On Thursday, December 30, the Taiwan government announced that it would “take” international legal action against the nation of Nicaragua. To “confiscate” the Taiwanese embassy in Managua, executed by the administration of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo for delivery to mainland China.

“Taiwan will take appropriate international legal measures to protect its diplomatic property and ensure that Nicaragua is held accountable for its illegal international action,” Taiwan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

This Sunday, December 26, through a press release from the Public Prosecutor’s Office (PGR), the government of Daniel Ortega informed about the decision to hand over real estate to the People’s Republic of China, He admitted it on December 9th, which caused a protest in Taiwan, which denounced the illegality and described the “dictatorship regime” of Managua.

The Taiwan Foreign Ministry memorandum stated that “Nicaragua shall comply with its obligations under international law and protect the facilities and property of the Embassy of the Republic of China and Taiwan.”

The confiscation “is part of China’s frank and aggressive intention to annex Taiwan, which seriously contradicts international norms and harms regional peace and stability,” he added.

China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, has increased pressure to isolate the island internationally. Managua’s change of position left Taipei with only 14 diplomatic allies globally.

order rejected

The diplomatic headquarters building is located in the residential Planes de Altamira, a high value-added area in Managua. The Taiwanese government stated that the property was symbolically sold – for one dollar – to the Archdiocese of Managua. The Catholic Church in Nicaragua has not declared itself as an institution yet after the government’s decision to prevent donation.

Taiwan’s foreign ministry said in its statement that its government “has reached an agreement entrusting the guarding of its embassy facilities to a third country in accordance with international law, but Nicaragua unreasonably rejected it in violation of international agreements.”

“Due to severe time constraints, Taiwan has decided to symbolically sell its embassy facilities to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Managua,” he added.

International law experts have described the regime’s actions as “expropriating, illegal, aggressive and shameful.”. “The right thing is for Taiwanese officials to dispose of them (investments and other assets), following instructions from their government, whether they sell them, donate them or any other possibility,” said Carlos Cascante Segura, a professor at the University of Costa Rica’s School of Political Science.

The break with Taiwan comes amid the OAS condemnation of the repression and its aftermath Ortega’s illegitimate re-election last NovemberAfter the elimination of electoral competition as a result of imprisonment of key opposition leaders and control of the electoral authority.

Nicaragua is the eighth country to withdraw its recognition of Taiwan since Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen took office in 2016, in the context of rising tension with China.

*With information from Afp