Central America

UN condemns closure of 1,500 NGOs in Nicaragua

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights condemned on Tuesday the closure of 1,500 NGOs by Nicaraguan authorities, raising the total number of banned organizations, media outlets, and private universities in the country to over 5,000 since 2022.

According to the office led by High Commissioner Volker Türk, this mass closure of civil society organizations is “deeply alarming,” particularly in a country where civic space has been “severely eroded” in recent years.

The office also noted that undue restrictions are being imposed by the Nicaraguan government on religious freedom, as approximately half of the recently closed NGOs were religious associations.

“The severe impact of these measures on the rights to freedom of association and expression, as well as on religious freedom, is making it increasingly difficult to defend human rights in Nicaragua,” said UN spokesperson Liz Throssell.

She highlighted that many remaining civil society organizations in Nicaragua have opted for self-censorship or dissolution due to restrictive laws limiting their activities.

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In light of this situation, the office reiterated its call for Nicaraguan authorities to stop imposing restrictions on civic and democratic spaces in the country and to ensure respect for human rights in accordance with their international obligations.

Nicaragua has been experiencing a political and social crisis since April 2018, which was exacerbated by the controversial general elections of 2021, where Daniel Ortega was re-elected for a fourth consecutive term, with his main opponents imprisoned, later expelled from the country, and stripped of their nationality.

Central America

Panama begins reverse migration by sea for 109 stranded migrants

Panamanian authorities have transported a group of 109 migrants of various nationalities by sea to La Miel, a Caribbean town on the country’s border with Colombia, to continue their return journey to South America. The move comes after the migrants failed to settle in the United States, following stricter immigration policies implemented under the administration of former President Donald Trump.

The National Migration Service (SNM) of Panama announced in a statement on Tuesday that the transfer was carried out from the Caribbean port of Colón using a vessel from Panama’s National Aeronaval Service (Senan). The operation was part of the country’s so-called “reverse flow” initiative, aimed at facilitating the safe return of migrants.

The official report noted that the group included migrants from nine different nationalities, with 75 adults and 34 minors on board. Authorities emphasized the “inter-institutional commitment to safe and humanitarian reverse migration.”

A source familiar with the process, speaking anonymously to EFE, confirmed that the vessel departed on Monday. Many of the migrants had opted into the reverse flow program after arriving at the Temporary Attention Center for Migrants (CATEM) in Costa Rica, where coordination was made with Panamanian authorities for their return.

Central America

Ombudsman: Tear gas overused in Arimae protest crackdown

Panama’s Ombudsman Office stated on Tuesday that the National Police (PN) used excessive tear gas to disperse a protest in the indigenous community of Arimae, which escalated into a violent clash lasting several hours and leaving multiple people injured on both sides.

After a two-day visit to Arimae, a town in the Darién province about 200 kilometers from Panama City, Ombudsman Eduardo Leblanc reported that “there was clear evidence of the excessive use of tear gas in the community, which has caused various health issues among the population.”

The confrontation occurred on June 5, when police forces arrived to clear a section of the Pan-American Highway — which spans the entire country — that had been blocked by residents using tree trunks. The blockade was part of a protest against a newly enacted social security reform.

According to EFE, police responded with tear gas and rubber bullets, while demonstrators hurled rocks, sticks, arrows, and even Molotov cocktails.

Central America

Honduras sees 7.8% rise in external public debt year-on-year

Honduras’ public sector external debt reached $9.96 billion by the end of April 2025, marking a 7.8% increasecompared to the same period in 2024, according to a report released Tuesday by the country’s Central Bank (BCH).

The figure represents a rise of $725.8 million compared to the $9.24 billion recorded between January and April 2024.

However, the debt balance decreased by $243.2 million compared to December 2024, when it stood at $10.2 billion. This reduction was primarily due to higher principal payments totaling $410.8 million, while new disbursements reached only $87.4 million, resulting in a net amortization of $323.4 million. This effect was partially offset by unfavorable exchange rate fluctuations, which increased the debt balance by $80.2 million.

By institution, the general government holds 90.8% of the debt (approximately $9.05 billion), followed by the monetary authority with 7.7% ($770 million), non-financial public enterprises with 1.3% ($126.6 million), and public financial institutions with 0.2% ($16.5 million), the BCH detailed.