Central America
Nicaragua Mandates Income Tax for Churches, Closes 151 NGOs in Sweeping Crackdown
The Nicaraguan government will require churches and religious entities to pay income tax and has ordered the closure of 151 NGOs, marking an unprecedented tightening of control over these organizations since the 2018 protests.
“Repeal” the clause of the “Tax Concertation Law” that exempted churches, denominations, religious confessions, and foundations from this obligation, according to the resolution published in the official newspaper La Gaceta, signed by President Daniel Ortega.
Now, these entities will be subject to taxes of up to 30% of their annual income, depending on the amount at the end of the fiscal year (January-December).
The fiscal changes were introduced through reforms to the “Law on Control of Non-Profit Organizations” and the “Regulation of Foreign Agents,” which will now require NGOs to carry out their projects jointly with state institutions.
The government also canceled the registration of 151 non-governmental organizations, mostly international and sectoral chambers of commerce, three days after closing 1,500 NGOs, in what the opposition in exile described as an attack on civil society.
Last Friday, Ortega’s government issued a controversial regulation forcing NGOs to work exclusively in “partnership alliances” with state entities.
Central America
Guatemala’s President to Hold Private Interviews for Attorney General Candidates
Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo de León announced that he will privately interview the six candidates for attorney general this week, breaking with the public format used by former President Alejandro Giammattei.
Speaking during a press conference on Monday, Arévalo said the interviews would not be open to the public because he intends to question candidates about their plans to recover the Attorney General’s Office from what he described as “political-criminal networks.”
Under Guatemalan law, the president is responsible for appointing the country’s attorney general.
The position has been held since 2018 by Consuelo Porras, whose term is set to expire on May 16 after two consecutive terms marked by local and international allegations of corruption.
Arévalo is expected to select the new attorney general later this week from a shortlist recently submitted by a nomination commission.
The Guatemalan president has repeatedly criticized the Public Prosecutor’s Office, claiming it has been compromised by corrupt political interests.
Central America
Guatemala Court Voids List of Candidates for Top Prosecutor Position
Constitutional Court of Guatemala on Thursday annulled the shortlist of six candidates for attorney general and head of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, ordering authorities to repeat the evaluation phase of the selection process.
The ruling came in response to a legal appeal filed by Raúl Amílcar Falla Ovalle, who challenged the way professional experience had been assessed for some applicants, particularly those with careers in the judiciary.
As a result of the decision, the selection process has been suspended, and the Postulation Commission must return to the stage in which the original 48 applicants were evaluated.
According to the ruling, the commission must reapply the grading criteria without automatically counting years served as judges as equivalent to the professional experience required for the position.
“The Postulation Commission for the election of the Attorney General and Head of the Public Prosecutor’s Office is ordered to reassess the applicants by strictly applying the approved grading table,” the resolution states.
The Constitutional Court also stressed that the process must guarantee merit, competence, and suitability, while ensuring greater transparency in the assignment of scores.
Central America
U.S. extradites Iranian man over alleged sanctions evasion scheme
The United States has extradited from Panama an Iranian national accused of evading economic sanctions against Iran by illegally exporting U.S. technology. He is scheduled to appear this Monday before a court in Seattle.
Reza Dindar, 44, was extradited on April 17 after being detained in Panama since July 2025 on charges related to export control violations between 2011 and 2012, allegedly carried out through companies based in China.
The defendant appeared before a U.S. district court in Seattle, where he faces charges of violating sanctions imposed by the United States on Iran in 1995 during the administration of Bill Clinton. These sanctions prohibit the unauthorized export, re-export, or supply—directly or indirectly—of U.S. goods, technology, or services to Iran or its government.
According to the indictment, between 2010 and 2014, Dindar led the company New Port Sourcing Solutions in Xi’an, China, which allegedly concealed the procurement of U.S. products for shipment to clients in Iran.
-
Central America5 days agoGuatemala Court Voids List of Candidates for Top Prosecutor Position
-
International5 days agoPope Leo XIV Says Countries Have Border Rights but Migrants Deserve Respect
-
International3 days agoU.S. allows Venezuela to fund Maduro and Cilia Flores’ legal defense
-
International1 day agoMexico Arrests CJNG Leader “El Jardinero” in Nayarit
-
International2 days agoSuspect Armed With Shotgun and Knives Detained at White House Correspondents Dinner
-
International4 days agoU.S. Sanctions Network Linked to Fentanyl Trafficking Across India, Guatemala and Mexico
-
International4 hours agoKing Charles III Says U.S.-UK Alliance Is “Irreplaceable and Unbreakable”
-
Central America1 day agoGuatemala’s President to Hold Private Interviews for Attorney General Candidates
-
International4 hours agoTrump Administration Considers Denying Green Cards Over Political Views























