12 de April 2025
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The Casa España recreation club, with more than 60 years of history in Nicaragua, was confiscated and converted into a “Nicaragüita Recreational Center and School of Tourist Services”, for the “use and enjoyment” of the officers of the Ministry of the Interior, the National Police and their families, according to official information released by the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.
The confiscation was consummated less than two weeks after the arbitrary closing and illegal seizure of Casa España Nicaragua, which occurred at the end of March 2025, when members of the National Police arrived at the premises without a warrant and prevented members and employees from entering. Days before, the club had ceased its regular publications about its recreational activities on social networks.
According to unofficial information, the Casa España property was previously declared as “public utility”.
The “inauguration” that consummates the robbery
In her midday monologue, Rosario Murillo, announced the “inauguration” of the center, which she highlighted as “another triumph of the people in peace”, omitting that until two weeks ago Casa España Nicaragua was a private property.
The “co-president” and spokeswoman for the dictatorship also emphasized that this center is in addition to the “centers of study and enjoyment” Nicarao, in San Juan del Sur, and Luxemburgo, in Pochomil. Two properties that were also confiscated.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by authorities from the Ministry of the Interior, the National Police, the National Technological Institute (Inatec), and the Mayor’s Office of Managua.
With their backs to a newly painted façade, Interior Minister María Amelia Coronel and Vice Minister Luis Cañas participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony. Also, the director of the National Police and first commissioner, Francisco Díaz; the director of Inatec, Loyda Barreda; the vice mayor of Managua, Enrique Armas, and directors of the National Penitentiary System, the General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners and United Firefighters.
Origin of “recreational center” omitted
According to the dictatorship, the “recreational center” will function as a space for recreation, leisure and learning”.
The pro-government propaganda media described the premises as having “several sports courts for soccer, tennis, paddle tennis, volleyball, basketball, service areas, bars and restaurants, kitchens and swimming pools”, omitting that these were not built or enabled by the Government, but belonged to Casa España Nicaragua, which until two weeks ago operated there.
The director of Inatec confirmed that the premises will be for the use of the Police, the Ministry of the Interior and their families. She added that “it will also be a technical training center and we are working on a proposal of more than 50 courses that will be available to the members of the Ministry of the Interior, the National Police and their families”.
The Minister of the Interior commented: “We work every day, 24 hours a day, at the service of the population to provide peace and security and we also have to have a space for leisure and recreation and we will have education and training for our families and ourselves”.
According to official information, the store -located 700 meters west of Kilometer 11 of Carretera a Masaya- will operate from Friday to Sunday, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
The suspension of Casa España in 2022
In March 2022, the then Ministry of the Interior (now Interior) ordered the “temporary suspension” of the Nicaraguan Spanish Association, known as Casa España/Club Campestre, under the argument of alleged “contradictions and lack of understanding” among the members registered before the regulatory body until January 2017.
Through a resolution, which did not specify the exact time of the suspension, the Migob required the election of a new Board of Directors of the Association, in which it ordered that “only members registered until January 2017 will participate”. In addition, it demanded the presentation of the new statutes that would govern Casa España.
In a communiqué published on March 10, 2022, Casa España informed that they suspended operations “until further notice”, and that they are working “to normalize operations as soon as possible”.
That same year, the Special Law for the Change of Regime of Legal Entities was approved, and the Spanish Nicaraguan Association became Casa España Nicaragua Sociedad Anónima, represented by a Board of Directors.
Casa España Nicaragua continued to operate as a private country-style social club through a membership system that provided access to a swimming pool, gymnasium, sports facilities for soccer, fronton, tennis and paddle tennis, billiards, foosball and ping pong. It also offered yoga classes, zumba, swimming, tennis and bar service, restaurant and barbecue area, according to its website and social networks.
The history of Casa España Nicaragua
In 1961, Spain promoted the creation of social and cultural initiatives known as “Casa España” in several Latin American countries. In Nicaragua, the initiative began operating in 1964 and obtained its legal status in 1969.
The Spanish Nicaraguan Association, which was in charge of Casa España Nicaragua, was constituted in 1975 and registered its statutes in 1978.
In 1972, the facility served as a shelter and care center for the victims of the Managua earthquake, which occurred in December of that year. In 1996, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, it began to provide medical care to the surrounding community and, in 1998, it was designated as an emergency shelter by the Spanish Embassy and the European Union. That same year, it became a shelter and care center for the victims of Hurricane Mitch.
