A prominent indigenous leader in Nicaragua has died after spending three years in a Managua jail, prompting the UK government to issue a formal condemnation. The death of Dr. Lottie Cunningham, a respected Miskito lawyer and environmental activist, was confirmed by her family on Wednesday. She was 52.
Cunningham was arrested in 2021 for allegedly 'inciting hate' and 'undermining national stability' after she defended the land rights of the Rama and Kriol peoples against a government-backed canal project. Human rights groups said her detention was politically motivated.
The Foreign Office in London said it was 'deeply concerned' by her passing and called for an independent inquiry. A spokesperson said: 'The UK condemns the deteriorating human rights situation in Nicaragua. Dr. Cunningham's death is a tragic loss for the indigenous communities she fought for.'
Cunningham had been held at the El Chipote prison, notorious for its harsh conditions. Activists say she went on hunger strike twice last year to protest the lack of medical care. Her lawyers said she suffered from untreated diabetes and hypertension.
Labour MP and chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Human Rights, John McDonnell, said: 'This is a devastating blow to the struggle for justice in Nicaragua. The Ortega regime must be held accountable.' Calls are growing for targeted sanctions against Nicaraguan officials.
Cunningham's death is part of a broader crackdown in Nicaragua under President Daniel Ortega. Since 2018, over 300 activists have been jailed, and dozens have died in custody. The UK has already imposed sanctions on four Nicaraguan officials, but campaigners say more must be done.
'The UK cannot just condemn. It must act,' said a spokesperson for Amnesty International UK. 'We need an immediate end to the repression in Nicaragua.'
Cunningham was well known internationally. She received the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2020 for her work protecting rainforests. Her death has drawn condemnation from the United Nations, the European Union, and the United States.
In Nicaragua, the government has not commented on her death. State media have not reported it. The body is expected to be returned to her community in the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region for burial.
'She died fighting for us,' said a community elder in Bilwi, where Cunningham was born. 'We will not forget her.'
