VOA常速英语2020--美国制裁腐败的尼加拉瓜实体和个人

Next, an editorial reflecting the views of the United States government.Corruption² and repression³ are hallmarks of the regime of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega. Ortega and his circle continue to undermine efforts to return Nicaragua to democratic rule and have enabled the uncontrolled spread of COVID-19.In recent remarks to the Organization of American States Permanent Council, U.S. Ambassador Carlos Trujillo said that “Nicaraguans are facing a new threat in the form of COVID-19 and the lack of a responsible government response which has almost certainly caused tragic⁴ and unnecessary loss of life. This is a government that cares nothing for its people, a government that cares only to remain in power indefinitely.”At the same time, noted⁵ Ambassador Trujillo, the Ortega government continues to silence “independent journalism⁶ and civil society that seek to tell the truth” and “fire health care workers who advocate stronger measures to protect against the pandemic.”

接下来是一篇反映美国政府观点的社论。腐败和压迫是尼加拉瓜总统丹尼尔·奥尔特加政权的标志。奥尔特加以及他的圈子继续破坏尼加拉瓜恢复民主统治的艰难尝试，并致使新冠肺炎疫情传播失控。美国大使卡洛斯·特鲁希略最近在美国国家组织常设理事会上发表讲话，他表示，“尼加拉瓜人民正在面临新的威胁，即新冠肺炎传播，以及政府缺乏负责的应对措施，这几乎肯定引发了悲剧和不必要的牺牲。奥尔特加政府对人民毫不关心，而只关心无限期掌权。”与此同时，特鲁希略大使指出，奥尔特加政府继续让那些“寻求说出真相的独立新闻和民间社会”保持沉默，并“解雇那些主张采取更有力措施防范疫情的卫生保健工作者”。

In response to the corrupt¹ dealings of the Ortega regime, the United States announced additional sanctions July 17 on Juan Carlos Ortega Murillo, Jose Jorge Mojica Mejia, Difuso Comunicaciones S.A., and Mundo Digital S.A.These actions, pursuant to Executive Order 13851, freeze the U.S. assets of the two designees and two entities⁷ and prohibit U.S. persons from conducting transactions with them.These individuals and entities have misappropriated public funds and expropriated private assets for personal gain or political purposes and engaged in corruption related to government contracts or bribery⁸. Ortega Murillo, the son of President Daniel Ortega and Vice⁹ President and First Lady Rosario Murillo, manages media company Difuso Comunicaciones S.A., which he has used to stifle¹⁰ independent voices, spread regime propaganda, and defend the Ortegas’ violence and repression. Mojica and Mundo Digital S.A. have long benefitted from corrupt arrangements with the regime, both to enrich themselves and enable regime associates to avoid sanctions.The United States, said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a written statement, “will continue to take the necessary steps to support the Nicaraguan people and pressure the Ortega regime to stop repressing the Nicaraguan people, guarantee basic civil liberties,and allow the conditions for free and fair elections to work toward the restoration of democracy in Nicaragua.”That was an editorial reflecting the views of the United States government.

为了应对奥尔特加政府的腐败交易，美国于7月17日宣布对胡安·卡洛斯·奥尔特加·穆里略、何塞·豪尔赫·莫吉卡·梅加、迪福索通讯公司和蒙多数码公司实施额外制裁。根据第13851号行政命令，制裁行为冻结了两名被制裁人和两个实体的美国资产，并禁止美国人与其进行交易。这些受制裁的个人和实体为个人利益或政治目的挪用公款和征用私人资产，并参与与政府合同有关的腐败或贿赂行为。奥尔特加·穆里略是总统丹尼尔·奥尔特加和副总统兼第一夫人罗萨里奥·穆里略的儿子，作为媒体公司迪福索通讯公司的管理者，他曾用这家公司压制独立声音，传播政权宣传，并为奥尔特加斯的暴力和压迫进行辩护。莫吉卡和蒙多数码公司长期以来都从与政府的腐败安排中获益，这既可以使自己致富，也可以使政权同伙避免制裁。美国国务卿蓬佩奥在一份书面声明中说，美国“将继续采取必要措施，支持尼加拉瓜人民，并向奥尔特加政权施压以阻止其压迫尼加拉瓜人民的行为，保障基本的公民自由，允许自由公正选举的状况，这有利于恢复尼加拉瓜的民主。”这是一篇反映美国政府观点的社论。

1 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

2 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

3 repression   

n.镇压，抑制，抑压

参考例句：

• The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
• This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。

4 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 journalism   

n.新闻工作，报业

参考例句：

• He's a teacher but he does some journalism on the side.他是教师，可还兼职做一些新闻工作。
• He had an aptitude for journalism.他有从事新闻工作的才能。

7 entities   

实体对像； 实体，独立存在体，实际存在物( entity的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Our newspaper and our printing business form separate corporate entities. 我们的报纸和印刷业形成相对独立的企业实体。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities. 北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

8 bribery   

n.贿络行为，行贿，受贿

参考例句：

• FBI found out that the senator committed bribery.美国联邦调查局查明这个参议员有受贿行为。
• He was charged with bribery.他被指控受贿。

9 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

10 stifle   

vt.使窒息；闷死；扼杀；抑止，阻止

参考例句：

• She tried hard to stifle her laughter.她强忍住笑。
• It was an uninteresting conversation and I had to stifle a yawn.那是一次枯燥无味的交谈，我不得不强忍住自己的呵欠。