The Department of State announced today that it has imposed visa restrictions on over 250 members of the Nicaraguan government. This includes police and paramilitary personnel, penitentiary officials, prosecutors, judges, and public higher education officials, as well as select non-government actors. These individuals have been targeted for their roles in supporting the Ortega-Murillo regime in its attacks on human rights and fundamental freedoms, repression of civil society organizations, and profiting off vulnerable migrants.
In November 2021, President Biden issued a Presidential Proclamation restricting entry to the United States for those persons responsible for threatening democracy in Nicaragua. Since then, the United States has imposed visa restrictions on more than 1,400 Nicaraguan officials. The focus has been particularly on those complicit in human rights violations and corrupt practices.
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, Vice President Rosario Murillo, and those under their command continue to unjustly detain advocates for a free civil society, religious freedom, and freedom of expression. They also enrich their regime through the exploitation of vulnerable migrants. The United States continues to call upon the international community to ensure accountability for those who undermine democracy in Nicaragua. The U.S.'s support for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the Nicaraguan people remains unwavering.
This action was taken pursuant to Presidential Proclamation 10309. This proclamation suspends entry into the United States as immigrants and nonimmigrants for members of the Government of Nicaragua and other persons who formulate, implement or benefit from policies or actions undermining democratic institutions.
Today's actions complement measures taken by the U.S. Department of Treasury to sanction three Nicaragua-based entities. These include a Nicaragua-based Russian training center which helps maintain the cycle of violent oppression in Nicaragua; two government-affiliated gold companies generating revenue for the Ortega-Murillo regime; and the Training Center of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs in Managua, identified as a key actor in expanding Ortega-Murillo’s repressive police state.
Further information alerting airlines, air charter operators, travel agents, and service providers of the ways in which the Ortega-Murillo regime and smugglers are facilitating irregular migration and migrant smuggling and trafficking networks to the United States can be found in this Alert for the Aviation and Travel Industries. The alert also provides information on the importance of preventing the exploitation of these companies' legitimate transportation services.
