The superior of the Society of Jesus, Arturo Sosa, has strongly criticized the Nicaraguan government for confiscating assets of the Central American University. He says that the institution founded by the Jesuits in the 1960's is suffering an 'aggression.'
Furthermore, the former rector of the university, criticizes the fact that the seizures not only include the university's assets but some of its employees have also had their accounts frozen.
EDUARDO VALDÉS
Former Rector, Central American University
The students do not know what is going to happen to them. They have opened the university. I do not know if they have the capacity to reorganize it because the teachers themselves do not know...We do know that some people in the university have even had their accounts frozen, that is to say that it is not only the institution but also specific people who have been linked to the university. So it is almost certain that many of these people, if they have not already, are about to leave the country.
Eduardo Valdés fears for the future of the institution, its students and employees.
EDUARDO VALDÉS
Former Rector, Central American University
The greatest pain, I don't know how to say it. We as Jesuits will more or less survive and we have the support of the Society. But what hurts us is the struggles people who worked with us or who in some way received benefits from the university, from the work of our university are facing and we don't know if they will be able to continue.
The decision to seize the university's assets has generated protests. To justify it, the government claims that the university was a 'center of terrorism,' something that the Jesuits strongly deny. The authorities have even changed the name of the institution.
PA/JRB
TR: KG
