Pedro Joaquin Chamorro Barrios is one of at least 20 Nicaraguans arrested this month for the government’s expanded repression.

The Nicaraguan police arrested the brother of the detained opposition leader Christiana Chamorro, who is President Daniel Ortega’s widely criticized crackdown Just a few months before the planned election, questions about potential challengers continued.

Pedro Joaquin Chamorro Barrios (Pedro Joaquin Chamorro Barrios) was arrested on Friday night under the country’s recently introduced sovereignty law.

The police stated that he was “under investigation for acts that undermine the independence, sovereignty and self-determination of Central American countries.”

Since the beginning of June, at least 20 famous Nicaraguans-including his sister and four other politicians who are expected to run against Ortega in the November presidential campaign-have been one of them, and he is one of them .

This week, Ortega claimed that his government was arresting and prosecuting criminals who planned to stage a coup against him as a defense for the crackdown. “It is ridiculous to set them free. We are doing everything we are doing according to books,” he said.

But civil society and human rights organizations accused the 75-year-old man who ruled Nicaragua from 1979 to 1990, regained power in 2007, and won two consecutive re-election campaigns since then—intensified authoritarianism.

Wave of arrests prompts Mexico and Argentina Withdraw their respective ambassadors Arrived in Nicaragua on June 21 because the two countries expressed concern about the “worrisome political and legal actions taken by the Nicaraguan government.”

The Organization of American States (OAS) also passed a resolution this month expressing its shock at the country’s “recent deterioration in the political climate and human rights situation”.

As a former congressman, Pedro Joaquin has always been an outspoken critic of Ortega and a member of the opposition Citizens League that wants to participate in the elections.

He is the son of former Nicaraguan President Violetta Chamorro, who defeated Ortega in 1990.

Pedro Joaquin’s brother and famous journalist Carlos Fernando Chamorro said on Twitter that his brother was “kidnapped” by the police, who “made up suspected crimes and criminal offences against citizens demanding free elections.”

This week, Carlos Fernando went into exile with his wife after the police raided his home.

The police in early June Raided home His sister, Cristiana Chamorro, was accused of money laundering. She rejected the accusation, saying it was to prevent her from running for president.