Matt Andrés Romero

A bullet from a low caliber weapon penetrated the left side of his thorax with no exit wound, producing massive internal hemorrhaging. Firemen transported him to the Alemán Hospital, but he died on the way. According to the government, Matt was the victim of “crossfire” between the police and protesters, but the family maintains that the shot was fired at a distance of 2 to 3 meters.

Matt Andrés Romero took part in the last mass independent protest in Managua on September 23, 2018. Protests were forbidden by the police shortly afterwards. Matt left his home at 10:40 in the morning with his cousin and joined the protest demanding that hundreds of political prisoners be freed.

Dilcia Romero, Matt’s aunt, says that she only believes what her 14-year-old son says, who was with Matt at the time. “First the paramilitaries attacked with rocks and then came the shots from AK-47 rifles. They shot at everybody: children, adults, the elderly. The police, anti-riot forces and paramilitaries don’t care about anything.” The day of the burial, the Milagro de Dios Cemetery was surrounded by eight police patrol trucks. “Why were they afraid if they’d already taken away a piece of our family?” asks Dilcia.

To honor Matt’s memory, the Blue and White National Unity called for a march on September 21, 2019, but it was forbidden by the police, who deployed hundreds of agents. Despite the harassment and the insistent rain, dozens of anti-government protesters took to the streets, challenging the state-sponsored terror.

 

“Vayan a ver a mi muchachito, a Andresito, que se está muriendo”

Rosa Largaespada (Abuela)