Nicaraguan government dissolves another 169 NGOs

By Vatican News

Another mass closure of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) has been decreed in Nicaragua, following the decision of President Daniel Ortega's government to revoke the legal status of 169 non-profit institutions operating in the country.

Eleven days ago, the same procedure was applied to another 1,500 NGOs. This brings the total number of civil society organizations outlawed since the start of the anti-government protests in 2018 to over 5,600.

While these repressive measures have so far targeted institutions affiliated with the Catholic Church, independent sources report that this time the entities affected include those belonging to evangelicals, Pentecostals, and Baptists, as well as organizations like Save the Children Canada.

In general, these organizations are accused of failing to provide transparent financial reports and of diverting funds to undermine the Sandinista regime.

From now on, if they wish to continue operating, they will need to do so in close collaboration with state and governmental bodies.

Penal code reform

President Ortega, now in his 4th consecutive term in the Central American country, has also submitted a bill to the National Assembly aimed at reforming the Penal Code, adding crimes such as financing terrorism, crimes against public administration, crimes against the State or its institutions, and cybercrimes.

These have been the most common charges used by the government against its opponents and to confiscate assets from various institutions, even though they were not clearly defined in the Penal Code.

Ortega's initiative also seeks to amend Article 410, which punishes individuals or institutions that undermine national integrity, increasing the penalty from 15 to 30 years in prison for those who organize, finance, or sponsor such crimes in any way.

The reform of the Penal Code aims to expand the principle of universal jurisdiction for these offenses, making them attributable to Nicaraguans or foreigners, directly or through an NGO, even if committed outside the national territory.

Furthermore, the penalties for the most serious crimes could be extended to life imprisonment.