On August 28, Nicaragua closed down 151 additional non-governmental organisations (NGOs), including a US Chamber of Commerce affiliate, bringing the total number of civil society organisations forced to close to more than 5,000.
In a statement issued today, the EU reiterated its call for fundamental freedoms to be restored in Nicaragua, including the release of all political prisoners and the return of international human rights organisations. The EU emphasised the urgent need for the Nicaraguan authorities to engage in a genuine and inclusive dialogue with all relevant stakeholders in Nicaragua to address their legitimate demands.
President Daniel Ortega’s authoritarian regime is launching a large-scale attack against NGOs to silence critics of its policies that restrict freedoms, imprison dissidents and Catholic bishops, and violate fundamental rights. Ortega has been targeting NGOs since the mass protests in 2018, accusing them of using foreign funds to undermine his government and attempting to overthrow him.
The Interior Ministry announced the decision on August 20, following the revocation of the legal status of over 1,500 NGOs earlier this year. Most of the organisations affected by these recent closures are religious groups. The recent decree led to the shutdown of several organisations, including the National Farmers and Ranchers Association and various chambers of commerce from countries such as Mexico, Panama, and Uruguay.
“The recent decision of the Nicaraguan authorities to close over 1,500 non-governmental organisations, including religious groups, and to confiscate their assets, is deeply concerning,” announced the EU.
The EU reiterates “the need to put an end to restrictions on civic space and respect the right to dissent”.
