U.S. Deports Former Nicaraguan Political Prisoner Back to Prison Where He Says He Was Tortured

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega leads the government that jailed a former political prisoner following his deportation from the U.S. to the country where he says he was previously tortured in custody. (Credit: Photo by INTI OCON/AFP via Getty Images)

A Nicaraguan dissident who said he was tortured after participating in anti-government protests was imprisoned immediately after the United States deported him to Nicaragua, as U.S. removals to the Central American country have nearly doubled this year.

Jeffrey Jarquín, 35, was taken from a U.S. deportation flight in Managua last week to El Modelo prison, according to relatives, his attorney and human rights advocates. Jarquín had previously spent about nine months there after participating in protests against the government of Daniel Ortega in 2018.