While President Donald Trump is in the middle of an investigation by the FBI. The investigation is worsening for him with his former attorney cooperating with officials, even releasing compromising audio tapes of private conversations. Despite the investigation, he is not losing sight of his promise to build the wall on the southern border, which Mexico is not paying for. President Trump is even threatening a government shutdown over it.
On Sunday, the president tweeted that he would shut down the government if Congress did not approve a budget for the border wall.
I would be willing to “shut down” government if the Democrats do not give us the votes for Border Security, which includes the Wall! Must get rid of Lottery, Catch & Release etc. and finally go to system of Immigration based on MERIT! We need great people coming into our Country!
While the deadline isn’t until September, Congress is typically out on recess during the month of August. However, according to CNN, their recess this month will be cut short in order for Congress to discuss the budget and Trump’s Supreme Court judge nominees.
The second was less than a month later when Trump refused to sign a budget that included hurricane relief for Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico. He eventually signed it, but vowed never to sign a bill like that again.
The final budget will be approved in September and the president wants roughly $25 billion for the wall. Congress has already approved $1.6 billion.
.@POTUS has decided that a government shutdown over The Wall would be advantageous to his party before the Midterms. (No, Mexico’s not paying for it!) I bet a whole lot of already vulnerable @GOP candidates disagree.https://t.co/aTxKM5aSRJ
If Congress does not agree to the $25 billion, Trump could avoid signing the budget and would force the government into another shutdown.
A government shutdown means that while most government offices remain open, employees do not get paid until it reopens. Other entities such as the national parks, monuments, and agencies that process passports and visa applications, as well as servers that maintain government websites, could be affected.
GOP lawmakers are not that concerned and think that it will not come to that.
Pres. Trump says he would be willing to shut down the government over immigration.
Republican representative Steve Stivers of Ohio, who also serves as chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, told ABC that they will avoid a shutdown but that Congress needs to “get better policies on immigration.”
Trump issued a statement saying that he is willing to negotiate a deal about the wall.
Pres. Trump renews shutdown threat over border security, but says $25 billion in border wall funding is not a "red line."
The crisis in Nicaragua keeps escalating, with journalists, students, and anyone who stands up to the dictatorship are risking their lives to speak up. Nicaraguans are using the hashtag #SOSNicaragua to get the attention of the world to help their fight for libertad.
Some background: the current President Daniel Ortega, was a a student leader in the Sandinista de Liberación Nacional (FSLN), which overthrew then-dictator Anastasio Somoza Debayle. Today, a new uprising of students are reclaiming the Sandinista name and spirit that ousted the last dictator and their target is Ortega.
Here’s why.
In April 2018, President Daniel Ortega announced a “comprehensive social security reform.”
CREDIT: @nicadispatch / Twitter
Translation: workers and employers would have to contribute more to their social security and expect 5 percent less of the benefits. Protesters fled to the streets, only to be met with militarized police attacking citizens.
The protests weren’t simply about the social security announcement, as much as the policy change was the last straw. Many Nicaraguans are upset over government corruption and believe that government officials have been using citizens’ social security savings as their own petty cash.
More than 400 people are reported dead since the violent conflict began.
CREDIT: @nicadispatch / Twitter
“We are in the streets asking for Ortega and his wife to go. This has already gone beyond the social security issue. Here there have been dead, wounded, and he does not even apologize for his killings or the savage repression against the people,” Mauri Hernandez, one of thousands of demonstrators at a central rotunda told NBC News.
The scale of the police response has prompted even more unrest.
CREDIT: @Midori1900 / Twitter
Imagine if Trump set police on protestors at #FamiliesBelongTogether marches and you were actually risking your life to speak up? It would create a widespread crisis by anyone’s standards, and it would not be OK.
On top of that, anti-Sandinistas have created a paramilitary that is backed by Ortega.
CREDIT: @BlueLaurita / Twitter
Ortega contradicts himself in multiple statements regarding his aiding the paramilitia who have wounded or killed Nicaraguans, but the fact remains: the National Police and these armed gangs are working side by side.
Plus, a picture’s worth a thousand words.
Ortega cancelled the social security reform but, for months, citizens continue to call for Ortega to step down.
CREDIT: @twosixxx / Twitter
The movement is largely student-led, and the deaths are heart-wrenching. Even Oretega’s own hermano, who once led the Nicaraguan military, called for Ortega to disband the paramilitary just last week.
Then, last week, this happened:
CREDIT: @BretBaier / Twitter
FOX News gave Ortega a platform to speak into President Trump’s ear, and to millions of Americans. When asked why paramilitary are involved in protests against his government, he responded, “Turmoil has stopped and matters are becoming more normal, and there have been some demonstrations both in favor and against the government.”
Nicaraguans and Nicaraguan-Americans are using #SOSNicaragua to call attention to the crisis.
CREDIT: @CDiriangen / Twitter
Brett Baier actually responded to several people, and he did follow through on his promise to grill the leader, who did exactly as expected. He claimed that the people who have died reacted violently, and their murderers were not affiliated with his government.
Nobody bought it.
CREDIT: @nicadispatch / Twitter
One Nicaraguan even tweeted this photo and said, “Someone thought it would be a good idea for Daniel Ortega to give an interview to @BretBaier on Fox News. Someone was wrong. Ortega appeared demented, mendacious and cagado. #sosnicaragua”
Some people tried using Trump’s favorite social media platform to convince him to take action.
CREDIT: @OpaKoukla / Twitter
Y’know, since Trump just parrots everything he hears on FOX News, and Ortega called the paramilitary attacks “terrorism” in an effort to distance himself from the groups. In response to seeing a video of mothers crying over their sons’ bodies, he basically said it’s propaganda to scare people.
The White House responded with a resolution to sanction officials under the Ortega regime.
CREDIT: @MarcoRubio / Twitter
Marco Rubio aided in getting a resolution passed that would prevent Ortega officials from visiting the United States, while allegations of officials poisoning the food and water of students and journalists, and the continued state-led violence ensues.
It’s something, but it’s not enough.
Plus, there’s some confusion over what to call the rebels.
CREDIT: @roxana54755021 / Twitter
Some Nicaraguans consider themselves anarchist Sandinista, holding root to the original intent of the party, which was to overthrow corruption and dictatorship. But since Ortega ran under the Sandinista party, we’re not sure what the U.S. government means by this statement.
Protests escalated when an armed gang took over a Catholic church in Masaya, the battleground for freedom.
CREDIT: @vivanicaragua12 / Twitter
This video shows an armed gang beating down the iron gates of a church raiding it, while students and priests hide behind home-made barricades, meant to block the open fire of the pro-government militia.
After the event in Masaya, tens of thousands of Nicaraguans poured into the streets to support the Church.
CREDIT: @inesanma / Twitter
Catholic officials have been outspoken against Ortega while this brutality has taken place, and Ortega has blamed the Church for encouraging the protests. The Nicaraguan Catholic Church maintains that they are only encouraging dialogue and peace.
Which is why the U.S. decided to have an opinion.
CREDIT: @VoCommunism / Twitter
Thousands of people brutally injured and killed y nada ni nada from the U.S. government, but once a Priest is involved, then they’re humanized. Protestors kept chanting, “Queremos a nuestros Obispos como mediadores!” which means “We want our bishops as mediators!”
Nicaraguans who can’t be there on foot, are doing what they can using the #SOSNicaragua tag.
CREDIT: @rickJMoncada / Twitter
@rickJMoncada is tweeting this at anyone who has a platform to raise awareness around the crisis. Since April, more than 400 people are dead and more than 2,000 injured for resisting Ortega.
Others will carry the flag wherever they go.
CREDIT: @structures3 / Twitter
When you’re Nicaraguense, no matter how far away you are from the crisis, el dolor goes with you.
Nicaraguans at home are doing the work that journalists barely can…because they’re dying.
CREDIT: @NavyBullDog79 / Twitter
If you’re using the #SOSNicaragua hashtag, it’s because you’ve run out of options. If you’re tagging POTUS, Rubio and Pence, it’s because you’re so desperate for help from the country that has always helped free democracy in the past.
Public hospitals are allegedly refusing to treat anti-government protestor’s for their injuries at the hand of the paramilitary.
CREDIT: @gueguensa / Twitter
There was an instance when eight doctors were allegedly fired after they did treat injured protestors, in direct violation of the new rule. The government is turning its back on Nicaraguans.
Meanwhile, women have been at the front of the rebellion.
CREDIT: @brujamistica / Twitter
Oh, did we mention that last year Ortega announced that his wife would become his vice president? His 15 year term comes to an end in 2021, but many fear that she will proceed her husband, and he would still control the government.
Women are straight up defending their rights and turf however they damn well please.
CREDIT: @ComandanteMacha / Twitter
Because es la verdad que la revolución es feminista. Women are actually shooting mortars out into the walls of police officers.
Todavia, Ortega has refused to step down.
CREDIT: @_pizzacloud / Twitter
People continue to die. Mothers continue to bury daughters. Fathers continue to mourn their sons. Just like the revolution that started 40 years ago, young people are fighting for their lives, and many are losing. Nicaragua needs our help.
While we expect the violence to continue, we pray for paz en Nicaragua.
CREDIT: @AJEnglish / Twitter
What can we do? Raise awareness. Share this article, or any article that is telling the story of Nicaragua. Call your representatives and demand that the U.S. takes action. If corruption, nepotism, and authoritarianism can happen in Nicaragua, then it can happen here.
Estamos con Nicaragua. #SOSNicaragua. 🇳🇮
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