Welcome to Hard Talk on the BBC World Service with me, Stephen Sacka. My guest today has just been

reunited with his wife and daughter after more than 600 days of imprisonment. Liberty came as an

unexpected and joyful surprise to Felix Malediaga, a Nicaraguan politician and civil society activist

who was sentenced to 13 years in prison

after declaring himself a candidate for the presidency back in 2021.

But freedom brought Maradiaga bitterness along with the sweetness.

Because he was one of more than 200 political prisoners deported from Managua and flown to the United States.

Nicaragua's autocratic ruler, Daniel Ortega, declared them all to be terrorists and said they were to be stripped of their Nicaraguan citizenship.

It is the latest move in the veteran Sandinista leader's effort to eliminate all meaningful opposition

in his country. His strategy of all-out repression saw more than 300 civilians killed by the

Nicaraguan security forces during weeks of street protests back in 2018. And since then,

journalists, church leaders and political opponents have all been

intimidated or imprisoned. The U.S. government has imposed limited sanctions on the Managua regime,

as has the EU, but Ortega seems to believe that, like Cuba and Venezuela, socialist Nicaragua

can outlast its enemies. Is he right? Well, Felix Mardiaga

joins me now from Miami. Welcome to Hard Talk. It's a pleasure to be back here.

You have just emerged for more than 600 days in a Nicaraguan prison. Was it a surprise when you were told that you were to be released?

The release was a surprise, Stephen. We were under terrible, inhumane prison conditions.

And one of the most complicated parts was the complete isolation. We were not allowed phone calls

for 611 days. I had no access to lawyers, even our trial. was the complete isolation. We were not allowed phone calls.

For 611 days, I had no access to lawyers.

Even our trial took place inside the prison.

...