Nicaraguan Indigenous leader and activist Brooklyn Rivera died from health complications after nearly three years in detention, the country's health ministry said on Sunday.
Last week, the Nicaraguan government's confirmed that he had been detained since 2023. UN representatives, the US government and Rivera's family have demanded proof that he was still alive.
"We regret to confirm that he has sadly passed away," the health ministry said in a statement on state-run media outlets.
Authorities said the leader's "physical and neurological deterioration" was "a consequence of a bacterial infection caused by the COVID-19 virus," adding doctors had made "enormous" efforts to save Rivera's life.
On Wednesday, the government had released images of Rivera hooked up to a ventilator, acknowledging that his situation was critical. Rivera was arrested while still a sitting lawmakerImage: Nicaragua's Ministry of Health/AFP
