MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Nicaragua outlaws yet another 25 NGOs

The assets of these associations might become the property of the State

The Government of Nicaragua has outlawed yet another 25 Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), bringing that figure up to 87 since December of 2018, it was reported Thursday.

This time around, the Ministry of the Interior dissolved an association of journalists, an environmentalist group, and other women's, indigenous, and human rights entities. The authorities have also canceled the registrations of six US and six European NGOs.

The now terminated groups include the Asociación Operación Sonrisa de Nicaragua, the Asociación de Periodistas de Nicaragua Dr. Pedro Joaquín Chamorro Cardenal, and the environmentalist Centro Alexander Von Humboldt para la Promoción del Desarrollo del Territorio y la Gestión del Ambiente (Centro Humboldt), the Violeta Barrios de Chamorro Foundation for Reconciliation and Democracy, the Nicaraguan Foundation for Economic and Social Development (Funides), the Ethics and Transparency Civic Group Foundation, the Foundation for Freedom, and the Vital Voices of Nicaragua Association, among others.

According to the Ministry of the Interior, these 25 NGOs have not reported their financial statements with detailed breakdowns of income, expenses, balance sheet, and details of donations.

The authorities also claimed these entities were not complying with the law by failing to name their boards of directors. Therefore, the registration of these 25 NGOs is to be terminated within 72 hours. The assets and shares belonging to these associations/foundations will have to be previously liquidated. Otherwise, they will become the property of the State, according to the initiative.

Nicaragua has been going through a political and social crisis since April 2018. On November 7, last year, Ortega was reelected for a fifth as President, his fourth consecutive one and second together with his wife, Rosario Murillo, as vice president. All main political rivals are either in prison or in exile.