Central America
Nicaraguan government strips nearly a hundred opponents of their nationality
16 de febrero | Redacción |
The Nicaraguan justice on Wednesday withdrew the nationality of at least 94 people critical of President Daniel Ortega, accused of the crime of “treason”, informed magistrate Ernesto Rodríguez in official media.
Rodríguez read out a resolution in which he indicated that these persons were imposed “accessory penalties” which include absolute and special disqualification to hold public office, as well as to hold elected office and the loss of their citizenship rights “in perpetuity”.
The list includes opposition members, journalists, former ambassadors and former deputies; among them stand out the poet Gioconda Belli and the former vice-president of Nicaragua Sergio Ramírez.
Other journalists include Wilfredo Miranda, correspondent for El País; Carlos Fernando Chamorro, director of Confidencial and son of former Nicaraguan President Violeta Barrios de Chamorro; and Lucía Pineda Ubau, a former political prisoner.
“This is something I expected since 2018 when they stole our TV Channel, 100%Noticias,” Ubau told VOA. “But God will return everything to me, I put it in God’s hands, my house cost me and when God chooses the moment when they will return everything to me it will be better.”
Nicaragua’s former diplomat to the OAS, Arturo McFields, who is also on the list, reacted on Twitter after the court’s decision and said that being declared a traitor to the homeland “means that we are fighting for the return of democracy to Nicaragua”.
Also on the list are Supreme Court Justice Rafael Solís; as well as priests Silvio José Báez, Uriel Vallejos and Edwin Román.
The measure was announced a week after the Nicaraguan government released 222 political prisoners who were also stripped of their nationality, in a measure criticized by human rights organizations.
The U.S. government was quick to react to the announcement and, through Undersecretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols, described the action as “deplorable”.
“We condemn today’s action by the government of Nicaragua stripping 94 more Nicaraguan citizens of their nationality,” Nichols said on social media. “This deplorable act represents a step in the opposite direction of the democracy that the people of Nicaragua deserve.”
Central America
Nicaragua’s Alliances With U.S. Rivals Could Trigger More Sanctions, Analysis Says
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to maintain political and economic pressure on the government of Nicaragua, led by Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, due to its growing alliances with Russia, China and Iran, according to an analysis released Monday by the Centro de Estudios Transdisciplinarios de Centroamérica (Cetcam).
The report states that tensions between Washington and Managua have increased since the beginning of Trump’s second term and could worsen amid the regional political climate, particularly because of developments in Venezuela and Cuba.
Cetcam researchers noted that since the second half of 2025, the U.S. government has intensified criticism of the Sandinista administration, mainly regarding political prisoners, human rights, religious freedom and what it describes as the authoritarian model established by Ortega and Murillo.
“With this background, it is possible to foresee that Washington will maintain pressure, including sanctions, against the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship,” the think tank stated in its report.
The study also warns that one of Washington’s main concerns is the strengthening relationship between Managua and countries considered strategic rivals of the United States, particularly Russia, China and Iran.
Among the developments highlighted is the recent ratification by the Russian Senate of a military cooperation agreement signed with Nicaragua in 2025. The deal is expected to strengthen strategic coordination and Russia’s presence in Central America for an initial five-year period.
According to Cetcam, the move will “hardly go unnoticed” by the United States.
Central America
Guatemala swears in new attorney general after controversial exit of Consuelo Porras
The new Attorney General of Guatemala, Gabriel García Luna, officially took office on Sunday and pledged to restore public confidence in the institution while strengthening efforts against corruption and organized crime.
“Today does not mark the beginning of just another administration. Today marks an opportunity to restore dignity to Guatemala’s criminal justice system,” said García Luna, who was appointed by President Bernardo Arévalo.
García Luna succeeds Consuelo Porras, whose tenure began in 2018 and became highly controversial due to accusations of undermining democratic institutions and obstructing anti-corruption investigations.
Porras was sanctioned by the United States, the European Union, Canada, and the United Kingdom, among others, over allegations related to corruption and interference in judicial processes.
Her administration was also criticized for allegedly attempting to block President Arévalo’s inauguration in 2024 and for pursuing legal actions against former anti-mafia prosecutors, judges, journalists, and Indigenous leaders, many of whom later went into exile.
During his inauguration speech, García Luna acknowledged that many Guatemalans had lost trust in the Attorney General’s Office.
“For years, many Guatemalans lost confidence in the institution, not because they stopped believing in justice, but because justice stopped believing in them. Today begins the duty to restore that trust,” he stated.
The new attorney general also admitted he inherited an institution “with deep wounds.”
The United States has accused Porras of obstructing anti-corruption investigations to protect political allies and secure political favors.
Critics argue that such actions benefited the so-called “pact of the corrupt,” an alleged network of political, economic, and criminal interests believed to exert influence over Guatemala’s justice system.
Central America
Mulino Vows Tougher Crackdown as Homicides Increase in Panama
Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino said Thursday that his administration will not negotiate with gangs in an attempt to curb the wave of violence that has recently shaken the country and fueled growing public concern over insecurity.
“I am not going to sit down, nor is the security minister going to sit down with the leader of any gang to negotiate,” Mulino stated while rejecting any possibility of dialogue with criminal organizations.
According to statistics from the Public Ministry of Panama, the country recorded 62 homicides in April, nearly double the 34 reported during the same month last year. In March, authorities registered 53 killings, representing a 20% increase compared to the same period in 2025.
Panamanian authorities say the country’s two main gangs, among more than 180 criminal organizations identified nationwide, are behind the recent escalation in violence.
The National Police of Panama stated that disputes over territorial control, recruitment of new members, and drug theft between rival gangs are driving the increase in murders and armed attacks.
Mulino also expressed concern about innocent civilians becoming victims of the violence.
“They are in restaurants, they are in schools, and they become victims of these shootings,” the president said.
The Panamanian leader further called for tougher judicial measures against gang leaders and drug trafficking operators, criticizing court decisions that grant house arrest to suspects linked to contract killings and organized crime.
“We are going to act as we must to defend the overwhelming majority of Panamanian citizens, who are not criminals and are not drug traffickers,” Mulino stated.
Authorities believe that rising cocaine production in South America and Panama’s role as a transit route for drugs destined for the United States and Europe continue to strengthen gangs involved in narcotics trafficking.
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