Nicaragua’s government has recently made a bold move by revoking the legal status of 169 non-governmental organizations, adding to the growing list of over 5,600 civil society groups that have been banned in the country.

This mass closure of NGOs comes as part of President Daniel Ortega’s government crackdown on dissenting voices and opposition groups. Just eleven days ago, another 1,500 NGOs faced a similar fate, bringing the total number of organizations outlawed since the anti-government protests in 2018 to over 5,600.

While previous measures mainly targeted Catholic-affiliated institutions, this recent wave has affected a broader range of organizations, including evangelical, Pentecostal, and Baptist groups, as well as international organizations like Save the Children Canada.

The government accuses these organizations of financial irregularities and nefarious activities aimed at undermining the regime. Moving forward, they will be required to operate under close supervision and collaboration with state authorities.

Proposed Penal Code Reform

President Ortega has also introduced a bill to reform the Penal Code, adding new charges such as financing terrorism, crimes against public administration, crimes against the State, and cybercrimes. These charges have often been used against government opponents to justify asset seizures, despite not being clearly defined in the current Penal Code.

The proposed amendments also include harsher penalties, such as increasing the sentence for those undermining national integrity from 15 to 30 years in prison. The reform aims to broaden the scope of these crimes, making them applicable to Nicaraguans or foreigners, individuals or institutions, even if committed outside the country.

Moreover, the most severe crimes could now carry a life imprisonment term, signaling a further tightening of the government’s grip on dissent.