Violent Legacies, Social Movements, Uncertain Futures

After the release of 222 political prisoners in Nicaragua, Désirée Reder contextualises this event in the context of the regime’s repressive path since 2018.

This text is a contextualization of the prisoners release in Nicaragua.

In Latin America, most violence is considered “criminal.” But a clear-cut distinction between political and criminal violence does not exist. Policies to reduce violence meander between repression and dialogue but lack comprehensiveness, and a focus on prevention, the rule of law, and human rights.

Within an ongoing global debate on autocratization, the present book aims to study a region that still seems to be insufficiently analyzed in the global discourse: Central America. Nine thematic chapters on El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua explore the scope, paths and mechanisms of autocratization, while also examining resistance and opposition, combining legal-political analysis. The chapters hence make contributions with regards to 1. institutions, power structures and mechanisms of autocratization; 2. actors and mechanisms of resistance; and 3. international law, introducing the applicable standards to situations of autocratization.

In El Salvador regiert nach eigenem Bekunden der coolste Diktator der Welt - Nayib Bukele. Der Präsident geht mit harter Hand gegen die organisierte Kriminalität im Land vor. Auch wenn die Mordraten gefallen sind, zahlt das Land einen hohen Preis.

ECPR Joint Sessions 2024, Leuphana University, Lüneburg Désirée Reder (Speaker)

Wie genau also lernen autokratische Herrscher voneinander? Und wie gefährlich ist das? Darüber diskutiert Host Andrea Sellmann mit GIGA-Forscherin Désirée Reder und Elisabeth Maigler Kluesserath, die für die Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung mit Regimekritikern im Exil in Kontakt steht.

IBEI-GIGA Workshop Security, Conflict and Peace, IBEI, Barcelona Prof. Dr. Sabine Kurtenbach (Speaker)

Over the last decade liberal peacebuilding was heavily criticised for its Eurocentric bias privileging civil and political rights. Nevertheless, peacebuilding needs a normative frame based not only on individual rights but also on collective human rights as the basis for violence reduction, participation and conflict transformation.

Organiser: Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Désirée Reder (Consultant)

“Shrinking spaces”, the increasing restriction of civil society spaces, is shaping societies, especially in autocracies in the global south. The phenomenon is an expression of a global crisis of the democratic model and the simultaneous rise of autocratic models of order.

(R)evolutions in International Human Rights Law and Politics: Actors, Norms, and Strategies, France, Toulouse, Toulouse Organisers: European Consortium for Political Research Alina Ripplinger (Speaker)

The paper on Strategic Civil Resistance was discussed during the Joint Sessions of Workshops of the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) at Toulouse, France, 2023, in the scope of the Workshop “(R)evolutions in International Human Rights Law and Politics: Actors, Norms, and Strategies”.

Eurasian Peace Science Conference, Jerusalem Organisers: Israeli Association for International Studies, The Leonard Davis Institute for International Relations, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, The Harry S. Truman Research Institute for The Advancement of Peace, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Prof. Dr. Sabine Kurtenbach (Speaker)

Security and Criminality in the Americas: Governing the Unruly, Oxford Organisers: Latin American Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford School of Global and Area Studies, University of Oxford, Foreign & Commonwealth Office Désirée Reder (Speaker)

Organiser: Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Désirée Reder (Consultant)

Workshop on Conflict Dynamics, Online event Organisers: University of Mannheim Désirée Reder (Speaker)

Latin American Transitions Conference: Disruptions of Latin American Democracies, Online Event Organisers: Leipzig University Désirée Reder (Speaker)

Organiser: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation Prof. Dr. Sabine Kurtenbach (Consultant)

Kick-off of a Spanish initiative within the overall development framework of the Sustainable Development Goals, tprimarily under Goal 16: peace, justice and strong institutions.

Organiser: International Catalán Institute for Peace Prof. Dr. Sabine Kurtenbach (Speaker)

part of a cicle of conferences onconfronting violence from a peacebuilding perspective in Latin América

Kommunales Austauschtreffen zur Projektzusammenarbeit mit Kommunen in Nicaragua angesichts der aktuellen politischen Entwicklungen, Online Event, Berlin Organisers: Verein zur Förderung der Städtepartnerschaft Kreuzberg – San Rafael del Sur e.V. Désirée Reder (Consultant)

Anlässlich der menschenrechtlich als sehr kritisch zu beurteilenden politischen Situation in Nicaragua und der Verabschiedung mehrere Gesetze, die zur Unterdrückung von Einzelpersonen und Menschenrechtsorganisationen im Rahmen der internationalen Entwicklungszusammenarbeit sowie zu massiven Einschränkungen von Grundfreiheiten der Bürger*innen führen, stehen deutsche Städte, Gemeinden und Bezirke, die teilweise seit Jahrzehnten auf kommunaler Ebene mit ihren Partnerstädten in Nicaragua zusammenarbeiten, vor der Entscheidung, ob und wie die Zusammenarbeit weitergeführt werden kann.

Organiser: Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Désirée Reder (Consultant)

Am 7. November 2021 finden die Präsidentschaftswahlen in Nicaragua statt. Der Amtsinhaber Daniel Ortega stellt sich dabei nicht nur selbst zum dritten Mal zu Wiederwahl. Für das Vizepräsidentenamt kandidiert auch wieder die derzeitige Vizepräsidentin - Ortegas Frau. Die internationale Staatengemeinschaft blickt nicht nur deshalb mit Sorge auf die Wahlen in diesem mittelamerikanischen Land zwischen Atlantik, Pazifik, Honduras und Costa Rica. Mit Hilfe von Parlament und Sicherheitsbehörden ließen Ortega und seine Partei FNSL zahlreiche potenzielle Präsidentschaftskandidaten festnehmen und gehen auch ansonsten mit harter Hand gegen die Opposition vor. Wie ist also die Lage im Land? Welche Rolle spielt Ortegas Gegenkandidat Oscar Sobalvarro? Und was bedeuten die Wahlen für die Region? Darüber spricht Christoph Giesa mit Desirée Reder vom Leibniz-Institut für Globale und Regionale Studien (GIGA) und Elisabeth Maigler Kluesserath, Projektleiterin Zentralamerika der Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung.

Organiser: Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law Désirée Reder (Speaker)

ERGOMAS 16th Biennial Conference 2021, Institute of Social Studies, University of Tartu, Tartu Organisers: European Research Group on Military and Society, Institute of Social Studies, University of Tartu Désirée Reder (Speaker)

Panel "Mobilizing Force: Linking Security Threats, Militarization, and Civilian Control in Democracies"

"Latin American and Caribbean Fall" Festival 2022, Wandsbeker Kulturschloss, Hamburg Organisers: European Union - Latin America and the Caribbean Foundation Désirée Reder (Consultant)

Dokumentarische Fotoausstellung und Podiumsdiskussion

Organiser: Deutsche Bischofskonferenz - Kommission Weltkirche Désirée Reder (Consultant)

historische Kontextualisierung und eine aktuelle politische Analyse der Proteste von 2018 und der gegenwärtigen repressiven Situation in Nicaragua

Nicaragua - Acto en conmemoración de la resistencia civil y de las Madres de Abril, Alte Schule Niendorf, Hamburg Désirée Reder (Consultant)

Organiser: United Nations Association of Germany, UNA-Germany Désirée Reder (Consultant)

The lectures followed by a panel discussion with Andrés González and Désirée Reder offer a platform to analyze the specific effects of the security situation on the people living there and the refugee movements in Latin America. We examine which concrete measures can contribute to a safer and more stable region.

ECPR General Conference 2023, Charles University, Prague Organisers: European Consortium for Political Research Désirée Reder (Speaker)

Désirée Reder presents her paper "Legitimising state-driven violence: strategies, adaption and resonance" at the ECPR General Conference 2023 in Prague. The presentation is part of the panel "The meanings of violence and resistance: conditions and effects of state violence".

Social Movement & Conflict Studies in Dialogue. Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Violence, Resistance & Mobilization, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin Désirée Reder (Speaker)

América Central hoy, Lateinamerika-Institut Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin Désirée Reder (Speaker)

Resisting the Autocratic Turn: Can (and should) Autocratization Be Prevented, Stopped, and Resisted?, ULB, Brussels Organisers: Berlin Social Science Center, SCRIPTS Cluster of Excellence "Contestations of the Liberal Script" Alina Ripplinger (Speaker)

Paper presentation in the scope of the international conference: "Resisting the autocratic turn: Can (and should) autocratization be prevented, stopped, and resisted?", convened by Luca Tomini (ULB) and Johannes Gerschewski (WZB).

Violent Legacies, Social Movements, Uncertain Futures, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José Désirée Reder (Speaker)

La desaparición forzada de personas en América Latina roza cifras alarmantes. En el Día Internacional que conmemora a estas víctimas, DW analiza con expertos cómo ha evolucionado este fenómeno en la región.

El Salvador's president declared the state of emergency a month ago. Over 20,000 young people have been detained after a wave of homiciedes in March. What happened?

Nicaragua: elecciones en el único país del mundo sin periódicos impresos
¿Qué papel cumplen las elecciones presidenciales en un país donde se reprime la protesta, se impide el ejercicio de las libertades y se encarcela a la oposición? Alina Ripplinger identifica tres objetivos de la dictadura, a partir de los que señala un escenario para las acciones u omisiones de la reacción dentro y fuera del país.

Los juicios masivos que anunció Nayib Bukele en El Salvador tienen antecedentes históricos, pero algunos de ellos representan claras violaciones contra los derechos humanos, según expertos.

There are strong rumors about the negotiated release of bishop Rolando Álvarez, one of Nicaraguas most prominent political prisoners. GIGA researcher Désirée Reder discusses the questions: What is known about the content of these negotiations? Why might he not accept the conditions of his release? Why would the regime release him now?

El recrudecimiento de la represión contra la Iglesia de Nicaragua es orque Ortega lo ve como un lugar "donde se cuestiona su poder", dice investigadora del GIGA Désirée Reder.

El Gobierno de Daniel Ortega ha prohibido las procesiones de Semana Santa y Pascua en Nicaragua. Hay religiosos detenidos o expulsados del país, y la relación con la Iglesia atraviesa uno de sus momentos más bajos.

Democratic deterioration, lack of institutionality and human rights violations have continued in Nicaragua, according to the Inter-American colloquium "The siutation of human rights three years after the social protests in Nicaragua." Alina Ripplinger presented her research.

Daniel Ortega is the president of Nicaragua. He has been in power for more than 15 uninterrupted years. How much is left of initial ideas? Can it be said that Ortega's current government is leftist? How has it gone from the Sandinista revolution to a police state in Nicaragua? 

Nicaragua released 222 imprisoned government opponents and deported them to the United States. This maneuver advances a path of violations of elementary constitutional and international norms, and of a criminalization of political, social and cultural leaders.

Las elecciónes del 7 de noviembre en Nicaragua se desplegaron con irregularidades, violencia y una abstención del 81,5%. Las condenas internacionales no tardaron en llegar. El régimen de Ortega-Murillo ha reaccionado denunciado la Carta de la Organización de Estados Americanos y anunciado su salida. Lo explica Alina Ripplinger.

Applying a Historical Institutionalist framework, the authors of this article assess the impact of the adoption of amnesty laws on societal impunity, defined as any person or group being exempt from punishment or free from the injurious consequences of an action.

Venezuela is an unusual context for a study on peace and peacebuilding. The book provides an analysis with a “conflict and peace” lens besides the fact that its high levels of violence are not an open war or armed conflict.

Local actors should be involved in peacebuilding processes and security sector reforms (SSR). The book presents a feminist and intersectoral conceptualisation of SSR as well as quantitative and qualitative findings from 42 post-conflict societies as well as from Afghanistan and Colombia. Open Access until 11 December 2023!

In Guatemala, President Bernardo Arévalo took office on 15 January 2024, raising hopes of democratic reform. Still, an entrenched elite has continuously distorted the independence of the judiciary. Not only are elections highly contested; democracy itself is on the line. Can Guatemala turn the tide?

The Nicaraguan government’s attack on Catholic priests is bringing the former alliance between the government and the Church to breaking point, while contributing also to the gradual implosion of the authoritarian regime. While the Pope encourages dialogue, the space for civil society has eroded.

After the release of 222 political prisoners in Nicaragua, Désirée Reder contextualises this event in the context of the regime’s repressive path since 2018.

This text is a contextualization of the prisoners release in Nicaragua.

In Latin America, most violence is considered “criminal.” But a clear-cut distinction between political and criminal violence does not exist. Policies to reduce violence meander between repression and dialogue but lack comprehensiveness, and a focus on prevention, the rule of law, and human rights.