Brazil Seeks Answers to Student’s Death in Nicaragua

By Lise Alves, Senior Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Brazil’s government has called back Brazilian ambassador to Nicaragua, Luís Cláudio Villafañe Gomes Santos, one day after Brazilian university student was killed in the Central American country’s capital, Managua. Nicaragua’s ambassador in Brasilia was also called into the Itamaraty (Brazil’s Foreign Ministry) to explain what happened to the student.

“The Brazilian woman was hit by shots in circumstances in which [the Brazilian government] is seeking clarification from the Nicaraguan government,” said Itamaraty in a press release.

According to Universidad Americana (UAM) president, Ernesto Medina, Brazilian student Raynéia Gabrielle Lima was killed on Monday night after being shot by a ‘paramilitary group’ in the south of the capital Managua.

In an interview with a local TV station, the UAM deputy added that the
“Paramilitary forces feel like they have ‘carte blanche’, nobody will say anything to them, nobody will do anything. They’ve been kidnapping and entering people’s homes”, said Medina in an interview on Tuesday to a local TV station.

According to the student’s boyfriend, who was in a car behind the Brazilian, Lima was returning home after working several hours in a military hospital where she was completing her medical residency. Her car received several shots, two of which hit the student. She was in her sixth year of medical school.

Nicaragua has been facing political turmoil since April and protests against President Daniel amid accusations of abuse and corruption have been increasing. Troops, friendly to the Ortega administration have repressed protests and left at least 277 people dead in the past four months.

Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly advised Brazilians not travel to the country.