French officials expressed "deep concern" on Thursday over the detention in Nicaragua of two women with joint French-Nicaraguan citizenship, on allegations of conspiracy and spreading fake news.
The two women, Jeannine Horvilleur and Ana Alvarez Horvilleur, are the wife and daughter respectively of Nicaraguan opposition leader Javier Alvarez who fled the country and now lives in Costa Rica.
Horvilleur and Alvarez were detained and charged with conspiracy in September.
A spokesperson for France's foreign ministry said that France has requested permission to visit the women in prison but that Nicaraguan authorities are yet to respond.
"We are still awaiting the response of the Nicaraguan authorities to this request to exercise our consular protection and we are sparing no effort to obtain it," the spokesperson said.
Javier Alvarez told Reuters that his daughter and wife had been arrested as a way to attack him.
"They were detained for revenge because they didn't find me," he told Reuters.
Nicaraguan authorities did not respond to a request for comment.
Delphine Horvilleur, a rabbi and family cousin, also said on Twitter she was extremely worried for the pair's wellbeing.
She called on France's government "not to abandon us".
Nicaragua's government has refused to give information to French officials, according to a French official familiar with the matter.
The women are being held in El Chipote prison, a notorious jail which the UN's human rights office says has been used for torture.
Nicaragua recently expelled the ambassador for the European Union and has also cut ties with the Vatican, as President Daniel Ortega continues to crack down on opposition to his government.
(Reporting by John Irish in Paris and Ismael Lopez; Writing by Valentine Hilaire; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
