Lesther Alemán is a Nicaraguan student leader and political activist
While studying at the Universidad Centroamericana, Alemán founded The Nicaraguan University Alliance, in the wake of massive popular protests against Daniel Ortega’s oppressive government. In 2018, Alemán famously stood up to Ortega and demanded he step down. In September 2018, Alemán fled the country while police were searching for him, but returned a year later.
Alemán was one of dozens of opposition figures arrested in 2021 during the run-up to the November elections when Nicaragua’s two main opposition groups announced the formation of a coalition aimed at winning the 2021 elections and ending President Ortega’s rule. He was charged with “conspiracy to undermine national integrity” and was sentenced to 13 years in prison in February 2022. Activists labeled his sentence as “revenge” by the government. In 2023, Alemán was one of more than 200 political dissidents expelled from Nicaragua to the United States.
