Spanish
The impact of the repression in Nicaragua has caused more than 700,000 people to leave the country since April 2018, according to data from United Nations Refugee Agency, UNHCR.
Of that total, at least 370,000 have applied for political asylum, which places Nicaragua as the second country in the world with the most refuge requests in proportion to its population.
"This figure illustrates the magnitude of the crisis and the scope of the repressive policies implemented by the regime," warned Jan Simon, Chair of the Human Rights Experts Group on Nicaragua, in an interview with Infobae.
The massive outflow of Nicaraguans has generated notable changes in host communities, especially in Costa Rica, where newcomers face obstacles in accessing basic services and employment.
Various international organizations have warned about the increased vulnerability of this group and their exposure to trafficking and labor exploitation.
Simon detailed in an interview with Infobae that forced migration is due not only to economic reasons, but also to the direct persecution of opponents, journalists and human rights defenders, who have suffered raids and threats.
Structural corruption and financing of repression
Simon highlighted that the investigation by the Group of Experts presented on Tuesday to the UN warned that corruption in the Nicaraguan State is consolidating as a financing mechanism for political repression. The analysis of the accounting documentation allowed to confirm that public funds, originally intended for social programs and services such as cleaning and assistance, were redirected towards the support of para-state groups linked to the Sandinista National Liberation Front, FSL. The investigation identified that at least six municipalities participated in a scheme where, in the first two months of the analysis, approximately five million monetary units were diverted.
The phases of repression in Nicaragua began with the suppression of demonstrations, followed by the annulment of the opposition in the 2021 electoral process through mass imprisonments, and then focused on neutralizing sectors such as the Catholic Church and peasant movements. Currently, the repressive action has extended outwards, through surveillance, threats and harassment – physical and digital – directed at exiled Nicaraguans, reaching, according to reports from organizations, executions outside the country, especially in Costa Rica. The international scope of these mechanisms also implies the use of tools such as Interpol, control of money laundering, and coercion of family members who remain in Nicaragua, seeking to avoid the denunciation and international repercussions of the abuses. Sources consulted warn that the regime has sophisticated its methods to hinder the obtaining of refuge and reduce external pressure for human rights. The nature of the crimes and the international response
The violations documented by the group of experts fit the international definition of crimes against humanity: systematic and widespread attacks against the civilian population, driven by the will to eliminate obstacles to power. The report emphasizes that the Nicaraguan case reflects the foundational spirit of the crime after the Second World War: to provide the international community with tools against states that attack their own people. To date, the international community has imposed sanctions on 54 individuals directly responsible for these practices, including senior officials from the Financial Intelligence Unit and directors of penal centers cited for acts of torture. One of the experts explains: "The imposition of sanctions weakens confidence in the Nicaraguan financial system and complicates the sustainability of the regime." According to diplomatic reports, the sanctions have also restricted access to foreign investment and are generating tensions with allied countries in the region. Sustainability of the Repressive Model and Prospects for Change
The model sustained by the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo faces growing difficulties. Access to external resources is increasingly limited by sanctions and isolation, while, within the country, the advanced age and health problems of the current leaders sow doubts about continuity, as potential successors lack Ortega's symbolic capital. Experts warn that international pressure, while relevant, will not be enough without changes from within. "The transformation must come from Nicaraguan society, even though most of its members are in exile," they pointed out. The international role consists of guaranteeing security and return through multilateral organizations such as the UN, the OAS, and the Red Cross. The situation in Nicaragua, as highlighted by consulted sources, represents "an extreme example of how corruption and repression are articulated as a state policy." Despite growing restrictions, the outcome of the crisis is still uncertain.
Simon highlighted that the investigation by the Group of Experts presented on Tuesday to the UN warned that corruption in the Nicaraguan State is consolidating as a financing mechanism for political repression. The analysis of the accounting documentation allowed to confirm that public funds, originally intended for social programs and services such as cleaning and assistance, were redirected towards the support of para-state groups linked to the Sandinista National Liberation Front, FSL. The investigation identified that at least six municipalities participated in a scheme where, in the first two months of the analysis, approximately five million monetary units were diverted.
Experts highlighted the absence of controls and the complicity of officials who validated these transfers outside of regular budgetary processes.“This amount corresponds only to some projects and municipalities, representing a fraction of the total money used for repressive purposes,” added Simon.
Operation of the Repression Apparatus
The financing of the repression -explained the expert- mobilizes resources from the municipalities, under the monitoring of the Nicaraguan Municipal Development Institute, and the direction of key figures such as Fidel Moreno, administrative secretary of the FSLN, under the guidelines of Vice President Rosario Murillo.
The phases of repression in Nicaragua began with the suppression of demonstrations, followed by the annulment of the opposition in the 2021 electoral process through mass imprisonments, and then focused on neutralizing sectors such as the Catholic Church and peasant movements. Currently, the repressive action has extended outwards, through surveillance, threats and harassment – physical and digital – directed at exiled Nicaraguans, reaching, according to reports from organizations, executions outside the country, especially in Costa Rica. The international scope of these mechanisms also implies the use of tools such as Interpol, control of money laundering, and coercion of family members who remain in Nicaragua, seeking to avoid the denunciation and international repercussions of the abuses. Sources consulted warn that the regime has sophisticated its methods to hinder the obtaining of refuge and reduce external pressure for human rights. The nature of the crimes and the international response
The violations documented by the group of experts fit the international definition of crimes against humanity: systematic and widespread attacks against the civilian population, driven by the will to eliminate obstacles to power. The report emphasizes that the Nicaraguan case reflects the foundational spirit of the crime after the Second World War: to provide the international community with tools against states that attack their own people. To date, the international community has imposed sanctions on 54 individuals directly responsible for these practices, including senior officials from the Financial Intelligence Unit and directors of penal centers cited for acts of torture. One of the experts explains: "The imposition of sanctions weakens confidence in the Nicaraguan financial system and complicates the sustainability of the regime." According to diplomatic reports, the sanctions have also restricted access to foreign investment and are generating tensions with allied countries in the region. Sustainability of the Repressive Model and Prospects for Change
The model sustained by the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo faces growing difficulties. Access to external resources is increasingly limited by sanctions and isolation, while, within the country, the advanced age and health problems of the current leaders sow doubts about continuity, as potential successors lack Ortega's symbolic capital. Experts warn that international pressure, while relevant, will not be enough without changes from within. "The transformation must come from Nicaraguan society, even though most of its members are in exile," they pointed out. The international role consists of guaranteeing security and return through multilateral organizations such as the UN, the OAS, and the Red Cross. The situation in Nicaragua, as highlighted by consulted sources, represents "an extreme example of how corruption and repression are articulated as a state policy." Despite growing restrictions, the outcome of the crisis is still uncertain.
