Nicaragua’s Government Dissolves 15 More NGOs, Adding to Over 3,600 Closures: Is This a Regularization Process or Political Persecution?

Nicaragua’s government has cancelled the legal status of 15 more NGOs, bringing the total number of banned organizations in the country to over 3,600 since December 2018. The Minister of the Interior of the Sandinista dictatorship, María Amelia Coronel, approved the dissolution of these organizations in Managua.

According to the Ministry of the Interior, nine NGOs were closed for not complying with regulations, while six others requested voluntary dissolution. Among those canceled were key business and industry associations such as the National Chamber of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, and the Association of Small Hotel Owners of Nicaragua. Also included were evangelical Christian entities and airlines.

In terms of asset liquidation, the Ministry of the Interior stated that the Attorney General’s Office would oversee transfers to the Nicaraguan State except for those organizations that requested voluntary dissolution. The closure of these 15 NGOs adds to more than 3,600 organizations that have been dissolved since April 2018 following protests against Ortega’s regime.

Politicians supporting Ortega’s dictatorship accused these NGOs of using resources to try to overthrow him during demonstrations. However, Nicaragua’s government claims that illegalization is part of a regularization process as not all registered NGOs in 2018 were operational. The country has been in crisis since April 2018 with tensions escalating after controversial elections in November 2021 where Ortega claimed victory for a fifth term.