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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.

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Central America

Prosecutors Accuse Ex-Defense Minister of Undermining Press Freedom in Honduras

Honduras’ Public Prosecutor’s Office on Wednesday filed criminal charges against retired General Roosevelt Hernández, the country’s former defense minister and former chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, over his alleged role in actions that prosecutors say undermined press freedom and freedom of expression.

Prosecutors said the case was brought by the Special Prosecutor’s Office for the Protection of Journalists, Social Communicators, Human Rights Defenders and Justice Officials following an investigation into content published between 2025 and 2026 on a digital media platform operated by the Honduran Armed Forces.

According to the investigation, the publications were reported by journalists and the Honduran Journalists Association (CPH), which described them as part of an alleged campaign to discredit members of the press and media organizations.

The case dates back to May 2025, when the CPH filed complaints with national and international organizations after the Armed Forces referred to three journalists as “hitmen” in an article published by FF.AA. Digital. The association argued that the publication endangered the journalists’ safety and constituted an attack on press freedom.

The journalists identified in the publication as “hitmen of the truth” were Rodrigo Wong Arévalo, director of the television news program Abriendo Brecha; Dagoberto Rodríguez, director of Radio Cadena Voces; and Juan Carlos Sierra, president of the Honduran Journalists Association. The article also included photographs of the three journalists and the CPH’s logo.

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The Public Prosecutor’s Office said the case file includes formal complaints, pretrial investigative proceedings, a specialized forensic analysis of audiovisual and digital material, and witness testimony gathered during the investigation to determine whether the publications violated freedom of expression and the exercise of journalism.

Authorities emphasized that freedom of the press and freedom of expression are protected under the Honduran Constitution as well as international treaties ratified by the country.

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Central America

EU Urges Nicaragua to Hold Free and Transparent Elections Amid Proposed Electoral Reforms

The European Union on Saturday called on Nicaragua to hold elections “in accordance with international standards” after the country’s co-president, Daniel Ortega, promoted electoral reforms that critics say would prevent opposition groups from participating in future elections.

Nicaragua’s National Assembly, which is controlled by allies of President Ortega and Co-President Rosario Murillo, announced on Wednesday that it would draft a package of constitutional and electoral reforms to be voted on in August. Legislative President Gustavo Porras said the changes are intended to prevent what he described as the “terrible manipulation by empires and their lackeys” in the country’s electoral process, referring to opposition groups.

In a statement issued on behalf of the European Union’s 27 member states, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas urged the Nicaraguan authorities to preserve democratic principles.

“We call on the authorities to convene elections and ensure that they are held as originally scheduled and conducted in a transparent, inclusive, and credible manner, in accordance with international standards,” Kallas said.

The European Union also reiterated its condemnation of what it described as the Nicaraguan government’s “systemic repression.” Kallas called for dialogue between Ortega’s administration and opposition groups before any electoral reforms are implemented.

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Ortega, who has been in power for nearly two decades, has faced repeated criticism from the international community over restrictions on political opponents and civil liberties.

In response to the growing international criticism, the Nicaraguan government announced on Friday that it will brief foreign diplomats on the proposed reforms, seeking to explain the objectives and scope of the legislative package before it is debated in Congress next month.

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Central America

Honduras Warns of Possible New Dengue Epidemic as Cases Continue to Rise

Honduras could be on the verge of a new dengue epidemic, according to physician and Honduran lawmaker Carlos Umaña, who warned about the sustained increase in cases across the country.

“We are on the verge of a new dengue epidemic because cases have been rising steadily,” Umaña said, urging citizens to take preventive measures. “Let’s eliminate breeding sites so we do not face fatal consequences later,” he added.

According to official data cited by Honduran media, the country had recorded 5,780 dengue cases nationwide through epidemiological week 26, covering the period from June 28 to July 4.

Of that total, 1,362 patients developed dengue with warning signs, while at least 100 cases progressed to severe dengue, increasing pressure on the national healthcare system.

Although current figures represent a decline of nearly 39% compared with the same period in 2025, when more than 9,400 cases had been reported, health authorities continue monitoring the situation due to the risk of a new surge.

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Umaña warned that if the spread of the virus is not contained, Honduras could face an increase in fatalities, particularly among vulnerable groups such as children and adolescents.

Health officials continue urging the population to remove mosquito breeding sites and strengthen prevention measures to reduce transmission of the disease.

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