Nicaragua grants asylum to Peruvian indigenous leader

(WW4 Report) -- By order of President Daniel Ortega, Nicaragua granted asylum June 9 to Alberto Pizango, the Peruvian indigenous leader wanted on charges of sedition for leading protests in the Amazon over the past two months. Pizango, a member of the Shawi people, sought refuge in Nicaragua's embassy in Lima the day before. The Nicaraguan chancellor, Samuel Santos, said his government will guarantee Pizango's safe conduct to the Central American nation.

Peru's President Alan García announced that his government will recognize the safe conduct, saying: "As a democratic country we accept...that if Nicaragua considers that Señor Pizango merits asylum because he does not have conditions for true justice [in Peru], we must recognize this; even if we don't like it, we must recognize it." (AFP, June 10; NYT, June 9)