politics
December 30, 2025
Expreso político nicaragüense de los 222 relata su deportación a Honduras tras proceso con ICE
Juan Barilla, uno de los 222 presos políticos desterrados, fue deportado por EE.UU. a Honduras y relata en entrevista el drama del asilo, la detención y el temor a la represión transnacional
TL;DR
- Juan Barilla, a Nicaraguan political prisoner exiled in February 2023, was deported from the US to Honduras on November 29th.
- Barilla had applied for asylum in the US based on political persecution, torture, and arbitrary imprisonment in Nicaragua.
- His deportation occurred after a period of detention initiated by a traffic violation in Louisiana and subsequent custody by ICE.
- He claims he was unable to present key evidence documenting his political imprisonment and torture during his immigration court proceedings.
- Barilla expressed fear of being handed over to Nicaragua or becoming a target of the Ortega-Murillo regime due to Honduras's proximity.
- He described dehumanizing psychological treatment, extreme temperatures, and constant chaining during his detention in US immigration facilities.
- Upon arrival in Honduras, Barilla was met by UNHCR personnel and is currently in a shelter in Tegucigalpa under international protection.
- Barilla regrets not accepting Spanish citizenship offered to the exiled Nicaraguans and is exploring options for residency in Spain.
- He advises other asylum seekers to seek proper legal counsel and adhere to US laws while highlighting the system's potential shortcomings.