Nicaragua: Gov't Helps Families To Rebuild Homes After Riots

Seventy families – from Granada, Carazo, Masaya, Managua and Leon – will, from Sunday, receive state assistance, Vice-President Rosario Murillo said.

Nicaragua's Vice-President Rosario Murillo has announced that 70 families caught up in the violence that has plagued the country since April are to be given government assistance in rebuilding their damaged homes.

The affected families – from Granada, Carazo, Masaya, Managua and Leon – will, from Sunday, receive state assistance in nine stages, Murillo said without giving further details.

"Obviously we cannot repair the suffering, the psychological damage that was done to these families, when rioters tried to terrorize them and, in many cases, were successful.

"That is a coup attempt: terror; humiliation; denigrating and cruel treatment, and installing in the hearts of families shame about being Sandinistas."

Murillo called on government agencies to identify crimes committed since protests broke out in April at state plans to increase social security contributions in order to bridge a budget deficit.

Those protests were quickly co-opted by violent opposition groups, believed to be sponsored by the United States, which then called for the resignation of President Daniel Ortega.

Despite the government rolling back its social reforms, three months of violence inflicted considerable damage on the nation's economy and infrastructure.

"We do not promote revenge or hate crimes," Murillo continued. "We want justice and reparation for the families that suffered."