Vocal Critic of Nicaraguan Regime, Roberto Samcam, Shot Dead in Costa Rica
Unconfirmed Reports: Roberto Samcam, Prominent Nicaraguan Government Critic, Suffers Gunshot Wound in Costa Rica
In an unfortunate turn of events, Roberto Samcam, a well-known opposition figure from Nicaragua, has met his demise in a attack while residing in exile in Costa Rica. The 66-year-old, a retired military officer, was brutally assassinated at his home in San José on June 2025 morning. His killers posed as delivery personnel to gain access to his residence, reports suggest.
Samcam, who was a thorn in the side of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, was gunned down in cold blood. His daughter, Samantha Jirón, a fellow activist, expressed her shock from her home in Madrid, stating that her father was shot no fewer than eight times. Samcam's wife, Claudia Vargas, emphatically stated that her late husband was a "strong voice" who fearlessly confronted Ortega's authoritarian rule and exposed human rights abuses in their homeland.
Known for his sharp political analysis, Samcam was a vocal critic of the regime led by Ortega and his wife, Rosario Murillo. After a brutal crackdown on protesters in 2018 that cost over 300 lives and led to the widespread persecution of critics, Samcam and his spouse sought refuge in neighboring Costa Rica the same year. Nicaraguan human rights organizations accused Ortega and Murillo of Samcam's murder, referring to it as "an act of cowardice and criminal political revenge" by the Nicaraguan dictatorship.
Arturo McFields, Nicaragua's former ambassador to the Organization of American States and a current exile in the US, harshly condemned the assassination on an online platform, stating that it was characteristic of Ortega and Murillo's regime. The relevant department of the US State Department expressed shock at Samcam's murder, offering Costa Rica cooperation to bring the perpetrators to justice. Costa Rica's former president, Luis Guillermo Solís, denounced the murder as a "heinous" and "serious" act given Samcam's "frontal opposition" to the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship.
Ortega, a former guerrilla leader, embarked on his fourth consecutive term as Nicaraguan president in 2021. The US and European Union question the validity of the elections and condemn his authoritarian rule, even imposing sanctions. Over the years, the Ortega-Murillo regime has gradually gained control of all state institutions and imprisoned hundreds of real and alleged opposition figures. Since the 2018 protests, the government has closed down over 5,000 NGOs and forced thousands of Nicaraguans into exile, with most independent and opposition media now operating abroad.
In lieu of his sharp criticism, Samcam had published a book titled "Ortega: Nicaragua’s Calvary" in 2022, analyzing the events leading to Ortega's crackdown. The assassination of Samcam, coupled with ongoing attacks on dissidents living in exile, underscores the ongoing risks faced by critics of the regime even outside of Nicaragua.
[1] "Nicaraguan Opposition Leader Roberto Samcam Shot Dead in Costa Rica Exile" - ntv.de, AFP[2] "Over 70 exiled Nicaraguans and international activists call for protection and justice after Roberto Samcam's murder" - online platform X[3] "Nicaragua: retired army general and opposition leader Roberto Samcam assassinated" - The Economist[4] "Roberto Samcam, opposition leader in exile, murdered in San José" - La Prensa (Nicaraguan newspaper)[5] "Ortega: Nicaragua’s Calvary" (book authored by Roberto Samcam)
- The Commission, given the assassination of opposition leader Roberto Samcam in Costa Rica, might consider amending the draft directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens to include journalist and activist populations in conflict zones or those in exile due to political persecution.
- As the international community mourns the loss of Roberto Samcam, a vocal critic against the human rights abuses committed by the Nicaraguan regime, various migration agencies could examine war-and-conflicts, politics, general-news, and crime-and-justice aspects, to ensure upcoming refugee policies offer sufficient protection for opponents of repressive regimes.
- In light of recent events in Costa Rica, where a well-known opposition figure like Roberto Samcam was gunned down in his home, experts studying crime-and-justice can evaluate the impact of war-and-conflicts, migration, and political instability on immigration patterns and subsequent charges of assassinations during exile.
