Managua (Agencies): In a continued crackdown, President Daniel Ortega’s government has closed 151 non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including the local affiliate of the US Chamber of Commerce. This move, announced by the Interior Ministry on August 20, follows the earlier revocation of over 1,500 NGOs’ legal status this year, primarily targeting religious groups.
Since the mass protests of 2018, Ortega has accused NGOs of using foreign funds to destabilize his government. Among the recently closed organizations are the National Farmers and Ranchers Association and various chambers of commerce from Mexico, Panama, and Uruguay.
The crackdown has led to the closure of over 5,000 civil society organizations, significantly impacting Nicaragua’s social and economic landscape.
Tensions have also risen between Nicaragua and Brazil. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva attempted to mediate the release of detained Catholic bishops, but Ortega refused to engage. This diplomatic rift deepened when Brazil expelled Nicaraguan Ambassador Fulvia Patricia Castro in retaliation for Nicaragua’s expulsion of the Brazilian ambassador.
This ongoing situation highlights the strained international relations and internal challenges faced by Nicaragua under Ortega’s administration.