Interview with Compañero Laureano Ortega Murillo,
Minister Advisor for the Promotion of Investments, Trade and International Cooperation
with the Journalist Javier Rodríguez Carrasco Program The Zoom, of RT in Spanish
June 20th 2025
Journalist Javier Rodríguez Carrasco
Now, without further delay I can introduce you to this very Special Guest that we have been waiting for a long time to have the opportunity to be able to interview here on The Zoom. I am talking about Laureano Ortega Murillo, Investment, Trade and Cooperation Advisor of the Republic of Nicaragua and who is also the Representative for Russian Affairs.
Mr. Ortega thank you very much for being on the Zoom.
Compañero Laureano Ortega Murillo
Thank you very much, Javier.
Journalist Javier Rodríguez Carrasco
Today we are facing a balance that I think this St. Petersburg Economic Forum has made very clear to us: Multilateralism is not coming to confront any other Model, it is coming as an alternative, to make its way, perhaps, in parallel, to those who are trying to impose themselves via this hegemony that is being resisted in every way.
Compañero Laureano Ortega Murill
That is indeed the way it is and we have heard it today in the Plenary Session in the words of President Putin, multilateralism is advancing, that New World Order is advancing and nothing is going to stop it, and this Forum is a sign of that, because through the sanctions, the aggression, they have wanted to isolate Russia, and it is clearer than ever in this Forum, that Russia maintains this cooperation forcefully with all these Peoples of the World who are present at this Meeting.
There are more than 140 Countries, more than 20,000 participants in this important Forum in which Nicaragua has been playing a leading role in recent years, thanks to the invitation of the Government of the Russian Federation and the active, permanent cooperation that we carry out together.
Undoubtedly, we, from Nicaragua, from Latin America, are a living example of resistance to those aggressive measures that have also become more aggressive in recent years against Russia, against China, but also the brutal aggression against Cuba, that economic blockade of so many years against which the whole world has spoken out against; but that seems not to matter, because in the imperialist mentality one person rules, not the majority.
Journalist Javier Rodríguez Carrasco
Mr. Ortega, we have been listening to both Mrs. Zakharova and President Putin himself talking about how there is a kind of desire on the part of this hegemon to impose a kind of Neocolonialism; that is, to treat countries as if they were second-rate, and to say: Well, I can extract everything I want from them.
An example is the Latin American Region, where for decades there have been attempts to exploit it and they have been dismissed as if the people there were practically, and forgive the expression, ethnic tribes, who are second-rate people whom they can treat in any way. And perhaps, as I was saying a few days ago that this is an awakening, Countries have been awakening for a long time, of course with colonialism, but with this Neocolonialism that is being tried now, the time has also come.
Compañero Laureano Ortega Murillo
Well, that's actually the slaveholder mentality that endures in the United States, because let's remember that the United States is made up of European immigrants who were slaveholders and have maintained that Worldview, that Ideology, and it is present there in all these new policies that the President of the United States is implementing against immigrants, which we have rejected and denounced; an inhuman treatment of immigrants, especially non-Americans who are being treated unfairly, in a very cruel way, and we have denounced it.
We have faced this imperialist, selfish vision, these attempts at domination, as we have said, practically since Nicaragua became a Republic; because we had an invading Yankee who proclaimed himself President in the 1800s. Then we had the whole struggle that Sandino waged against the US intervention in our country; our Sandinista Popular Revolution against the Dictatorship that was imposed by the United States, and then the war that Reagan imposed against Nicaragua. And since 2007, when our President came to power again, Comandante Ortega returned to Government, we have had permanent intervention against our People.
Journalist Javier Rodríguez Carrasco
I wanted to ask you about that, Mr. Ortega. Russia has had various attempts at interference; Nicaragua has also had them, there have been the preparations for the coups d'état in 2018; against Russia a proxy war was prepared, like the one we are seeing, for many years, with the issue of Ukraine.
It is clear the potential that a country like Russia has, but how is this resistance forged in a country like Nicaragua, and in what way can these attacks made by the Collective West with sanctions be it Europe or the United States be resisted? Because it is clear that it is a matter of the Soul and the Heart, but there must also be government tools to withstand these sanctions for the development of the People.
Compañero Laureano Ortega Murillo
Of course, there have to be governmental tools, there has to be cohesion also around a Political Movement like the Sandinista National Liberation Front Party, which carries forward the Flag of Dignity, of Sovereignty, the Thought of Sandino. We are all cohere around that Thought.
But there is also a spiritual element that has a lot to do with it, I think, that Russia also has historically, and that Nicaragua has too, because the resistance of our Country has been from the time of our Indigenous people, from Diriangén, who resisted the invasion of the Spaniards; and then, we have our entire History of Resistance, so it is something that is very deep in the Heart of Nicaraguans, that Sense of Unity, of Sovereignty.
Obviously, we are facing a great military and economic power, which is the United States, and that is why we have been strengthening Cooperation Ties with this new Pole that is the BRICS, with this new Pole that they constitute, with the great leadership shown by President Putin, President Xi of China, who treat us with respect, treat us as equals.
Journalist Javier Rodríguez Carrasco
That's what I wanted to ask you. What perspective do you see, not only the BRICS, but this movement of this Global South, which is the Global Majority as we have said, with Powers like China, like Russia? There is talk, and President Putin has mentioned this, of a new balance of forces... The balance was on one side, just to say, everything always fell to one side, and now we are as if it were equalizing, but equalizing for everyone.
What prospects do you see for all these Future Projects, both for Nicaragua and for the Global South? Because there are many countries involved and they want to be treated as equals, as we are saying in this conversation.
Compañero Laureano Ortega Murillo
For us it is very hopeful, it fills us with great optimism this leadership that President Putin and President Xi are carrying out, and we have the leadership of our Co-Presidents, Comandante Ortega, Compañera Rosario Murillo, who have forged these Strategic Alliances with Russia and with China especially, and these then allow us to develop great Projects, Programs of Development, Social Welfare Programs, Trade Programs, Investment Programs, which provide what is called "mutual benefits".
That is, Russian companies, Chinese companies, working in Nicaragua, exactly as it should be, but based on respect, without impositions. They have never demanded any kind of policy, they have never demanded any kind of positioning, they simply cooperate for the development of the Peoples, and that is what the imperialist mentality does not understand. That is why we are now seeing this new onslaught, the tariff war that has been executed against the entire world by the United States, even against its European allies.
Journalist Javier Rodríguez Carrasco
Nicaragua has had the threat of facing 20% and then 10%. We should practically thank him.
Compañero Laureano Ortega Murillo
We're going to thank him because he hit us with the smaller club, not the big club. Really, it is something absurd, unfair and illegal. But the attack of tariffs was fierce against China, because they see in that Country the promotion of the development of Peoples and especially the Peoples of the Global South, and if we free ourselves from the chains of hegemonism, then, of course, the United States loses power, and that is what they see as the great threat.
Journalist Javier Rodríguez Carrasco
This slogan of the great threat, the danger, urging to beware of influence, because perhaps Russia might have a presence... Now let's talk a little about the Agreements that they have been able to sign from the perspective of Cooperation.
Compañero Laureano Ortega Murillo
The thing is that Russia can have a presence and should have a presence, as well as China too, as well as all the Peoples of the World, because we are all part of the Human Family, we have to share, but based on respect.
Journalist Javier Rodríguez Carrasco
This is the thing, as I'm telling you, that slogan is precisely seen as a media narrative, if you too have the media narrative in which Nicaragua is pointed to as if it were a danger or a Government of that nature; as China should also be seen as a threat, because it may have a presence in Panama. Look at what has been done with the Canal, etc.
That is to say, the media narrative also has a lot to do with things as happened with that coup attempt in Nicaragua and as happens with the Media in many countries in Latin America.
Compañero Laureano Ortega Murillo
Of course, but the most effective media story, I would say, and one of the most effective in the history of Humanity as well as the darkest, is the desire to rewrite history about the Second World War and about who it was that liberated us from Fascism.
Journalist Javier Rodríguez Carrasco
Yes, we had your visit on May 9th.
Compañero Laureano Ortega Murillo
That's right, we were here sharing with President Putin, with the Russian People, with the Soviet People, in Commemoration for what has been the greatest sacrifice for World Peace that any People has given. And in reality, how that media machine of Hollywood, of the United States, has tried to sell us another reality and that many Peoples, sadly, have believed it.
But we are clear about the great sacrifice of the Russian Federation, of the Soviet People who were the ones who liberated us from Fascism and who continue in that battle today. And that is why we continue hand in hand with the Russian Federation, accompanying them against that Fascism that is there trying to resurface in Ukraine with the support of NATO.
Journalist Javier Rodríguez Carrasco
Hence the importance of the independence of the media in Nicaragua, also the alternative Messages that we launch here from RT to try, first of all, to stop, as you say, those club like blows: The Lies.
Compañero Laureano Ortega Murillo
We do have to fight against lies and that is where we have to strengthen our Cooperation in the framework of media work.
Comrade Daniel Edmundo, who is in charge of coordination with the Media of the Communication and Citizenship Council of Nicaragua, is working with Sputnik, with RT, with Izvestia, he is working with the Russian Media, with TASS, also with the Chinese Media, with the China Media Group, with HispanTV of Iran; we have been promoting that cooperation with the TELESUR Media as well. That is to say, we have to be united, cohesive, because the media apparatus of the United States, of Europe, is powerful, and we also have to be strong, united, round that idea.
Journalist Javier Rodríguez Carrasco
Nicaragua has established a lot of ties with the Countries that we call the Global Majority, a series of Agreements have been signed with Russia. How are relations right now and especially for the future, which has been forged at this International Economic Forum?
Compañero Laureano Ortega Murillo
Well, we feel extremely honored and blessed, we thank God because we have an excellent relationship with the Russian Federation, at a very high level; first of all, the political relationship between our leaders, President Putin with the Co-Presidents of Nicaragua, and the work that we have been developing since the formation of our Joint Commission.
Just yesterday we held a meeting with the Co-Chair for Russia, Dr. Veronika Skvortsova, Director of the Federal Medical Biological Agency, and we have been focusing our work in recent years on health, because Russia's cooperation in this field has been strategic, vital.
It allows us to have the Mechnikov Institute of Biotechnology in Nicaragua, to produce flu vaccines, and to be working on vaccines against Dengue, against Pneumococco, against other illnesses that afflict the population of Nicaragua, and from Nicaragua to promote this Russian technology for the entire Central American and Latin American region.
We reiterate to our Russian brothers that they should consider Nicaragua as a regional platform to promote their technologies, their companies, their businesses.
We have also been cooperating historically in Security and Defense matters. The tranquility lived in Nicaragua, the Peace that is being lived in our Country, the Defense of our Sovereignty, of our Territorial Integrity, much of this we owe to the historical cooperation of the Russian Federation, the Russian National Guard, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of the Interior of Russia, who work in Nicaragua with a regional vision of well-being for all the Peoples of the world.
Journalist Javier Rodríguez Carrasco
Let's talk a little about that integration that is always talked about and that is so important in Latin America. On one occasion I read an interview and I have been able to listen to it, talking about CELAC, about the importance of these Organizations, and right now we are talking about this Global Majority, I think that these types of Organizations are going to gain more specific weight.
Because, as we have heard from President Putin, on the Organizations that had been created with the Bretton Woods system, the truth is that right now they are not at all trustworthy; that is, if we are in a United Nations that allows sanctions and that continues to allow a blockade like the one Cuba has...
Compañero Laureano Ortega Murillo
They allow wars.
Journalist Javier Rodríguez Carrasco
Indeed. And if we are facing an IMF that practically brings Countries to their knees, perhaps these Organizations, these Forums and these Platforms should gain momentum there, and the BRICS I think is no longer like a kind of dream, but it is a reality, and these other associations should be.
Compañero Laureano Ortega Murillo
We see that very clearly and with great hope, the strengthening of the BRICS, of the Eurasian Economic Union, we will be participating next week in Minsk, in the Eurasian Economic Union Forum; also the strengthening of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and other Organizations that are emerging very strongly.
And we, from CELAC, must maintain Latin American and Caribbean Unity. It is complex, of course, because every people has a different Vision, different Ideologies, different Policies, but I think we should all be very clear that we have a common enemy and that is poverty. That is what the Latin American and Caribbean Countries have in common and we have to overcome it.
And that poverty has been historically created, promoted, by the imperialist vision, the imperialist dogma, and we have to work so that our Peoples can have better conditions, through Cooperation based on respect and equal treatment.
Journalist Javier Rodríguez Carrasco
To conclude, Mr. Ortega, you have spoken about the fact that there is diversity, that there may be differences, but what I have heard here at the Forum in the various presentations, and also listening to you these days, and to President Putin, is that in that difference and that diversity there is no need to seek confrontation.
That is to say that, based on this diversity, it is possible to work on common objectives, in this case Poverty, as you said, in CELAC, but also in the development of Peoples, in looking for infrastructure, so that there is no hunger in the world, etc., etc. That is, so that not only some elites take all this, all the wealth and that they do it through, even, generating conflicts, generating wars, as we said at the beginning. In diversity there can also be richness; to conclude.
Compañero Laureano Ortega Murillo
There is richness in diversity, because Human Beings are full of Creativity, of Life, of that ingenuity that is also diversity in Thought, and what has sadly prevailed historically in that imperialist mentality is that whoever thinks differently is my enemy.
And we have to see ourselves as the Great Human Family that we are, to share, to generate benefits for everyone, and that is where we see, again I repeat, with the utmost hope the leadership of President Putin, of President Xi in China, and how as Countries of the Global South we aspire to have these relations based on respect and equal treatment.
Journalist Javier Rodríguez Carrasco
Are we on the right track, cwould you say, are we on the right track?
Compañero Laureano Ortega Murillo
Without a doubt, because we also represent the majority of the world.
Journalist Javier Rodríguez Carrasco
I want to end with that message. I really thank you for taking time out of your agenda to be with us, to send above all this Message, one I believe of Hope, and it is a different Message, not one of confrontation; it is a Message in which in diversity you can also find points of convergence and above all talk about equality, not talk about an Imperialism, right?
Compañero Laureano Ortega Murillo
Sure! Imagine, a Spaniard interviewing me in Russia for the Russian Channel, there's the diversity.
Journalist Javier Rodríguez Carrasco
That is the richness and this is RT and this is the richness that has, as we have said, diversity. I really appreciate it, Mr. Ortega.