers in U.S. factories, highlighting their contribution as “hardworking and humble people.”
The ceremony featured representative blocs of the National Police and the Heroic Volunteer Police “Commander Julio Buitrago.” Among those present were the president of the National Assembly, Gustavo Porras Cortés; the Commander-in-Chief of the Army, General Julio César Avilés Castillo; the Chief of the General Staff, General Bayardo Ramón Rodríguez Ruiz; and the Minister of the Interior, María Amelia Coronel Kinloch.
https://www.telesurenglish.net/co-presi ... g-pretext/
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NicaNotes
September 25, 2025
My Tax Refusal
By S. Brian Willson
[S. Brian Willson is a Viet Nam Veteran, trained attorney, and long-time activist confronting historical USA imperialism. He first went to Nicaragua in 1986, and has visited many times over the years. For several years he has resided in Nicaragua as one of its proud citizens. This article was first published by Willson on his Substack page.]
Willson wrote to the IRS saying that “The Nuremberg Obligation … prohibits citizens from committing acts that are illegal under international law even when commanded to do so by their government.” The photo shows a funeral procession in 1986 in Managua for 31 civilians killed by a contra land mine provided by US taxpayers.
Throughout the late 1970s and early 80s, as I was getting more interested in U.S. foreign policy, I sensed that it was likely that I was going to become an activist and I didn’t want to keep paying for policies that repelled me. I realized that without becoming a tax refuser, and continuing to pay for the policies of my government, I was still complicit and a hypocrite. I had been having stomach problems throughout this time and a conservative farmer friend of mine told me: “You’re having stomach problems because you’re doing something that you really don’t believe in, which is paying taxes.”
I then began to plan my life in such a way that the government had no property to seize from me. This would include bank accounts, property, a car, etc. They would have nothing to seize except me and I fully expected to do two or three years in prison as my lawyer had advised me. With no holdings taken, as I was self-employed, I still continued to file my taxes every year but did not pay.
I had close to a dozen meetings with the Internal Revenue Service either at my rental house or their office. Each time I replied the same way: “It’s in your hands. It’s not complicated. I’m not paying for war.”
One of these times, at my house, a five-year-old Nicaraguan boy, Erick Ramon Cano Lopez, who had been severely wounded by the U.S. funded counter revolutionaries (Contras) was staying with me and Holley. I was in the middle of a game of checkers with him as I heard a knock on my door and opened it and lo and behold it was my IRS agent once again. Erick, with his seriously disfigured face from two bullet wounds was standing next to me, and I looked at my IRS agent and I said “Do you think I’m going to pay for policies that pay for this?”
The statute of limitations expired after 10 years and they never prosecuted or imprisoned me much to my surprise.
I have been a tax refuser for 41 years now since first starting in 1984.
———-
A 1990 LETTER TO THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE “WITH ALL DUE RESPECT…I MUST REFUSE YOUR REQUEST”
Dear Official of the Internal Revenue Service and/or Judge of the U.S, District Court, or other Judicial or Quasi-Judicial Officers:
I am aware of your request for my cooperation in producing monetary amounts or documents to aid in the collection of those amounts, to satisfy a debt that you claim I owe the U.S. government. I disagree vehemently with the basis for your claim of my indebtedness as I have explained in previous writings and discussions with representatives of the IRS. Therefore, I cannot honor your request(s).
This refusal on my part is not personally directed to you or any other person(s), nor is it due to any reluctance to support the need of the common good. Again, my previous communications explain my personal, philosophical, moral, legal, and Constitutional reasons for resistance and refusal to support illegal and immoral activities and expenditures of the U.S. government.
I have no assets to speak of. I have given away all funds received from the U.S. government as a result of our mutually agreed upon out-of-court settlement. As you are probably aware, the U.S. Attorney General agreed to payment of a sum of money in lieu of trial for the act of the U.S. Navy knowingly accelerating a munitions train to over three times the legal speed limit running over me and others while peacefully protesting the illegal shipment of munitions designed to murder and maim innocent human beings in Central America.
I am prepared to pursue acquisition of funds in the amount equal to that figure that the U.S. government claims I owe it. But, I will donate these funds directly to duly recognized non-profit organizations. I will not voluntarily pay any money to the U.S. government.
I am fully aware that by not cooperating with your request(s) I am extraordinarily vulnerable to being forced to serve substantial time in prison as well as being subjected to other forms of governmental interference into my life. I am as prepared as I can be to serve the prison time. I will serve this prison time without my two artificial legs in an as-is condition just as the U.S. government left me on the Concord, CA, tracks after severing my legs and fracturing my skull. The Navy ambulance that arrived on the scene provided virtually no medical assistance and refused to transport me to a hospital causing a substantial delay in receipt of the emergency attention my traumatic injuries demanded. I will offer to you an earlier pair of artificial legs, a valuable asset I do possess, that perhaps can be used by another unfortunate victim of U.S. “low intensity” warfare being carried out in any one of a number of “Third World” countries. I also will decide at various times to partake in political and spiritual fasts for durations to be determined by personal discernment.
I would prefer to be tried in a public proceeding at which time I would have the opportunity to present the legal, as well as moral, basis for my actions. I am led to believe that no U.S. administrative or legal tribunal will allow me to substantively present my arguments based on international and U.S. Constitutional law and the Nuremberg Obligation. Thus, I do not wish to waste precious funds and the valuable time and work of lawyers and others, in a futile effort. I hope that my example will provoke others to search their own consciences as to their own manner of exercising responsible and lawful citizenship in a society whose government is committing countless lawless and heinous criminal acts on a regular basis in many parts of the world. But no matter what others do, I must follow my own conscience.
The Nuremberg Obligation, one that the U.S. was so adamant in advocating as a standard under international law after conclusion of the Nuremberg trial following World War II, prohibits citizens from committing acts that are illegal under international law even when commanded to do so by their government and its officials. Nuremberg established the principle of individual responsibility for the crime of attacking international peace. SEE Jackson, Statement of Chief Counsel Upon Signing of the Agreement, 19 Temple L.Q. 169 (1945-6).
I have acquired voluminous evidence of the active involvement, directly or indirectly, of the U.S. government’s participation in crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. This evidence has been developed from extensive reading of various books, reports and documents; from extensive interviews and discussions with former members of U.S. military, security and intelligence agencies; and from personal observations acquired during visits to a number of countries where the U.S. is or has been actively intervening in various overt and covert ways.
I also want it to be clear that I do not have some peculiar desire to spend time in prison or to subject myself to needless deprivation. I believe that in a democracy the ultimate legal and moral authority resides within the heart and mind of each citizen—in conscience. When this government commits a pattern of behavior that consistently violates its own laws, then the government has relinquished its authority to act on behalf of its citizenry. I must act according to my conscience.
I conclude by quoting from Henry David Thoreau’s 1849 essay on Civil Disobedience:
“If a thousand men were not to pay their tax bills this year, that would not be a violent and bloody measure, as it would be to pay them, and enable the state to commit violence and shed innocent blood.”With all due respect for your position and perspective, I must refuse your request.
Sincerely yours,
S. Brian Willson
Sent December 1990
Note: If you have memories of your involvement with Nicaragua from years ago, write them down and send them to us! Even better if you have photos! Many of us are getting old and some of us have died! Leave a legacy! Write katherinechoyt@gmail.com.
Briefs
By Nan McCurdy
Foreign Minister Demands Immediate End to Aggression against Venezuela
A delegation from Nicaragua, led by Foreign Minister Denis Moncada participated in various meetings prior to the start of the general debate at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Moncada attended the meeting of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) as well as the Ministerial Meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), insisting that the fight against drugs must be based on shared responsibility, multilateral cooperation, and social justice, rejecting interventionist actions such as the one being carried out by the United States against Venezuela.
In his CELAC speech, Moncada said, “The existence of our countries as free, independent, and sovereign states is our right and obliges us to ensure that no foreign power, using pretexts such as the supposed war on drug trafficking, threatens the stability, peace, and sovereignty of our nations…. Under the pretext of combating drug cartels, the United States government is conducting naval operations in the Southern Caribbean Sea directed against Venezuela. The fight against drugs must focus on prevention, education, public health, and the economic development of our communities, not on the so-called war on drugs or on interventionist actions. Nicaragua believes that the fight against drugs must be based on the principles of shared but differentiated responsibility … respect for the sovereignty of States, regional and multilateral cooperation, and a focus on human development and social justice. The solution lies in attacking the structural causes of this scourge: poverty, exclusion, lack of opportunities for young people, and inequalities in international trade exacerbated by arbitrary tariffs.”
He continued, “By deploying warships and nuclear submarines in the Caribbean Sea with the aim of attacking Venezuela, the government of President Donald Trump is flagrantly violating international law, the UN Charter, the Treaty of Tlatelolco, and the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace. The US government bases its political, psychological, and military aggression against Venezuela on falsehoods and lies. They seek to destroy the Venezuelan truth by fabricating a false narrative that they systematically disseminate through their media power, with the aim of overthrowing its legitimate and constitutional president. The so-called “war on drugs” has been, in essence, a war of domination against our peoples, a geopolitical strategy to justify intervention, the deployment of troops, the systematic violation of our sovereignty, and the control of our territories. We demand an immediate end to the aggression against the sovereignty, independence, and self-determination of Venezuela and the urgent withdrawal of the US task force deployed in the Caribbean, which is a zone of peace in Our America. Nicaragua reiterates its accompaniment, support, and militant solidarity with Nicolás Maduro Moros, the legitimate and constitutional president of the sister Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Our peoples deserve to live in peace and with the full right to decide their own destiny.” (La Primerisima, 23 September 2025)
New Hospital in León Opens its Doors
On September 21, the Óscar Danilo Rosales Teaching Hospital was inaugurated in the city of León. The hospital has modern facilities and state-of-the-art equipment to strengthen care in medical, surgical, and emergency specialties. Its infrastructure includes spacious hospitalization areas, intensive care units, maternity wards, operating rooms, and diagnostic spaces with advanced technology guaranteeing dignified, quality service to thousands of families in the western part of the country. The hospital will have 461 beds, 11 operating rooms, and 5 delivery rooms. It will offer the following specialties: major surgery, plastic surgery, orthopedic surgery, gynecological and obstetric surgery, transplant surgery, major outpatient surgery, pediatric surgery, anesthesia assessment, cardiology, pediatric cardiology, adult surgery, pediatrics, gynecology and obstetrics, orthopedics and trauma, urology, ophthalmology, physiatry, maxillofacial surgery, otolaryngology, psychiatry, neurosurgery, oncology, pulmonology, nephrology, hematology, and infectious diseases. In addition, it will provide cardiology rehabilitation, oncology/chemotherapy, a nephrology unit, pain clinic, endoscopic services, emergency services, obstetric unit, neonatology, clinical laboratory, pathology, and morgue services. One of the modern features will be transplant and heart surgeries. All services are provided free of charge. See photos: https://radiolaprimerisima.com/nuevo-ho ... e-domingo/ (La Primerisima, 19 September 2025)
Managua to Have Modern Multi-Purpose Stadium
On September 22, construction begins on the Stanley Cayasso multi-purpose stadium, located on the site of the former national baseball stadium in Managua. This stadium has been designed to ensure the comfort of fans, the safety of athletes, and the international projection of Nicaraguan sports. The multi-purpose stadium will be a space for social, cultural, and sporting events. In addition to hosting high-level competitions, it will be equipped to host community activities, shows, and special events. Its main facilities include:
◙ Main baseball field, meeting all regulatory requirements and international standards for professional competitions.
◙ Two additional fields, specially designed for children’s baseball, which will promote minor leagues and the training of new generations of athletes.
◙ Stands with 2,910 comfortable and safe seats.
◙ Dressing rooms equipped with all the facilities for athletes and referees.
◙ Professional lighting system to ensure top-level sporting and cultural events, both day and night.
◙ Security and comfort systems: surveillance cameras, professional audio, fire detection and prevention, drinking water, restroom facilities, and backup power.
(La Primerisima, 18 September 2025)
National Emergency Drill with 9,000 Scenarios
On September 22, officials from the National System for Disaster Prevention and Response (Sinapred) called on the population to take part in the Third National Multi-Threat Preparedness Exercise on September 25, which will be held in more than 9,000 locations with the participation of 1.8 million people, with scenarios of hurricanes, floods, and landslides.
The head of Sinapred, Dr. Guillermo González, accompanied by the Chief of Staff of the Civil Defense, Colonel Sergio Arturo Corrales, reiterated that the objective is to be prepared for any emergency situation. González offered details on the logic behind this III Exercise: Operationally, this exercise will continue strengthening the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Nicaraguans in terms of preparedness to act in multi-threat situations. “Natural events do not only affect us individually and in our homes, but also affect our communities, our workplaces, and the lives of children in schools, so it is very important to be able to act collectively in emergency situations,” he said. “Let us remember that our model is based on the individual, the family, and the community, but in communion and closely coordinated with our government institutions.”
González explained that this exercise will include a scenario in which a hurricane hits Nicaragua in the southern Caribbean, “penetrating the center of the country, affecting the departments and municipalities of Nicaragua, and exiting between the municipalities of Jalapa and Dipilto towards the north, causing flooding and possible landslides along its entire path. Taking this scenario into account, priority will be given to all urban and rural areas exposed to the presence and impact of these meteorological phenomena, especially critical points.” (La Primerisima, 22 September 2025)
Nicaragua Signs Economic Cooperation Agreements in Russia
On September 22, a ceremony was held in Moscow to sign cooperation agreements between the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), the Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR), the provinces of Zaporizhia and Kherson, the city of Sevastopol, and the Republic of Nicaragua, in the presence of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The documents were signed by the heads of the aforementioned regions and by Laureano Ortega Murillo, Special Representative of the Co-Presidents of Nicaragua for the Development of Relations with Russia and Co-Chair of the Russian-Nicaraguan Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation. “We are honored to sign these cooperation agreements with these regions and republics that have endured fascist attacks against their peoples that have threatened their historic right to be an integral part of the Russian Federation,” said Ortega Murillo.
“And today we confirm that we are ready to strengthen and deepen ties of cooperation in all areas.… Russia and Nicaragua are countries with a historic relationship of brotherhood,” he added. Speaking to RT, Ortega Murillo recalled that Nicaragua has “a large number of products that may be interesting” such as food and agricultural products, which are “high quality and could find a new market here.” Nicaragua, in turn, will be able to learn more about these regions and find out how they could cooperate “in a way that benefits both sides.” See photos: https://radiolaprimerisima.com/nicaragu ... -en-rusia/ (La Primerisima, 22 September 2025)
https://afgj.org/nicanotes-my-tax-refusal