A supporter of the Somozas regime, he was assassinated by the Sandinista National Liberation Front during the revolution, leading to Granera’s opposition to political violence.

[2] During the presidency of conservative Enrique Bolaños, Granera served in government on the Council for Social and Economic Planning.

[1] In 2007, she joined the Movement for Nicaragua (MpN),[2] where she served as executive director for seven years, organizing advocacy for transparency and other election reform.

[1] She resigned in 2016 to become a candidate for Vice-President of Nicaragua, representing the Independent Liberal Party (PLI) as the running mate of Luis Callejas [es].

In August 2019, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights granted the request of the Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights (CENIDH) that precautionary measures be implemented to protect Granera and her immediate family, finding “the rights to life and personal integrity of Violeta Mercedes Granera Padilla and her next of kin are in a situation of grave risk.”[5] On June 8, 2021, following the arrests of four opposition pre-candidates for president in the 2021 Nicaraguan general election, Granera was also arrested, for alleged violations of the controversial Law 1055.