,,iii #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #ebe ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #b1 #bjbj,mr4 ,cruz 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,menendez1 ,mr4 ,rubio1 ,mr4 ,murphy1 ,mr4 ,perdue1 and ,mr4 ,cardin7 submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,,resolution ,expressing the sense of the ,senate that the ,united ,states should continue to support the people of ,nicaragua in their peaceful efforts to promote the restoration of democracy and the defense of human rights1 and use the tools under ,united ,states law to increase political and economic pressure on the government of ,daniel ,ortega4 ,whereas the government of ,daniel ,ortega has concentrated power and brought about the progressive deterioration of democratic conditions in ,nicaragua2 ,whereas recent elections in ,nicaragua1 including the #bjaf presidential election1 have been marred by irregularities and characterized by significant restrictions on the participation of opposition political parties and the absence of credible international and local electoral observers2 ,whereas ,nicaraguan security forces1 paramilitary1 police1 and other actors working under the direction of the ,ortega regime committed gross violations of human rights and acts of repression1 resulting in more than #cbe deaths1 over #b1jjj injuries1 and at least #hjj arbitrary detentions during the peaceful protests that took place in #bjah1 according to the ,organization of ,american ,states2 ,whereas a report by the ,interdisciplinary ,group of ,independent ,experts1 appointed by the ,organization of ,american ,states ,inter-,american ,commission on ,human ,rights1 determined that the ,ortega regime used deliberate1 lethal force against protesters and committed acts of torture that meet the international legal standard of crimes against humanity2 ,whereas an estimated #hb1jjj ,nicaraguans fled the country between ,april #bjah and ,october #bjai1 according to the ,united ,nations ,high ,commissioner for ,refugees2 ,whereas the ,government and people of ,costa ,rica have graciously accepted nearly #gj1jjj ,nicaraguans1 including enrolling children in public primary schools1 allowing access to legal employment1 and making efforts to strengthen the capacity of ,costa ,rica's asylum system2 ,whereas the ,ortega government failed to comply with its commitment to release all political prisoners1 releasing just #cib people1 of which #bhf were released to house arrest with charges still pending2 ,whereas ,nicaragua's ,civic ,alliance for ,justice and ,democracy alleges that there remain over #aej political prisoners held in ,nicaraguan prisons as of ,november #bi1 #bjai2 ,whereas a ,united ,states citizen and ,navy veteran1 #eg-year-old ,eddy ,montes1 was shot and killed while in the custody of the ,nicaraguan police at ,la ,modelo ,prison on ,may #af1 #bjai2 ,whereas the government of ,daniel ,ortega has severely restricted freedom of the press by closing five local television stations1 attacking independent radio stations1 arbitrarily detaining journalists1 and arbitrarily restricting print supplies from entering the country2 ,whereas1 beginning on ,november #ad1 #bjai1 ,nicaraguan police conducted attacks on churches throughout the country1 cut water to hunger strikers barricaded inside a church in ,masaya1 and arrested #ac people attempting to bring them water2 ,whereas doctors1 lawyers1 academics1 and other professionals in ,nicaragua face persecution and1 in some cases torture1 based on suspicion of aiding or sympathizing with protestors2 ,whereas the ,ortega regime has violated the economic and political rights of indigenous communities1 ,afro-descendent populations1 rural campesinos1 land rights defenders1 and individuals living in the ,caribbean ,autonomous ,regions of ,nicaragua2 ,whereas1 on ,november #bg1 #bjah1 ,executive ,order #achea was issued1 which blocks the property of certain persons involved in the ,nicaraguan crisis1 and its application was expanded by the ,office of ,foreign ,asset ,control of the ,department of the ,treasury on ,september #d1 #bjai2 ,whereas the bipartisan ,nicaragua ,human ,rights and ,anticorruption ,act of #bjah 7,public ,law #aae-cce2 commonly referred to as the ,,nica ,act7 was signed into law on ,december #bj1 #bjah1 imposing restrictions on lending to the ,nicaraguan government by international financial institutions and requiring the ,president to sanction non-,united ,states persons implicated in egregious human rights abuses and corruption in ,nicaragua2 ,whereas the ,,nica ,act expresses the support of ,congress for a negotiated solution to the ,nicaraguan crisis and includes an annual certification to waive sanctions if the ,ortega government takes steps to restore democratic governance and uphold human rights2 ,whereas1 in the absence of such steps1 the ,department of ,state and the ,department of the ,treasury have imposed targeted sanctions on ,nicaraguan officials and entities1 including ,first ,lady and ,vice ,president ,rosario ,murillo1 ,daniel ,ortega's sons1 ,rafael ,ortega ,murillo and ,laureano ,ortega ,murillo1 and ,nicaragua's ,banco ,corporativo 7,bancorp72 ,whereas1 in ,june #bjai1 the ,government of ,canada imposed sanctions on #ab members of the ,government of ,nicaragua engaged in gross and systemic human rights violations2 and ,whereas1 in advance of any future election1 the ,government of ,nicaragua urgently needs to undertake electoral reforms1 including the appointment of independent new magistrates to the ,supreme ,electoral ,council1 the restoration of a #ej percent plus one threshold for the presidential election1 the establishment of a second round of voting if the electoral threshold is not reached1 the establishment of a detailed electoral calendar1 and stronger observation by political parties3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,senate-- 7#a7 calls on the ,government of ,nicaragua to immediately release all political prisoners without conditions and cease all acts of violence1 repression1 and intimidation against dissenting voices in ,nicaragua2 7#b7 urges the ,ortega government to respect ,nicaraguans' constitutional rights and implement the electoral reforms mentioned above in order to permit the holding of free1 fair1 and transparent elections2 7#c7 encourages the ,united ,states ,government to align ,united ,states sanctions with diplomatic efforts to advance electoral reforms that could lead to free1 fair1 and transparent elections in ,nicaragua2 7#d7 expresses full support for the people of ,nicaragua1 ,nicaraguan independent media1 and ,nicaraguan civil society organizations that are working for a peaceful return to democratic order in ,nicaragua2 7#e7 supports the efforts of the ,united ,states ,government to apply pressure on the ,ortega government in order hold accountable those actors involved in human rights abuses1 acts of significant corruption1 and the undermining of democratic institutions in ,nicaragua2 7#f7 urges the international community to hold the ,ortega government accountable for human rights abuses and to restrict its access to foreign financing unless or until it allows for free1 fair1 and transparent elections monitored by credible international and local electoral observers2 and 7#g7 urges the ,united ,states ,government to investigate and hold accountable those responsible for the death of ,eddy ,montes1 a ,united ,states citizen and ,navy veteran1 who was shot and killed while in the custody of the ,nicaraguan police at ,la ,modelo ,prison on ,may #af1 #bjai4