TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Lawmakers in the U.S. have responded to the news that Nicaragua has once again cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan, likening China’s growing influence in Latin America to a spreading “cancer," per a CNA report.
The Nicaraguan government inked an official communique to re-establish diplomatic ties with China in Tianjin on Friday (Dec. 10) which forbids Nicaragua from having any official contact with Taiwan going forward, per a Chinese state-media report. The signing of the agreement coincides with the UN's World Human Rights Day.
This is the second time the Central American country has swapped diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China. Though the first switching occurred in 1985, then as now, Nicaragua was ruled by Daniel Ortega.
A number of high-profile lawmakers took to Twitter, labeling Ortega’s administration an “evil regime” and criticizing China’s malign activities, according to a CNA report. Senator Rick Scott of Florida wrote the following:
“This is a shameful move by the evil Ortega regime. Communist China’s growing influence is a cancer in Latin America & poses danger to our entire hemisphere,” he wrote.
“The U.S. must oppose this intervention by standing with Taiwan & keeping up the fight for democracy across LATAM,” he ended.
Meanwhile, Representative Mark Green of Tennessee wrote:
“I’m disappointed that Nicaragua has chosen to sever diplomatic relations with Taiwan. China’s mass genocide of the Uyghur people and continued human rights violations should not be tolerated.”
Sharing a news report about the break-off between Taiwan and Nicaragua, Congressperson Ken Buck of Colorado wrote:
“The Chinese government is aggressively campaigning to undermine the Taiwanese people’s right to self-determination. I continue to support Taiwan and oppose the CCP’s influence campaigns.”
From 2017-2018, Beijing managed to get three Latin American countries to drop diplomatic recognition of Taiwan – Panama, the Dominican Republic, and El Salvador. Washington has reacted strongly to each incident and in September 2018, recalled its ambassadors from each of the countries.
